Heron landing and dazzling daffodils

I saw the Heron flying over the house at 8.30am, he often does on his way to a favourite spot but I was taken by surprise when he returned later on to land in the conifer in the garden that backs on to ours. My camera was in the other room so I flew for it ,not really with much hope that he would still be there but yes he was! They may have installed a pond recently as something had caught his eye. He was off pretty quick though after this photo.

Yesterday we called at Sefton park in Liverpool to view thousands of daffodils in the Field of hope. The Sun was shining and it made for a glorious sight.

The seeds in the greenhouse are sprouting rapidly and there is plenty to do,I am hoping though that this week will be warmer than last.

Saw a Goldfinch on the Birch tree in the front garden this morning, I hope they are building a nest close by as we do not see many around here.

Greenhouse

Well here it is, the greenhouse which we may not have bought if we knew exactly how much time and effort it was going to require in getting it together! However I love it and there is so much more space and even enough room for a chair!
There are still some flags to lay around the edges but that can be done in odd moments. I now have to get really busy ordering plug plants and sowing and preparing containers.

So we are in for a cold week again, back to jumpers for a while. It was lovely to see some sun and I managed to get out for a day to Martin mere with friends and took some pictures and we also had a lovely day out on the boat last Sunday.

Lawns should be lovely

I admit defeat with our lawn! It's covered in moss and looks sick. Poor lawn..... it was really lovely at one point, many years ago and I want it to look like that again.
If I was to pinpoint when exactly it started on the road to ruin it would be when we stopped using the big old petrol lawnmower with the heavy roller on the back. In those days it looked green and healthy and sported beautiful stripes all summer long.

These new lawnmowers are not a patch on the old sort but it's not just that, we have been neglectful ,doing only the bare minimum to help it, as other things like boats and work got in the way.
So I've called in the heavy mob and a professional is coming to see what he can do, at the right price of course .
A groundsman would tell you that one of the most important things is to spike it with a four-tined garden fork to a depth of four to six inches ,as it is lack of air to the topsoil and good water peculation to the root sphere that makes a good lawn. So that should take me all day then!

I went out in the Greenhouse as it was raining ,not heavy just drizzly but it was nice to be in the dry potting on some bits and bobs and snipping and trimming and watering to give things a boost for spring!

These photos were taken last year in September when we were on holiday in Cornwall. We had a really lovely day at Glendurgan gardens on the Lizard and I would say if you are ever down that way, Go! You can stroll through the gardens right down to the Estuary and on the way marvel at giant trees and ferns and other rare plants.

Well my greenhouse is up and being used, there are still a few little things to attend to but it is functional and the plants are back in and I have sown a few more seeds. I will now have to order some mini plugs and browse through the catalogues.
Tomorrow I will take some photos, I had intended to today but what a beauty of a spring day, and so unexpected after the chilly dull and breezy day yesterday, so I spent all afternoon in the front garden, digging , replanting and mowed the lawn.

The wood pigeons are making a nest in the conifer tree in the back garden. I really didn't want them too, now I will be on constant look out with the cats all spring. Their young are so dozy and have a habit of just sitting at the base of trees when they leave the nest... aah! The Thrush has been around a lot too .. is he also thinking nice place?

From my diary in 1999;
March 11th I was in the bedroom, window open when I heard a whoosh! Got to the window in time to see a sparrowhawk trying to nab a sparrow on the hedge. The sparrows made the most awful racket but I think they were lucky as I did not see him with one as he flew awy.

Greenhouse gremlins

It started off so well,the frame went up fairly easily and then it all came to a halt, as we tried... to figure out why one of the top louvre windows wouldn't fit in. It delayed everything and we have had to abort any hope that it would have been glazed by the weekend. Anyway we solved that problem and both windows are now in place as is the staging and kick plates. So we continue on Saturday.

Snow here this morning quite a bit between 8..9am.Melted though really quickly and the rest of the day was bright.

Saw a jay hopping about the garden yesterday and the squirrel again taking nuts and digging up my flower beds to hide them.
Two photos of plants in flower in the garden at the weekend.