Extended Easter

Chumsie the Easter chicken manged to arrive in the Artful Garden in time for Easter. She is now perched in a basket on a table in the middle of the lawn. We have had strong east winds and she has stayed in place.

Chumsie looking cute

Baby Doll also got an Easter bonnet and a bright pink feather boa, very stylish.

Love the hat

I helped with the Easter flower arrangements in church.

Yellows and creams

Dark green foliage offsets the flowers

The countryside is a hive of activity. Farmers are ploughing their fields.

Looking like corduroy

New life is being born.

A bonny calf just a few days old

Along the lanes are corridors of white blackthorn blossom.

Frothy blackthorn blossom

My beech hedge is now fully into leaf in just a week.

Covered in bright fresh leaves

The cherry blossom is a mass of pink candyfloss.

Pretty in pink

The bluebells are just beginning to flower.

Bluebells and forgetmenots

The flowers are forming on the gooseberry bushes and I have put cardboard at the base of the plants to try to prevent gooseberry sawfly.

Tiny gooseberries are beginning to form

The purple aubreita is looking very vibrant.

Looking lovely cascading down the wall

The red rhododendron in my home garden is in flower, it is susceptible to frost.

Red bonnets

The sunshine opens the tulip flowers with some spectacular results.

Delicate beauty

I have made last years dead sunflowers into a sculpture in front of the damson tree.

Space age sun seekers

Mrs Woody is very proud of how her sink garden which is looking very picturesque.

Do you like my garden?

We have had some warm sunny days but for two days we had the Helm wind. The wind forms a bar across the Pennine hills.

The helm wind is a very wild cold east wind

I am making some new bumblebees and ladybirds. The Bottle Boys and Babes are at the health farm for cosmetic surgery.

Buzzing around

I have been digging a long border in the orchard. There were masses of very large stones to clear away. I have sown wild flower seeds.

There have been several walking groups passing the Artful Garden. It has been described as 'wonderful' and a 'work of love'.  

Easter Excitement

We have had some warm days but still light frosts at night. The gardens are in full bloom. Everything is growing like mad including the weeds.

I have planted my potatoes. This year I did not mix up the labels so I should now know which variety is in each row. I have used some tall slate labels as little labels can get lost as you earth up the potatoes. I have also planted potatoes in grow bags which grew successfully last year.

One potato, two potato three potato four

One swallow does not make a summer spring but is was lovely to see one perched on the telephone wire chattering away to his friends.

Like a bird on a wire

The beech hedge has come into leaf, another sign of the progression of spring.

Bursting into leaf

These pretty violets self seed under the beech hedge.

Purple petals

I have a wide variety of daffodils and narcissus in my gardens but the Thalia pheasant eye are particularly beautiful.

You can see how this flower got it's name

Today in the wind I set up the Easter display in the Artful Garden. Easter eggs have appeared hanging from the apple tree.

How many eggs can you see both large and small?

The garden gate is decked with new bunting and the Artful Garden pottery sign.

Peep through the gate to see the Artful Garden

The summerhouse offers a colourful welcome. 

Roll on sunny days

All the scarecrows have had their raincoats removed and are wearing new Easter bonnets. Not everyone has survived the winter very well, there are a few elongated necks and wobbly legs but these will be rectified when they all go to the scarecrow health farm in the next few months.

Charlie Barley was given a stunning Easter hat full of character and personality (a bit like himself)

KO Fried chicken

Lotta Bottle did not want a hat as she thought it would interfere with her hair rollers as she likes to always be on standby in case any admirer wants to take her out. Some admirer has given her a bunch of flowers. Is romance in the air?

Hi Boys

Crazie Maisie must have been line dancing to get that cowboy hat. I do wish 
she would sit more elegantly.

Hi Ya lets boogie

Boozy Floosie is delighted with her hat, nice and bright like her nose.

What a lovely bonnet

Looby Loo has a pretty bonnet and a little basket by her side for the Easter chick. Bobby Barley thought wearing a hat was too girly so he reluctantly agreed to wear bunny ears. I hope they do not hop off.

Looby Loo relaxes whilst Bobby Barley wishes he could play football

Plumsy the pink rabbit is making her debut in the Ravenbrige Stores. Chumsy the chicken is moving into the Artful Garden to be part of the Easter display. Chumsy very much enjoyed being admired and also the chick chat from the Easter chicks.

A happy bunny

Do you like my tail?

Hop along to see me in Ravenbridge Stores

Happy Easter to all my readers.

Dragonflies and Daffodils

All the spring flowers are now at their best in the garden with grape hyacinths, daffodils, cowslips and primroses all in flower. The tulips are on full bloom and I hope the weather stays fine so that they will last for a few weeks.

Stunning colours

                                             
The fruit bushes are now in leaf.

Gooseberry and blackcurrant bushes

The damson blossom is in flower  and I am keeping my fingers crossed that we do not get any frost until the blossom is set.

Dainty white petals

The horse chestnut leaf buds have burst open.

Ribbed leaves

The spirea bush looks like a shower of snowflakes.

Sprinkled snow

I have finished the Easter chicken and it is now displayed in Ravenbridge Stores shop window. I have started to make an Easter bunny which I hope to finish in the next few days.

Chick chick chick chick chicken

Chicken with baby chicks made by Kirkoswald school children

I have been busy restoring all the artwork in the gardens, cleaning canes and pottery, adding new ribbons and replacing missing wings and legs on the bumblebees.

 Blue bird

The dragonflies have had a makeover. Each year I develop the technique. The giant dragonflies are now floating from the trees.

Flying in the plum tree

Tropical dragonfly

Flying from the apple tree

These I used to scare the birds from the onoins as they bounce in the wind. 

Spot the dragonfly

Do you like my feathers?

I have also moved the pottery birds and houses in my home garden. 
The sunflowers I made this year.

Golden sunflower

Flower power

There are a lot of lambs in the fields ranging in size for new born to bouncy lambs. It is lovely to watch them gamble.  

Lambs and ewes have the same number on their sides so they can be matched up