There is at least one cat round here that gets driven into a frenzy by my catmint (Nepeta × faassenii). It gets rolled on, scratched and worse. The plants don’t seem to be as attractive once they’ve grown a bit. These covers made of chicken wire are showing some promise. I might try Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ which should be more durable.

The erysimum in B3 and the euphorbia in B1 have both grown spectacularly. Too much and fast for their root systems to keep up. These supports made from three stakes and c. 5mm cord worked well. Later (June 17) the support was effectively invisible

Mixture of some from the original garden, some planted last year in the usual way, and some as sprouting bulbs from B&Q. The latter were quite successful as Tête à tête, less so as Iris reticulata. Some of the tulips, even some of the narcissi, were still good in early May.

The ultimate display of pots is at Great Dixter:

Mine are not bad

This plant inherited from the original garden is clearly a pieris, but it’s not the common Pieris forestii ‘Forest Flame’. The flowers do not hang down in panicles, the leaves are not so pointed, and the young foliage is not so red. It’s name remains a mystery, but there is a very similar plant in the arboretum at Dyffryn Gardens

The first frogspawn appeared in early February, and I counted up to 12 frogs in the pond in various combinations. The tadpoles developed quite slowly (perhaps because of the rather cold weather). They’re very difficult to photograph. The oddest thing was that one day the pond would be full of them and the next very few were visible – presumably hiding somewhere.

 

Very pretty plant from original garden. Identified from picture by Eleri at Dyffryn.

Relic of the original garden. Sickly and much too shaded. Cutting taken, which has survived and living in a pot in the front garden.

18 Mch 2017

Replaced with Leycesteria. Barely visible during the summer, but seems to be thriving.