Tulips and Happy Memories

When we go out for the day or go away on holiday, I often like to pick up a plant or two to put in the garden as a lovely reminder. Something that will trigger a memory when it flowers again over the following years - perhaps a thought of a happy occasion or a special day out or special place. 

Just after Easter we returned from a break in the Lake District and after a lot of rainy days, the sun was out and the front garden had suddenly started to burst into flower, as we pulled up on the drive. Amongst the newly opened flowers were a stunning group of bright pink tulips. They made me smile as I thought back to when I bought the bulbs - yes a truly happy and memorable occasion. 

It was just a year after my heart and double transplant. My transplant team had given me the go ahead to fly for the first time in over five years. I chose Amsterdam as I wanted to go somewhere new that I'd never visited before. It was only an hours flight too, which helped to allay some of my fears. I'd felt anxious about being abroad for the first time after such major surgery and also vulnerable to infection being immunosuppressed. 

Amsterdam is a vibrant and beautiful city and I loved being there for so many different reasons. We walked past the floating flower market each day and I used to stop and browse the stalls of seeds, bulbs and plants. I chose some tulip bulbs - obviously - and when we returned home, planted them in the front garden. Last year they flowered and I was pleased they'd survived, but this year they've multiplied and are looking fabulous -  well formed, bright and fresh. 

So yes, they brought a big smile to my face - not only for the fact that they looked beautiful and the garden has started coming alive again, but because of the memory that came flooding back - a very happy and momentus one. 

Floating Flower Market Amsterdam

Spring Plants and Flowers in April

The garden has burst into flower this last few weeks. It seems to happen all of a sudden as soon as the daffodils start to fade back. Here are a few that are out at the moment - those April ones that I always look forward to seeing. It doesn't stop now, the garden just becomes brighter and fuller as one plant fades and another plant buds as the days become longer and warmer. 

My young and deep pink magnolia bush is opening up.  I try and enjoy its flowers while they last - a strong frost and they can be burned and spoilt, but for now they're enjoying the sunshine and showers. 

The bluebells are up and coming out - these are the Spanish variety and they do brighten up my garden both back and front. They start on pushing through their shoots as early as January and it's interesting to watch them at each stage until they're out in full bloom. 

The pansies in my pots and baskets have almost bubbled up and over in full colour after those gloomy winter months when they flower and try to brighten the days, but keep being swept back by the weather. Now they're bursting full again as they feel the warmth of the sun. 

I love the golden forsythias and the bright white of the bridal wreath shrubs. 

Forget-me-nots always give a splash of strong colour, I tend to let them seed and run riot amongst the borders!

Quince is another spring favourite too with its pretty red flowers tumbling and spilling against the front wall - I like to see a glimpse of it from the front window. 

Lugwort always makes for some welcome bright patches of colour in the borders in this early part af the season. It has interesting spotted foliage too. 

Pretty clusters of saxifrage colour the front of the borders. 

My wallflowers persist in flowering all year round - through all the seasons, but they are putting on a really lovely show of colour this April. And the last of the daffodils just crossing over with the growth and new blooms. Most of them have faded, but I have a few late flowering types. The daffodils have lasted for ever this spring, which has been uplifting on the colder days. 

Easter Rain

The Easter holidays have been a little muddled with Easter falling so early. Some schools finished for Easter during Easter week and some schools had the bank holiday and are now on holiday for two weeks. So far during this period, the weather has been very mixed. We've had sunshine and showers and some very wet days combined with a few odd sunny days. 

Wherever we've been this Easter period, the weather has been mainly cold and wet. For the Easter weekend we visited South Cumbria and enjoyed some lovely walks and views amidst the sunshine and heavy rain. Dark clouds threatened us everywhere we went and sometimes we got soaked and sometimes we managed to skip the showers, but we didn't let it stop us. Everything has a different view in the wet and covered in rain drops and all the plants and scents are much fresher and stronger. 

I was pleased to see that the daffodils were out in their glory everywhere we turned - some flowering and some still in bud. I'd wondered back in the depths of winter whether we'd have any left by March, as some started flowering in December and January the weather was so mild, so it was good to see most are in bloom at their normal time of year.

 

Spring Bouquets

I always love to have flowers around the house at all times of year - they can brighten up those gloomy days and dismal corners whatever the weather is doing. Spring time is always a lovely time of year to have some flowers dotted around the house - they can compliment and echo the early spring flowers that are blooming outside and bring the two together. Indoor flowers in spring are always a reminder of all that's to bloom and grow outside very soon. 

It's been especially busy in our household as I've recently launched my very first book, 'Life is for the Living' and then my book launch was closely followed by Mother's Day and Easter, so there's been lots of celebrating and I seem to have been thoroughly spoiled by friends and family during March with some very beautiful bouquets of flowers. 

The colours, mix of flowers and scents have been really be stunning: pale pink roses, carnations and lilies; deep blue hyacinths and brilliant golds; mixes of greens and pale peach roses and deep purples of verbena, bright pink gerberas and carnations offset with whites. 

My book 'Life is for the Living' is available on Amazon - £8.99 for a paperback and £3.99 for a Kindle version - all proceeds are for charities that have supported me through my heart and double lung transplant. The link is below: 

Amazon - Life is for the Living