Garden in Late March

A definite change in the weather this week, with a drop in temperature and the return of high winds accompanied by rain. In these conditions bird sightings have been less frequent and our garden visitors have not been hanging around long but quickly taking a snack at the feeders and then returning to their hideaways.

Blackbird (male & female); Robin; Blue Tits - there is a strong suspicion that they are using the oldest nest box on the back of my shed again this year. Anita says she saw 4 in the Hawthorn this morning, presumably eating the new growth!

Great Tit - Male calling "didger, didger" constantly so lets hope he has a mate again;

Long-tailed Tits; House Sparrows; Collared Doves; Feral Pigeons; Starlings:

Greenfinches (I've just had to buy more sunflower hearts just to satisfy their ;

Magpies, Parakeets & Carrion Crows flying over.

Plus a possible brief sighting today of the Goldcrest but it didn't perch to enable us to confirm!

A brief visit to via Downside to Hundred Pound Bridge at Bookham Common on Wednesday morning on the way to work provided me with sightings of:

Yellowhammers (4) perched on the roadside hedges; Jay; Grey Heron; Blackbird; Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tits; House Sparrows; Song Thrushes announcing their territories with their repeated phrases that sound like "that's me...that's me...that's me"..."I'm here...I'm here..etc;

Lapwings (6+) calling "pee-wit" as they danced above the fields;

Chiffchaffs (7+) all calling their name "chiff--chaff" repeatedly and signifying their recent return to the UK from Southern Europe & Africa, but no sounds of Blackcap yet! Hopefully during the next 7 - 10 days I may hear the sound of a returning Willow Warbler.

The back garden is now showing a full array of spring colour with Hellebores in full bloom accompanied by self seeded Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias 'Fens Ruby'. The cherry tree (prunus sp. ?) that I heavily pruned a year ago is now in full flower and the candyfloss pink blooms are providing a strong focal point for early visiting bees. Underneath you will see the Summer Snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum) that grows up to 60cm high and seems to flower earlier and earlier very year. In the bottom right hand corner you might have spotted the resident Kingfisher (I only wish it was real!) You will no doubt recall an earlier post 'Garden Visitors Today' that included a picture of the Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum 'Carpathicum') that only grows 20cm high and has yellow nibs on the petals. During a recent visit by Johan (our Dutch friend & bulb expert) we discussed this plant as I could not recall seeing it in flower last spring. With the help of one of his bulb books we identified this individual as Leucojum vernum 'Podpolozje' which was supplied by bulb expert Janis Ruksans from Latvia two years ago. Johan told me that it was not unusual for this bulb to take one or even two years to produce flowers, so I consider myself very fortunate - I just hope it reappears next year. The right-hand picture below is L. aestivum that has green nibs on the petals.

[Clink link to read about Janis Ruksans & his book 'Buried Treasures' which is a fascinating account of his bulb collecting adventures scouring remote and dangerous regions of Europe & Asia to bring back the botanical treasures that he offers through his nursery, often contending with corrupt government agents, armed rebels, drunken drivers, and even (before the fall of the Soviet Union) the KGB.]

I have never been very successful in growing the taller garden Tulips on our heavy clay as the bulbs often rot off through our wet winters but the smaller, early flowering botanical types (specie hybrids) seem to cope much better and are now beginning to bulk up.

Above is Tulipa humilis 'Persian Pearl' and below is a clusiana type flowering earlier than expected in a pot (note to self - I must check it's correct name!).

Behind the shed in a shady spot Anemone nemorosa 'Robinsoniana' is starting to come into flower.

At the bottom of the garden the ornamental quince Chaenomeles speciosa 'Yuki-Goten' is starting to open its semi-double white blooms and should produce even more aromatic fruits in late summer.