When will things start to happen?

This week, BBC Springwatch is starting, so spring must be here.  Also it's only one week to Garden BioBlitz weekend when I hope to be able to find lots of wildlife and plant life in my garden patch to report on.  However, as everyone knows, plants are so far behind after the long cold winter and therefore insects that rely on the plants are having a hard time.

On a positive note I saw my first butterfly of this year on Sunday in St Mary's Church yard - a red admiral, no picture, obviously.  I have also seen a few bees exploring my bee friendly plants.

However, the required blooms are still reluctant to appear.  Daisies open up every morning and sea thrift (almeria) plants are doing well.  Others are getting there but slowly.

Nasturtium seedlings.

I planted some nasturtium seeds in April and so far three have appeared.  As one plant can produce a lot of flowers three might be OK and also there's still time for some more to push there way out.

This poppy has survived from
last year and looks more and more ready to flower, but is still holding out.  Behind in a pot you can also see the sea holly (eryngium planum) that I planted a few weeks ago.  It looks healthy enough, but no sign of a thistle as yet.  The tall green streak in the same pot as the poppy is a garlic bulb that I thought I should try to grow.

Cornflower plants

I mentioned in a previous post that I had planted some cornflower seeds.  I protected them against damage from birds and snails by putting some netting over them, but they have just become tall enough for the netting to become a hindrance.  This week I plan to spread them around and give them more space to grow.mentioned in a previous post that I had planted some cornflower seeds.  I protected them against damage from birds and snails by putting some netting over them, but they have just become tall enough for the netting to become a hindrance.  This week I plan to spread them around and give them more space to grow.

I have four herb plants in one long pot and the chive plant shown here has produced some lovely buds, I just hope that in the next few days they will actually open up as these are very enticing for insects.

Last week we had a terrible stormy north wind for 24 hours, which gave everything a battering, but yesterday and today it's warm and sunny.   I have been out and watered everything and fingers crossed things might start happening this week.

We can only hope. . . .