Hey Ding-a-ding! The season is turning
Even a week ago, the garden was more asleep than awake. Suddenly, as always, there is a rush of activity out there and every day brings a new surprise.
Battle of the colours
Whether we're north on Te Waka a Maui or tucked away on Te Wai Pounamu, the signs are unmistakable.
It's the annual festival battle of pink (camellias, flowering prunus, daphne, magnolias, even primroses and pansies nowadays) and yellow (daffodils, the soleil d'or,more pansies, forsythia).
In my garden there is a heavenly wash of blue too as the hardy little chionodoxa aka 'glory-of- the-snow' flares out for an all too short parade.
All too suddenly, it will be a shiny green patch of new leaves.
Even my granddaughter Rosa appreciated it when she visited recently.
All this is not to mention the violets, which are everywhere you'll let them snuggle into the soil, though their preference is for leafy humus.
If you have a tree and no violets under it, consider begging a root or two from a patch you know of.
My favourites are the double parma violets, Swanley White and blue Marie Louise.
They are little more tender than single varieties but unequalled for perfume, even to the neat mat of their leaves, which scent a warm summer garden almost as well as their early spring blooms do right now.
Perennial Reminders
Time then to set the catalogues aside and be busy out there. Here are a few perennial reminders which crop up at this time of year.
Sow seed of hardy varieties without delay, keeping some seed back for a little later, so that you'll have an extended season and some sort of insurance against unhelpful weather.
All sorts of containers can of course be used, as long as drainage is provided and some initial covering to help retain moisture.
I have even heard of old egg cartons serving a turn as handy planter pockets.
Of course some hardy favourites can be sown directly in the garden and if you are in a hurry,check the packet to see if this is an option.
If you're buying seedlings, it is worth giving your investment the best possible start in the garden by watering plants in well before firming around them gently.
For those polyanthus and primroses currently making a brave showing, a reward of a teaspoon per plant of dried blood will keep the colour coming.
This is a good time to buddy up with friends and decide which bits you can share.
It could be seeds or cuttings or rooted pieces of perennials or promises of bulbs once their foliage has died down.
Or share a pottle of seedlings, so that for half the price you somehow end up with twice the pleasure.
Thinking potatoes?
Thinking potatoes? how about two or three in a bucket? Good soil, sprouting spuds on top, covered with straw or leafy litter, kept in a warm spot and just moist.
Perhaps another bucket for the mint, which really can't be trusted in the open ground.
Happy gardening, I'm off to find my seed packets.