Poppies and allotments

Its always good to reflect on the past and to see how life has progressed. I've lived here for almost nine years now and a lot has happened and changed in the Garden of Shaz. Just to see how much has changed I've added a photo showing the garden as it was in 2007 and how it looks today in 2015.

I am amazed at how blank the garden was to start with and so happy to see how much is going on in the garden today. 

Garden of Shaz 2007 and 2015

And the garden is still changing. Ive been moving the lower growing plants on the left side forward to make room for taller bushes at the back. I'll make a start on the right side later in the year, bringing the hostas around the washing line to break the straight edges of the patio. Ultimately I want the garden to be a mixture of plants, flowers and vegetables and no grass. The left side is almost done with broad beans to go into the gap in the middle. Rhubarb and strawberries will go into the right side. 

Its been a few years since I've grown vegetables but I've been inspired to start again (and grow fruit for the first time) by my friend Jo. I visited her allotment in Stevenage last week; the first time I had been on an allotment. It was incredible to see how much produce everyone on the site was growing and was especially impressed with Jo's plot as she has only had it for 18 months. 

Jo on her allotment

I must admit I was also a little jealous of how big her garlic and onions where. My pot grown efforts had only ever been small and disappointing. The highlight of growing any vegetable or fruit is in the eating and after countless journeys to fetch and water the plot I was rewarded with freshly picked broad beans and strawberries to add to our picnic. I lovely way to spend a summer day.

Bees at home in the Garden of Shaz

This spring has brought a new visitor to the garden; bees. Earlier in the year I often noticed one or two bees flying around the kitchen door. I didn't think anything of it until a few weeks ago when the bees became more frequent. It was only then that I realised that the bees had made a home in a hole in the wall of my house. 

The bees are tree bumble bees and having done a little research and spoken to a bee keeper friend they shouldn't pose any problem and will leave the nest in the autumn to establish a new colony. 

Tree Bumble Bees

Once they are gone I shall seal the hole but I don't want to banish them completely. I'll put a bee box at the bottom of the garden and hope that a new colony finds it a nice home.

The frogs have not been so visible this year though. After two years of tadpoles being laid in the bird bath, there were none this spring. Its not all bad though as there are frogs in the garden still, living under the shed and the bits of wood left around the garden.   

The first day lily of the year

This morning I was greeted by the lovely sight of the first day lily of the year; a bright yellow jewel singing out to the summer. My day lilies always start to bloom at this time of the year but it is always wonderful to see the first one.

The garden has gone through a bit of a transformation this year and I have been a little concerned that some plants wont do so well. Thankfully, as the season progresses it looks like everything is doing fine.

Early this spring I began to move established plants forward to make space for taller, bushier new additions. The day lilies were part of that transformation. The clusters needed splitting but that meant I had a huge amount of plants (in a small garden). Some plants have been moved closer to the path to allow the leaves to spill over the edge. The rest had to go into pots and they are doing also doing really well. The pots have two advantages; they add a little more height and can be moved, meaning I can change the arrangement in minutes.  

I have noticed a few malformed flower head on the day lilies though. I'm not sure why they would grow like this and there is always one or two each year.