Lockdown Gardens - 1

This year we can't see each other's gardens. No one will be able to admire my peonies when they burst forth, which is nothing short of a personal tragedy. But, thanks to the power of the online world, we can all see what each other's gardens look like while eating cake at home. 

Here are some first photos from some of my gardening group members. Others will follow. 

(Apols for nightmarishly inconsistent font size. Blogger is hopeless at this and pasting photos and text messes up the code.)

My neighbour Verity says, "The spires of Camassia leichtlinii caerulea have followed white Narcissi Thalia in the beds. Bees covered the wonderful scented blossom of the 45yr old Malus, which I am trying to identify. The ferns on the bank are unfurling surrounded by acid-yellow Euphorbia (Spurge) and Forget-me-Not." The next three pics are hers:

 Below is Lizzie's beautiful blossom in a tranquil evening scene:

From Julia, five very varied insights into her garden:

Early French lavender

Abundant veg on a windowsill, proving that you don't need special equipment or even a veg garden!

"Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine’ bleeding heart has been dug up and moved house with me over 34 years!"

An astonishing 50 year old acer in a pot

 

Is it a centaur? Is it a bear? Is it a Rorsach test?
No, it's a queen bee after her maiden flight into Julia's Rambling Rector rose

Here are my own tulips in the front garden, with anemones behind:

Philippa had a beautiful visitor over the weekend: 

The next four are from Kate, who has offered us all seeds from these stunning aquilegia: 

A verdant country scene

Wisteria loving the sunshine and warm lime wall

I haven't seen Kate's garden yet but these are so my kind of colours and plants:

Finally, Debbie has been getting amazingly creative with a meadow maze and a story: "With such a large meadow garden we have a blank canvas to create really playful spaces so I had an idea to create a homage to Steve’s childhood home, which was Wing in Rutland. Wing is well known for its Labyrinth maze, which Steve loved as a child, and I had just the perfect spot to create one, 10 metres in diameter. I plotted it out on paper and used a string line and spray marker; then we cut it out with the lawnmower. We are really pleased with how it has turned out and as the grass and wild flowers grow it will become even more beautiful."

We need a load of garden parties when all this is over! First stop, the maze - consider ourselves invited!