I’ve planted some “Golden Gourmet” shallots but unfortunately couldn’t find the string to mark a nice straight line so I did it free hand. The result will probably cause palpitations in many gardeners but to me it’s perfectly imperfect! I buried the shallots so that just the stems were poking out and then covered them with a cloche to stop the birds from pulling them out.
Shallots, Pulmonaria Officinalis, Beetroot & Strawberries
I was happy to see that the Lungwort (pulmonaria officinalis) was in flower. This pretty little herb has pink flowers that turn soon turn blue with age. Long ago most herbs were classified by the way they looked and Lungwort was thought to have leaves that looked like the thin, elastic tissue of the lungs. Remarkably, modern scientists have indeed confirmed that Lungwort has beneficial properties for the lungs especially for the treatment of bronchitis!
I need to tidy the strawberries up as they’ve been sadly neglected in the shed all winter and the first signs of growth are there from early beetroot Red Ace. The seed packet states that they can be sown with protection from February but I’ve never sown beetroot that early before. I’ll give it a go as I’m sowing little batches every couple of weeks anyway and if it all goes wrong I can eat the leaves!
There’s not a lot of the usual yellow in the garden at the moment as the daffodils are still in bud but there are a lot of restful blues, pinks and purples. The crocus are particularly lovely this year and there’s already been a huge bumble bee checking them out!
I’m looking forward to the weekend but the weather report is rain, rain, rain. How typical is that? It always seems to be perfect gardening weather when I’m at work or is that just my imagination 🙂
The Pyjama Gardener 
Lovely pictures. My pulmonaria is not quite out yet but the buds are there. Can’t wait, as last year as soon as the pulmonaria bloomed we were full of bumble bees – gorgeous!
Bumble bees are gorgeous! I love this particular plant and everyone else seems to overlook it.
Hello, just bumped into you through Blotanical. I thought I was the only one who worked in my garden in my dressing gown! Seems we have one thing in common 🙂 I do exactly the same as you, just going out to have a look, then I see something that needs doing and before I know it I have spent an hour pottering about in my dressing gown. I think my neighbours are used to it now!
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m quite lucky as we’re not overlooked by neighbours so the pyjama wearing is okay… besides, I often see the lady up the road wearing PJ’s and wellies when herding the cows!!
Great blog, pretty pastels and splendid pots. Hope to visit again soon
Thank you Laura – there seems to be a lot of pastels in my garden this Spring!
It certainly is great to see everything emerging from its winter slumber something to look forward to every morning seeing what has changed – every day brings something different.
A few years ago I would never have described gardening as exciting but I do now! You commented about your tete-a-tete daffs and said that they shot up… mine have done the same and are at least a foot tall now! I’m glad you warned me 🙂
It is all looking good for 2012 already.
It’s a start at least – thank you!
I really like the blues, pinks, and purples in your garden. Perfectly lovely.
I adore “perfectly imperfect”! It’s how I live my life!
So nice to know there are pastel gardens blooming somewhere… my gardens are sleeping under the snow.
What a beautiful blog. Thank you for sharing your garden. The pulmonaria looks great.
Your soil looks gorgeous! So unlike the red, heavy clay we have here! And your crocus are gorgeous. I just love those little blooms.
I love cyclamens! Such tiny beauties! Mine bloomed in fall. But even their leaves alone are beautiful! Happy March to you!
You are off to a good start this spring! I love the lungwort…interesting foliage, pretty bloom and medicinal qualities…what’s not to like!
How often I lament the gorgeous days when I am at work that turn to heavy rains on my off days! Your crocus and lungwort are really beautiful. I noticed the first tiny blooms on my own lungwort just today.
I was hoping that the Pyjama Gardener at least would be lazier than me, but apparently not …
I’ve always wondered why people grow onions (and potatoes) in their back-gardens when the space could be used to grow more perishable produce which doesn’t transport so well. I guess those shallots taste better than the ones in the supermarket ?
I love garlic & shallots and, although I can’t definitely say that they taste better, I feel that my garden is happier with them as companion plants. My first rule is to generally grow what I love and then each year try something new. I’m happy not to grow potatoes myself but we all have things that make our hearts sing… and I know an elderly gentleman who wouldn’t swap his rows of potatoes for anything else. Thanks for dropping by b-a-g!