What a difference a month makes, the tulips are over but the Acanthus mollis has really clumped up and obviously enjoyed the freezing winter,  the black irises, Iris chrysographes are looking stunning and the poppies, Papaver orientale 'Patty's Plum' are full of burgeoning lushiousness - can't wait.  The lilacs and white Rosa canina are scenting the air and the new planting down by the pond is quietly establishing - a decision is to be made about whether to make a path or not between the multi-stemmed birches and the Aruncus dioicus.  The new Alder glutinosa hedge planted to circle a seat makes a great viewing spot over the pond.  The contrast planting down by this pond is Persicaria microcephala "Red Dragon".  Although happy in boggy areas I am using this plant as a link plant in the lower garden.  It clumps up so easily, divides like a dream and recovers despite our current drought situation.  The 8 mm of rain has not even begun to permeate the soil yet.  Despite this I risked the new planting of Tilia "Green Spire" around the southern end of the labyrinth.  By using a bowser with well water and being close to the house I will keep a close eye on them.  The green waste council waste and blood fish and bone should help the roots to settle - but we'll watch and see.

The plan for this week - apart from RHS Malvern Show on Thursday, is to deal with the acer grove under the crab apple.  The newly planted bed in 2009 is looking rather congested with violets, Geranium "Jolly Bee" and Geranium "Phaeum" and Echinops all far too well settled.  Although the Echinops ritro is showing signs of stress from some kind of aphid making its home in its juvenile foliage hmmmm. 

One way of thinning this area is to transplant some of the G."Phaeum" down to the pond area to underplant the Betula utilis var jacquemontii and contrast with the Elaeagnus "Quicksilver".  This geranium although loathed by Christo Lloyd from Great Dixter is loved by me for the subtlety of its damson coloured flowers and the variety of leaf markings, it will be interesting to see if the submissive red in the leaves will be more dominate when growing in dry shade. I might use the opportunity of mineing in this rocky part of the garden to make some space for the Echinops once I have washed them with something soapy.  They will help to attract butterflies and the honey bees down to the natural pond hollow.  With a slightly late transplant time there will not be a need for a "Chelsea Chop" and therefore it should flower in tandem with the Phlomis russeliana - great for flower arranging.  I'll have to keep a close eye on watering down here too - I still have a lovely black Shetland fleece to wash ready for felting - it's rather smelly as it was last year's shearing so a good soak in a bin down by the pond is probably a really good idea.  We'll see.  Now a quick moment to pop on the blogs I enjoy following - mostly craft related!  There is such a great link with growing and dyeing and then sewing or felting.