Quite a few, in fact 5-10, terracotta pots have been cracked over the last winter. Mainly around the rim.

First dollop of the year seen this morning. Very mild. The pond has only been lightly frozen on one morning so far this year, but there’s plenty of time for cold weather. Some frog activity during the day.

More spawn next day, including one clump with white blobs on the surface of each egg – the outside, not the nucleus inside. By midday these looked normal.

I got my  plant in August 2019 and put it in a terracotta pot. The plant label said hardy to -5° C, and I’ve kept it outside ever since, but it hasn’t looked entirely happy.

The RHS says it can be kept outside in the summer, but not below +5°C, so I’ve brought it inside for the winter.

This is the first attempt at windproofing the potted brugmansias which have been kept in the house over winter. Quite a neat effect, and really shouldn’t blow over.

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This pot was buried in the gravel near the garage. Different, but still pleasing, effect.

Rather earlier than previous years, even though it’s a cold Spring. Doesn’t seem to have done any harm.

White mophead on N side of house.

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Hydrangea serrata ‘Blubird’ next to Bay tree. I could still go quite a bit lower, I think.

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Pinkish lacecap against E fence. It was much too tall, and being used as a support for the Clematis armandii.

Much better now, and the clematis is independently supported by the rope. It would be nice if it became lower and wider, without overwhelming the snowdrops beneath.

First tablespoonful seen this morning. More at midday. Lovely sunny afternoon. Quite a lot of frog activity.

First frost to affect plants last night.

Bedding begonias in pot at back look as though they have been hit, although those at the front are fine.

Conversely, the two brugmansias still out at the front look rather bedraggled, while the single one at the back is as good as ever, with 12 flowers out, and more apparently coming.

I brought two of the small brugmansias indoors a couple of weeks ago, cutting one right back and putting its cuttings in water, as usual.

This big one at the back is the best it’s ever been. It gets blown over if it’s left on the astro platform in the wind, and it has to be moved out of the way if I need to get a telescope out. I stopped my weekly feed a week or so ago.

The big and medium plants in the front are looking a bit battered. They can’t be moved out of the wind.

Lifted some bulbs from pots and put them in plastic troughs for the foliage to die off completely

Blue camassias	3 pots	Failed this year. Too dry? Plenty of (quite small) bulbs
Narcissus ‘Kinglet’	P096	Nothing above
Narcissus ‘Lieke’	P042	Nothing above

These plants, good in pots last year, are showing no new growth at all, so I put them on the compost heap:

Salvia ‘Love & Wishes’	P170
Salvia ‘Kisses & Wishes’	P201
Salvia convertiflora	P199
Rudbeckia ‘Summerina Orange’	P192
Rudbeckia ‘Summerina Brown’	P193
Coreopsis ‘Sunstar Rose’	P185