It’s funny how every year I am surprised by the first spell of warm weather; it’s as though I can’t really imagine the garden springing (sic!) back into life even though I know cognitively that it will happen. It made me realise how much gardening is a sort of ‘act of faith’. You carry out actions that will be rewarded some time in the future and there isn’t really any certainty about that either. In a sense you have to be future-focussed, without being future dependent, and at the same time you need to enjoy the process.

I was so pleased that the summery weather lasted until the weekend as I was able to get out on Saturday for a concerted attack on the perennial bed that I failed to finish weeding earlier. In a sense I was glad that I waited until now as it is much easier to see what I want to keep and what I want to take out- a few weeks ago the identity of some of the plants was not clear. As with the other perennial bed, my ‘planting plan’ leaves much to be desired. I wish I could be more orderly and structured about it and plan proper planting combinations and colour schemes, but apart from trying not to mix yellows and pinks and having ‘hot’  and ‘cool ‘ colours together, I haven’t got very far. I feel that this is something that may evolve over time and as Monty says, you can always move plants if you don’t like them where they are. My problem is an issue of editing- I don’t like to throw anything away and if a plant self-seeds somewhere I feel bad about pulling it out- unless I can be sure that it is a ‘weed’.

On Sunday, feeling much more tired and stiff, I gave myself light duties in the greenhouse, sowing many many seeds. I sowed three types of bean ( monte cristo, deliniel and runner) , two types of courgette, mixed salad leaves, basil, mint, sage and cosmos. I realised that up until that point I hadn’t really felt like sowing seeds as I hadn’t been completely emotionally convinced  that summer would be here and therefore my motivation was lacking and only lasted as long as my boredom threshold (which is short even in the garden). In the hot weather there suddenly seemed like no time to lose. Funny how the weather affects you like that. Today by contrast Spring seems to have gone away again and it is hard to remember how the hot days felt.

I also tidied the hot south facing bed by the driveway. It is looking wonderfully colourful with its wallflowers and tulips.

I also added wires to the wall as I am planning to train the fig tree in espalier form against the wall and also introduce morning glory flowers for later in the season. I also sowed some sunflowers in the greenhouse for late summer colour. This is the bed that can be seen from the road and is also easy to access and so I am hoping to keep up a seasonal display most of the year with bedding plants and a few perennials. Of course the tulips can stay where they are as the ground is so hot and dry.