Mother Nature's Garden

When it comes to gardening and tending our own patch, I know my place. I am the under-gardener, along with HeWhoMowsTheLawn. The Head Gardener is Mother Nature and for much of the time I love what she does. For instance, one February, I was given a tray of primulas which I planted in troughs and tubs. They were the usual mix of colours; bright yellow, intense blue, bold pink, in short all those gaudy colours that give municipal planting a bad name. Just one of them was a soft cream. Those troughs brought a brash cheeriness to the garden that, in all honesty, I didn't feel we were quite ready for in March. The next year I found that the soft cream one had self-seeded itself nearby in a spot of dappled shade. Lovely. Mother Nature showing me how it should be done.

She and I don't always agree. Do two gardeners in the same space ever agree all the time? She doesn't think a camellia is appropriate here and I think bindweed on camouflage netting proportions is excessive even if it does have lovely white flowers. I would agree that it is reasonable to expect that our plot should offer nourishment to more than one species but I have to say that the slugs and the deer seem to be getting more than their fair share. Most of the time we rub along harmoniously  but there are times when we almost seem to be at loggerheads, furiously trying to undo the work the other has done. Right now, just on the Vernal Equinox, I am simply in awe of the wonders she is working.
She has fattened buds ready to burst

and leaves to unfurl

She is orchestrating the  blossom so that as one kind fades and finishes another is ready to take its place.

 

She has carefully lacquered each celandine petal but saved some gold polish for the buttercups that come later.

She has even assembled the pest control team

and sent a scout or two out on reconnaissance.

The pollinator crew are also out and about but too busy to stop for a photo call. It all makes for a wonderful time to be out seeing everything taking heart from the warmth and sunshine. Time too to be rolling up my sleeves and doing my part.