March 2006

The upside of this cold, wet, gloomy March is that the snowdrops have been magnificent and in the back, lasted all month, the downside, everything else has been late and the ground too cold for sowing. I left Leicester for a big family weekend in Derbyshire on 22nd with the front garden quite bare, just a few tete-a-tete only recently opened joining the pale yellow primroses that have flowered throughout February and March. The sun came out briefly that week-end and the daffs , early and late all opened together. When I returned home on the 25th if there had been more colour in the front garden it would have been vulgar.

I got through the themed blue and white floral decorations I was in charge of for my Grand- daughters joint birthday bash for 120 people on March 23rd with hyacinths, jonquils and blue and white primroses. Variegated foliage from evergreen plants came in handy too. The weather then returned to wind, frost, snow and rain but the daffs remained joyful.

I have been so busy editing a novel this month that this is how the memo I wrote to to myself turned out!

plant potatoes - left it until next month Split snowdrops - left it until next month Fertilise strawberries - left it until next month Sow broadbeans Planted some but expect they will rot Sow lettuces - the cold killed them Sow tomatoes Yes I sowed Gardener's Delight. Growth very slow Feed roses - Not done Buy a pepper and plant the seeds The seeds rotted

However the surfinia plugs I bught and potted on are doing well and the dahlia seeds I saved and planted have germinated and survived. The artichoke and aubergine seedlings rotted and died I put out the brassicas and they died. I obviously hadn't hardened them off well enough.