Welcome to the Jungle

Photo opportunities have been sadly lacking for the last 48 hours.  A carefully timed walk planned to coincide with the barn owl we have spotted on two separate occasions, was fruitless.  He stood me up.

Yesterday, at long last we decided to make a start on the daunting task that is our garden.

We've had the best part of a year to tackle our garden.  Our garden is a challenging one; a long, sloping, woodland garden. 

Unfortunately, various ailments (back/knee/elbow related) have meant that any meaningful dent in the workload necessary to get our garden ship shape, has been delayed.

Last Spring and Summer, our focus was on keeping the grass cut and giving the patio area immediately outside the house a creative makeover.  I say "creative", because we had to make do with what we had.  I painted the walls with paint we had and created a star stencil from a potato (back to primary school), potted up some colourful annuals, painted the garden table and chairs bright pink and hung some lights.

The wall

The hard winter we have experienced has battered our garden.  It looks very sorry for itself and neglected.  I have used my macro extension tubes and 50 mm lens to capture some close up images to share with you (I can't face showing you more until we have made some headway).  

Moss has replaced any grass we had on the shaded lower part of the garden.  The slope to the centre "terrace" has become a mud slide.  

Moss is everywhere

The bamboo we planted when we moved in for privacy is now in danger of invading ours.  

Bamboo:  A blessing and a curse

Add to that the remnants of our son's early childhood - decrepit trampoline, an old discarded slide hidden behind the wood store, a tree house past its former glory....you get the picture.  

This year is the year we fix it, particularly given the fabulous weather we have experienced during the last couple of summers (maybe I shouldn't tempt fate).  If restrictions end when they are predicted to, I would like to be able to entertain friends, drink in hand, wearing my newly acquired vintage kaftan.  (My fashion requirements have, as ever, been pretty eclectic so far this year.  My last two purchases:  a pair of black dungarees and said kaftan).

So, for now, I will focus on the things I love about our garden in spring.  Firstly, the trees.  They encourage birds to nest, look good all year round and sound great when the wind blows.

Spring flowers.  I love Euphorbia.  They are content in shade, ours is spreading and I'm happy about that.  They are exquisite little flowers.

Being a woodland garden, it always throws up little surprises, whether that is the gift of a beautiful fern, springing in just the right position or these pretty little crocuses.

Finally, these ghostly images are the skeletal remains of my beloved lace cap hydrangea.  After taking these photos, I've finally dead headed them as the new buds were fighting for attention. 

New life, that's what's needed and we're now on a mission.