2025/12 - Wakey, wakey, my green lovely!

 We have had days and days of sunshine, hardly any wind, and though the nights were all below 8°C, no frosts. So my garden is definitely waking up!

The warmest part at the moment is the bank of the ditch. It is in full sunlight for hours on end, and it cheers my soul.

Another plant that is profiting from that sunny bank is my rhubarb. Last week a mass of almost black plant matter still, this week it has woken up, hurray!

Isn't it gorgeous?

I have four plants, so a glut of rhubarb is coming. Rhubarb crumble, rhubarb sauce, rhubarb jelly, and plain old rhubarb as a side dish. Delicious.

This plant is also showing its eagerness to get going. I believe it is called red pimpernel in English, rode pimpernel in Dutch. It was a gift from someone else's garden, and she didn't know the Dutch name.

Could not resist more of these happy faces... They make me forget all (well, I lie, not all) troubles in Europe and the USA. (Still called the USA? Or is that a forbidden word now? I can't keep up! Breast-feed is a no-no, but tit, totally acceptable, as is pussy. Well, obviously).

If you look closely in the corner on the left, you see the self-seeded  aquilegias. And a lot of that pesky grass that is self-seeding as well...grumble. But I will come with the trimmer very soon. For now I will leave it, as the nights are still very cold and my wildlife needs all the shelter it can find.

I say 'my wildlife', because when you pour all of your effort and frankly love into a garden, it is hard not to get possessive about it, right? So I can say I pray that this year my resident mice will leave MY seed trays alone!

My neighbour says "why don't you put some traps down?" - ehm... because I am the one who has to empty them.

I've tried to be clever and left the outer rims empty. Perhaps it will fool them. Probably not.

Since my first batch of spider plant babies froze (so, so sorry...), I have potted up the second batch. My plant at home provides me with a never-ending supply. There is a cyclamen there as well, also from a plant in my home.

Grape hyacinth

  Some grape hyacinths have turned up next to the frog pond, so sweet. They are very welcome.

   Oh, I have moved the obelisk from there, and put it more to the front of the plot. It was being crowded by the shrub next to it. They (I have two) need a new lick of paint. Another job.

   Talking of jobs, the winter quiet of the allotments has vanished. I was 'greeted' by the sound of hammering, sawing, drilling and tilling from all sides. But I have my little secret: I go early, before most people arrive. And then when the enthusiastic cacaphony starts, I leave. And what does that say about me, eh?

Simply that I like my peace and quiet.

Have a lovely weekend, and if you happen to be in the neighbourhood of Brielle, don't forget I have a 'meet-and-greet' in bookshop Hoofdstuk Een, Nobelstraat 16, Brielle, 15.00-17.30 at March 21st. My book 'Boerenwormkruid' will be available and I will gladly sign it for you.

Groetjes, Renée Grashoff