Thread by @Hal_Duncan

Today in #Rakesden...

Last of the perennial kids out to harden off. The delphinium is getting its buds out. One libertia and one dierama have a long way to go, but they seem to have pulled through where the libertia in the wee brown pot already out just does not look like it has long for this world.

Another visit from the birb I misidentified as a chaffinch. Neighbour's dad IDed it as a bullfinch from the neighbour's description when he saw it. Dead happy to see it back as I've never seen them around these parts till now.

Spotlight on the apple! I love these crazy lighting effects we get from the sun reflecting off windows.

Honeysuckle starting to flower in Undercherry. I had this down as a Henry's honeysuckle, but the flowers look different. Should get a better idea of the variety once they're fully open.

Self heal starting to flower in Langshaw where I transplanted it to fix the mess made by the workies.

Chopped back the salad burnet and it's coming back hale and hearty. Pretty sure the wild bergamot and chamomile are toast, but the winter savoury has a bit of new growth too, not as vigorous but with a bit of TLC I think it'll recover.

The eryngium are looking fantastic. Not as blue as I expected but we'll see if they get bolder with the season, just at their own pace. Wish I could get the Welsh poppy seed heads in focus with them as it's a gorgeous combo. I am imagine them as faerie castle and watch towers.

I have this provisionally down as a cinquefoil due to the leaves but will happily take correction if anyone recognises it?

Lupin looking a real stunner now with all its blooms out. Love this guy.

Our first rose got a bit fucked by the weather just as it was opening. Part of me wants to deadhead to try and spur more buds, but there's only one other bud so far and I can't bring myself to snip this one yet, even if it's a bit tatty round the edges.

Planting plans. I might stick the last echinacea in in front of the rose so there's a drift of them all across Laburnumley from the rose along, behind the lupin but in front of the Big HH to just behind that feverfew on the right.

Not sure how any of them will like it where they are for light, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The last dianthus meanwhile can go in with its mates in front of the spiraea in Langshaw.

The hollyhocks in Undercherry are ridiculous this year, Shuge and with a ton of buds. I could have pruned them back harder for a more stable bush, I guess, but I'm kinda loving the extravagance.

Feeling thoroughly vindicated by the colour combo of the heuchera and the hydrangea blooms just coming in.

I nipped out the top growth not that long ago, but I have to climb up one cubbies again to trim the cowboy clematis more. It's getting ridiculous.

Likewise this monster. Look at it! That wee bellflower hidden away deep inside it was outside it last month. I pruned the St. John's Wort to give it light, then thought it had finished flowering so didn't bother with the beast again. Little did I know.

I don't know if the colour will come in or if we've got an actual mix of purple and white flowers on this foxglove. Never seen one do this before. It was drooping down, hence the weird shape.

We have some surprise gladioli in Laburnumley, just the other side of the wee path from the geraniums. Coming up well late compared with the others, but I'll wait and see if owt comes of them.

The orangey tinge to these lilies is exciting. I think these are bulbs I found kicking around and just stuck in this pot to see what happened. If they're orange or red or such, the bulbs may well go into Langshaw once they've bloomed and died back.

We've lost some lavender cuttings as expected, but there's a few clinging on. The first one in the red pot there is from the first batch, I think, and it seems to have purple buds on it where I nipped out the top growth. Dunno WTF it's doing.

I have given up on Smolmeadow as an actual meadow though and just mowed it. No seed came up, and the grass is just threadbare in the middle. Too compacted and too well used through lockdown. Too dry from the birch when it's sunny, and too soggy when it rains because of a dip.

I reckon I'm gonna have to top dress it to fuck, like lay down a good whack of soil and seed to build up something that's not solid with root and clay. I thought a wee thin dressing of compost and sand might help, but it's not looking any better.

"Blackbird" is the most cunning Beatles song, cause every time this guy sings, I hear that guitar strum following it in my head.

Anyhoo, that was today. This is the back way in. Thought I'd leave yez with a wee set of shots coming into the garden, just to be backward, heh. And because it feels more couthy.