Flowers, Fruit, Sunshine!

It's been a lovely day which meant starting with a stroll around the garden: well it didn't take long.

This is the only flower in the back garden. It's not in any way related to the Mock Trop theme, but has to be there, under the veranda, because it came with the house and is rooted under the patio slabs. When we rebuild the kitchen, I'll transplant it.

 This potted beauty, survived the winter - under cover of course. This is the only bit that came through. The other three quarters died!

I love this Spurge in flower 'arrangements'.

The fruit's coming on well, like this apple,

and this Quince.

Can you imagine sinking your teeth into this furry, sweet, dribblingly juicy peach. No, nor me: YET.

2 lovely plums ... the ball's in your  ... court : )

More Sun Than Is Good For Me Weekend 16 - 17.5.10

Just had to grab a few shots of the first of the REAL SUMMER flowers to appear in the garden.

DARLING STARLING

One of two families of Starlings that visit our tiny, courtyard, back garden. The young from one family ( the town birds) have now fledged.

This is the only parsnip plant that germinated. I've pricked it out into a tub in the back garden. Can't wait to cook it. Hard to know which recipe to go for!

Bistort. This is a tall one. Very useful for flower arranging and it looks really statuesque in the border. Has  a long flowering season.

My QUINCE tree came into bloom this weekend. The leaves are velvety and the flowers; to die for.

My 2 ferns, out back, are looking lush right now. Probably their best time of the year.

Lilly Of The Valley may be small, and highly perfumed, but it takes a good few years to establish enough to give a posy to put in the house . Then it spreads everywhere.

Saxifrage: the leaves last all year round, then the flowers appear, lovely and long lasting. Hefty leaves, delicate flowers.

Variegated Arum is a basic for any MOCK TROP garden. Difficult to get going in the garden. Slow to spread and dies back completely once fruited. Showy plant.

Carex Ice Dance. May be another Sedge. Forms lovely clumps and is evergreen. Again a  MOCK TROP   essential.

At the moment the front garden is caught between the spring flowers and the summer ones, so not much to see then!