If months were colours then May would definitely be green. There are little shoots and leaves appearing everywhere and I’m sure if you could stand still for long enough you would be able to see things growing. The hanging baskets have been planted ready for Summer and they’ve been left in a sheltered place until the risk of frost has passed.
I’ve had a bag of dahlias tubers from Sarah Raven sitting on my kitchen table for ages – I’m convinced that I get more excited with the contents of this package than those contained within a Tiffany’s box. The ridiculously dull little tubers have finally been planted and I’m already excited about them popping up next to the salad and vegetables and adding a burst of colour. I could easily turn into a dahlia addict……
The pansies are still flowering well so I haven’t replaced them yet and I’m pleased to say that the Mr Fokker anemones are finally in bloom!
Unfortunately, the war on slugs and snails has begun (well in truth it’s more like a little scuffle at the moment). The hosta pots have now got a band of copper tape around the rim which will hopefully deter the slimy molluscs from crossing it and helping themselves to an all day breakfast. I’ve also surrounded the chrysanthemums with crushed egg shells but this appears less successful as there are already holes in the tender leaves. I want to try the slug pubs and up turned grapefruits but in the meantime I would love to hear if you have any favourite natural solutions that would help? The chickens would have a feast but would probably do more damage than the slugs!
The cats are also doing their best to help me with the gardening jobs. They love a spot of weeding (digging for no reason) and pest control (pouncing on anything that moves). It is lovely to have them outside in the garden with me and they love to show off, climb trees and race around the paddocks. They have been particularly entertained by the baby rabbits who are thankfully faster than they are! In the photo below Bella & Milo are absolutely transfixed on a rabbit on the other side of the window.
Isn’t it funny how the small things in life can make us happy? I’m so pleased that the French Tarragon has started to come through again this year – I expected the snow and frosts to have killed it so I’m really chuffed to see it again 🙂
The weather forecast remains poor – wind and rain for most of the weekend so garden plans are put on hold for now. Enjoy your weekend!
The Pyjama Gardener 
I enjoy your photos very much and now that I know you are a dahlia addict like me, I’ll have to keep a special look out for your dahlias when they bloom. I just learned to appreciate dahlias a few years ago when they were the last things blooming in the garden in November. They bloom their little hearts out until one day they simply turn into limp black rags and are gone. Their magnificent efforts are worth a few of mine! The huge dinner plate dahlias are my favorites. Susie at life-change-compost.com.
P.S. I have taught my American friends about the word “chuffed” in my last post….the word cracks me up…I love it!
Well, I’m certainly chuffed that you’ve visited my little blog so thank you! Ha ha x
I love gentle, tranquil colours and the interior of my house is mainly pale with a few faded accents… so it was a great surprise when I felt myself drawn to the most vivid and acid bright flowers that Mother Nature has. My soul obviously needs them (and the bees and butterflies like them too!).
I agree green is May…your garden is gorgeous. Cold and rainy here to so no gardening today as I am catching up with blogs….I planted tarragon as well and hope it will survive our winters.
I forgot to take cuttings from the tarragon as planned so I was surprised to see it come back through. Enjoy your non-gardening day!
You’re right, May is definitely green,it’s lovely to see all the lush growth isn’t it. Your bench area looks like a lovely spot to sit and rest.
I’m convinced that after the rain yesterday the hedge was visibly greener and denser! The bench is really old now but still good for a cup of tea and a rest!
It’s that lovely fresh green of spring too, although yellow is doing its best to get in on the act around here – lots of dandelons on the roadside verges and the oilseed rape is just coming into flower. Love the photo of your cats watching the rabbit through the window!
I’ve not noticed the rape seed yet but the dandelions are going absolutely mad!
I swear that if I stood still I would see the Soloman’s Seal growing. It looks like a rocket shooting to the sky until the leaves start to open. Love it’s little white bells too.
Soloman’s Seal is on my woodland wish list (if I ever get around to this dream!). It seems to take ages for Spring to appear and then when it does… whoosh!
Your place is looking great! Is there something that repels slugs that you can plant beside the plants they seem to munch on?
Thanks Heidi… I’m not sure but I’ll keep looking for a deterrent. They love damp, shady conditions so it’s a hazard of living in England (not on the same scale as bears, poisonous snakes and spiders of course but really annoying!LOL!).
Cool and damp here too. Good luck with the dahlias – mine were demolished by the slugs and snails last year, except for one resilient one! Those copper tapes are very good – I use them to protect my parsley pots. If you find a natural slug repellent let me know! 😉 By the way, that blue anemone is really pretty. 😀
I know that I should be choosing plants that are unattractive to slugs but unfortunately we both have the same taste in plants!
That’s the problem – snails have good taste! LOL!
Oh sigh…(again)…always visit your blog & leave at peace, shoulders relaxed & an air of calm.
That’s good, thanks Jane… it makes my aching back feel better after a day in the garden 🙂
Love your images and your kitties!! We have slugs here, but you know i never really notice them doing any damage. I should pay more attention maybe.
Thanks – you’re very lucky as the slugs here absolutely destroy whole plants almost overnight…. and then invite their friends over for a party!
Yikes!! sounds like mission impossible. I hope you keep on top of them and win the battle.
I swear I can see my Clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’ grow, it has grown 6 ft in four weeks! Looking forward to seeing your dahlias, I am pretty hooked on dahlias too, I leave all my dahlias in the ground over winter so it has been exciting to see this spring if they survived, never had a winter quite like this, but they are all coming up, all 8 of them!! Incredible. Small things like that makes me happy too 🙂
We’ve lost a lot of plants this winter – our lovely Apple Blossom clematis turn brown and died probably due to the severe winds we’ve had. I chopped it back and there are some green shoots appearing at the very base so… fingers crossed!
No life from the dahlias yet so i’ve planted some extra tubers just in case! I look forward to seeing your dahlias in Summer 🙂
I hope we both have LOTS of Dahlias this summer 🙂
By the way, my cat has his own section on my website (of course!), and you can see some photos and two short videos of him there:
http://www.graphicality.co.uk/photoalbum3/my_cat/my_cat.htm
I should have updated this page a long time ago, but there are so many sections I should have updated, never enough hours in the day, all I want is to be out in the garden!
Take care have a great week, despite the dismal weather.
Hi PJ, your scuffle with the slugs might be helped by leaving a tad of beer in a bottle and turning it on it’s side in the garden. It’s a win/win, you get to legitimately get sauced in the name of garden rescue. Your sweet little Bella and Milo are so tiny still, do you think they are full grown? It all sounds wonderful, I love dailhia’s too. My friend Lori is the expert. Did you ever plant those ‘Dinner Plate Dahlia’s’? Giant!
Love the beer bottle idea but he only problem is… there’s not usually a tad left so I’d end up opening the next bottle (all in the name of horticulture you understand) and the cycle begins again.
I think they’re mostly grown now although Milo’s legs seem disproportionately long for his body so we may have been sold a tiger. Time will tell. I’ve not grown the dinner plate dahlias yet as I’m trying to contain my addiction!
I know how you feel about those Dahlias!
I imagine that you have beautiful ones over there… ours are a bit hit and miss with the weather and slugs!
Yes, mine do very well. What I envy you in the UK is your beautiful peonies. We don’t seem to have many here.
A real feel good post full of cheer
Thanks Malc!
What a great ceramic snail! I think the snails aren’t as bad as last year (thank God!), but I’m now having to start my routine of snail hunting every evening… Such lovely displays for your photos PJ, and a truly great shot of your two kitties looking through the window at the bunny! Always a pleasure visiting your garden. Dana
I don’t mind snails as much as slugs because I can pick them up by their shells but slugs make me feel very queasy… yuck….
The large ceramic snail will hopefully terrify the smaller real ones and they’ll stay away (or my plan might backfire and it will attract a really big mate!). Thanks for stopping by Dana x
Your post reminded me of this site that I found a while ago http://transitionculture.org/2012/07/13/the-four-slugs-of-the-apocalypse/ 🙂
PJ – I hated to think of the slugs using your garden as an all-you-can-eat-buffet so I did some quickie research on the web. This site had 9 suggestions, including the copper you’ve already mentioned: http://green.thefuntimesguide.com/2009/08/natural_garden_slug_control.php
Let the slug wars commence – I will be using beer traps this year – at least they will die happy. It is certainly a lovely time of year for burgeoning greenness. Hope your dahlias do well – I only have shoots on four out of nine plants so far. I share your dahlia love.
Your garden just looks lovely! I really like the beehive shaped hanging baskets. I may have to search for some of those! Your view is just incredible too, it makes me remember why I live in the country!
I am often battling the slugs in summer and fall, and I use some of the methods you use. One other product I have found helpful is the slug deterrent at Gardens Alive. http://www.gardensalive.com/escar-go-slug-snail-control/p/2111/
I love your kitties faces as they observe the happenings in the garden. My cats accompany me in the garden, too, and I am often smiling at their antics. 🙂
Oh, those Anemones! Beautiful!
Does the copper tape actually work? I love the fresh greens of spring. It makes everything feel so alive. 🙂
Lush and lovely as always. Spring has sprung and your fairy touch makes the blooms blossom. I so look forward to following the adventures of M & B this summer – and see who wins the battle of the bunnies, slugs and snails. I’m putting my money on you, PJ. Cheers!
Slugs only become a problem for me in mid to late summer. I am such a pacifist that I pick them off what ever leaf I find them and “relocate” them to the vacant property behind the garden. There they can eat at will.
Hello PJ Girl! sorry I’ve not been around for ages! I’ve been completely out of touch with reading and writing. I’ve been desperate to catch up with your blog. Lovely photos as usual and your kittens are really growing up! Your panzies are gorgeous. I’ve really enjoyed mine this year too, I think they’re underrated! Lovely to catch up. Hope everything is good with you x
Just popping in to say hello and to let you know that I miss you. I hope all is well. xo