Those wisteria flower buds that avoided destruction by woodpigeons are beginning to open and show colour
Fresh fern foliage
‘Strulch’ proves not to be entirely successful in deterring slugs and snails…
Lily beetle, not long for this world…
One of many hellebores before deadheading…
…and after
Delphiniums from seed sown in September last year, coming into bloom
Rambling in the Garden 
Even without bloom, the wisteria is impressive. I am impressed by the meticulousness of the pruning while it is bare. I lack the patience for their pruning. I tend to prune them too aggressively prior to bloom.
I dispatched a lily beetle this afternoon too. Slugs and snails are also attacking my lilies.
I must have dispatched a dozen or so lily beetles in the last week – they are easier to spot before they lay their eggs, so i try to be vigilant. Most of lilies are in pots and so far they are grouped together in my ‘nursery’ area, which makes it easier, but I shall be placing them around the garden soon…
Just thinking of you and your family. Think happy thoghts…Spring is here.
Those darn lily beetles….thankfully I don’t have to battle them any more.
That’s a bonus!
Thinking of you, Cathy.
I used Strulch a few years ago, both on my raised beds and some pots. It didn’t seem to make any difference to the amount of S&S I had in the garden. No matter what I tried for my hostas they always got shredded. I think because the leaves hung over the pot the attackers were able to climb up and also I swear snails abseiled in from above!
Take care of yourself Cathy, it’s a difficult time for you and the family, I only hope you find some solace in your garden xx
I realised too late about the overhanging option, and those I moved and grouped together were instantly affected, so I have moved them back to where they were! It serms to have worked better on the ones down the side of the house. At least I can discretely use ‘safe’ pellets amongst the Strulch, which I couldn’t with the slate chippings – and I will try garlic wash again too, although I am not good at remembering to reapply it!
Garlic wash never worked for me. I composted my large hosta, but bought 3 of the smaller Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ which have thicker leaves. They still get nibbled!
And you can never be sure if an un-nibbled leaf is down to a deterrent or just good luck! 😉
Pigeons are fast becoming as troublesome as slugs and snails in my opinion. Thinking of you, xx
Thanks Noelle. I totally agree about woodpigeons, and that’s in a domestic situation. For commercial growers I imagine they could be a nightmare, although in their case they can treat them as vermin and take action – I certainly no longer swerve to avoid any on the road…
I love the way hellebore foliage keeps a spot of beauty there even after deadheading.
You’re in my thoughts, Cathy.
Fresh hellebore foliage is lovely and firms a great clump – it also makes removing spent flower stems easy, as they flop over whilst the foliage is really upright
Oh no your poor hosta Cathy 😢 It hasn’t helped one of my emerging dahlias either although it worked a treat last year but then it was a much drier spring. On the plus side a thick application of it may have been responsible for for all my dahlias in the ground surviving the cold winter 🤔
I have now moved the pots that I recently positioned by the pump back to where they were, which is sunnier, but I shall have to take other precautions too
And it’s a shame about your emerging dahlia – hopefully it will survive the onslaught
My hostas have a few holes, caused by the hailstones the other day and not the usual S&S! I still have some hellebores to deadhead, I’ve done most of them but still a few to go, must do them before I get seedlings everywhere!
Oh no, more ‘weather’, Pauline – you have certainly had to contend with a lot of it recently! Although I have got lots of hellebores around the garden, it didn’t take me as long as I thought, although of course there was a lot of bending to do!
So jealous of your wisteria! Post as many shots of the flowers as you like 🤣
The woodpigeons seemed to have gone just for the lower ones, as most of the upper branches look as if they will flower as usual. Sadly, when you are looking out of the windows you don’t know what is going on above your head…