Bottle Babes and Bottle Boys

What a change in the weather. We have had several days and nights of torrential rain and some sunshine in between. 

The Bottle Boys and Babes have had a makeover and are now back in the Artful Garden. Some were camera shy but this was partly due to the wind that kept blowing their heads around until they were dizzy.

Bottle Babe.

Lush

Bottle Babe.

Love the earings

Bottle Boy.

Anyone for a snifter?

Bottle Boy.

Has anyone of you chaps seen a pheasant?

Bottle Boy and Babe.

Do you like my pompoms?

There have been some interesting cloud formations.

The starfish.

Sea the sky

The submarine.

Drifting 

We have started to pick the new potatoes, variety Nichola. They are excellent for boiling.

Delicious

I just love the humour of this card.

Such a grate card

Spring has Sprung

What a glorious week. Cold nights, foggy mornings and warm sunny days, perfect for growing plants. I have had a busy gardening week clearing flowerbeds of last year's growth, weeding and planting seeds all to the melody of birdsong. I am tidying the flowerbeds in the Artful Garden and have received many compliments about the Easter display.

I thought I would concentrate this week on the spring flowers that are thriving in the sunshine.

Pom pom primulas, colourful drumsticks.

Look at the detail of each flower head

This primula has an old fashioned feel.

Beautiful

The flowering redcurrant is now in bloom. It has it's own unique perfume.

The bees adore this shrub

The grape hyacinths are creating a carpet of blue.

Little blue berry clusters

This  variety is two toned.

Dark to light

The cowslips are growing towards the sun.

I adore cowslips

This cowslip has a variation in the colour of the petals.

Orange and yellow hues

The first tiny violet to open.

Found when I was raking the leaves from under the beech hedge

I have had the potatoes 'chitting' on the window ledge. I am planting them today. I have chosen a First Earlys Nicola and Second Earlys Pink Fir Apple.

Can you see the tiny 'chitting' shoots in the Nicola potatoes?

Pink Fir Apple a strange name and an interestingly shaped potato

I found this bird's egg in the flower border, nature is full of surprises.

Fragility

When the sun opens a tulip it reveals it's full beauty.

Rich creams with a dash of yellow