The Garden Today

I am so happy with the garden! Some of my roses have flowered......these are called Countess of Wessex, and their scent is delicious!

And the red rambling rose  (rosa gallica var. officinalis)   is about to flower.

Today I planted the lilies I bought at  Chelsea Flower Show - they are called AFRICAN LADY, and should look like this when they flower.

And yesterday I had the first radishes....I made a salad of radish and mint - the mint was also from the garden - it was delicious! My peas and beans are coming up and I'll soon be able to harvest the first of them. It's just so delicious to get fresh veg and herbs from the garden! 
I planted tomatoes and marigolds together the other day.

I am also very happy with my Delft Blue violas.

The garden today

So happy with the garden. (Also pleased that there was a drop of rain, but I still had to water!)


My white lilies are flourishing.

I also had some very dark lilies, almost black, but I must admit that they are already past their best. I have a stem in a vase on my desk - they are beautiful, but not scented!

I was also delighted to discover some self-seeded tomato plants!

I have always grown tomatoes from plug plants before - obviously these lay dormant in the soil to surprise me this spring! 

And I nearly always manage to have some salad from the garden for my lunch.

I am going to Italy on Friday....the only reason I can bear to leave this garden behind is that I have a garden in Italy to look after as well! And in this garden (near Livorno in Tuscany) we have some beautiful wisteria!

The Garden Today

Starting to plant bulbs, of course!

I am still collecting lots of tomatoes, I have some delicious cherry tomatoes on the vine.

I have planted another Greek basil plant. This has much smaller leaves than the basil we usually see, smells a bit stronger...imagine going home on the bus with the scent of basil pervading the atmosphere!