Come Into My Garden – February

We’ve had a week of glorious spring sunshine here in Seattle (which of course didn’t coincide with our friends’ visit) and the little garden (I’m sorry, I still can’t bring myself to say yard) we had built last year is springing into life.

I spent the weekend tidying it up and planting lilies and other bits and pieces acquired at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, where I spent absolutely too much money. 

There’s rather a lot of bare earth on show now that the perennials have died back and the deciduous shrubs are just bare twigs, but if you look closely there are definite signs of life.

You will notice that we abandoned the idea of getting a swing seat in the end because I couldn’t source anything I liked and instead bought a wood and rope swing from a carpenter on Ebay.  If the Minx ever dares complain about her childhood I will counter with the fact that she spent her formative years swinging under a hundred-year old cherry tree.

The stars of the garden this month are the hellebores in the shade garden under the tree.

The pansies I  planted last autumn have been flowering all winter and are still going strong and adding a splash of much needed colour.

I just wish I’d planted a few more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flowers of the nandinas are not so showy, but I love how the shadows of the branches dance on the old wooden fence.

We’re also anxiously waiting to be able to harvest broccoli and red oak leaf lettuce, which has somehow made it through the winter snow, from the tiny vegetable patch.

And here is the very best secret surprise.  A nondescript bush at the sheltered south side of the house planted by the previous owners, turned out to be an orange tree!  The fruit itself is nothing to write home about tastewise, but it looks so exciting and makes me feel like I’m gardening in Sicily.