It’s a sunny 8 degrees in North East Wales this morning. I’m still in recovery after the mad rush to complete my essay and submit it before Thursday’s deadline (it went in on Tuesday – the extra day and a half wouldn’t have helped). I have to keep reminding myself that there are worse things to worry about than a few percentage points though I might not be so gung-ho when I see the scores on the doors. I cheered myself up by taking a break – and some snaps for Six on Saturday.

From zero to hero in a week. Hyacinth ‘Blue Pearl’ is fully open and smelling heavenly.

2 March
4 March
6 March
8 March

My two bay tree cuttings from 2019 are continuing to grow. The rather sinister ‘growth’ in the lower pot isn’t anything serious (for the plant), but more evidence that the birds nesting in our roof appear to be expanding their territory by removing the insulation. Problem is, at thirty feet high, on a corner with restricted access outside (and none inside), we can do nothing to stop them.

We’ve had a few sunny but quite cold days and the poor bulbs don’t know where they are! I moved these pots to take advantage of the morning sun, but they’re shaded by the shed in the afternoon.

The narcissi aren’t as numerous as they’ve been in the past – I’ll find some time in the summer to sort through them.

I do have more snowdrops coming through, but I wish now that I’d put them all into a couple of pots instead of spreading them around. An excuse to buy more later this year.

When I went back to Lidl for more hyacinths, they had none left, so I came home with this fern instead. Ideal, apparently, for someone who tends to overwater things as it doesn’t like to dry out. Nor does it like direct sunlight or misting. It’s sitting on my dining room table until I decide the best place for it, which might be its current position.

I still haven’t sown seeds of any kind, but on last night’s Gardener’s World (hurrah, something decent to watch), Monty’s ‘Jobs for the Week’ included sowing sweet peas and tomatoes. I’ve already decided to start everything off in root trainers as that avoids overwatering. I just need to have a tidy-up and a sort out in the Potting Shed, and dispose of the remains of over-wintered salad crops to free up space on the shelves.

I am wondering, though, if it’s worth starting anything this week as the internet is full of ‘snow-bombs’ and a return to freezing temperatures. Maybe I’ll just fill a couple of buckets with compost from my bins and leave them in the shed to warm up.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, enjoy it.