Morning delight

I had such satisfaction working in the garden this weekend that I vowed to take a little time every day to just enjoy it and do a little job each day, so nothing becomes too overwhelming. So, after I've done the school run (well, walk) I went directly (do not pass go!) to the garden and this morning I trimmed back the lilac taking off the dying flowers.

It's a weird year with the late cold weather as I'm still waiting for the daffodil, crocus and tulip leaves to turn brown before I remove them - they should be left to go brown because whilst they are still green, the goodness can still go back into the bulb to make it stronger for next year. It looks unsightly to see all those browing leaves so I'm always anxious to get this stage over with. This last few weeks the choiysa have been providing a nice view and scent with their big bushes of white flowers and the little alpine plant has white flowers plus I have 4 very old white iris coming into bloom. I'm always surprised when they appear because I didn't plant them, someone else way before me did and it's nice that they always come back. So the garden is pretty white at the moment, apart from the blazing red of the new leaves on the potted acer (see picture).

I love my garden in the morning, with the dew on the grass, that slight damp feeling before the sun hits it and the peace and quiet before my daily tasks begin. I stopped and listened to the birds, enjoyed looking at the fruits of my hard work this weekend, willed the tomatoes to grow (we are having a race, each member of the family planted one plant each and we'll see how many tomatoes we are lucky enough to gather). I picked a bunch of delicately scented lily of the valley (they are in flower about 2 weeks late this year) so I have a little piece of the garden inside and as the boathouse clock strikes 9h, then it's time for me to go inside, leave my green space behind and get on with the day.