I’ve never known a spring quite like this one. It’s still absolutely freezing and apart from one day of cold, pale sunshine that highlighted my dirty windows, I would swear we are still in the throes of winter. Holly, the now HUGE hedgehog, is STILL in the rabbit hutch hardening off……I’d hoped that she would be released by now and that Herbie, the special needs hog, would be outside…..
Normally, these flowering cherry trees would be in full bloom by now, along with the apple and plum….
And these borders would be weeded, but it’s simply too cold and the ground is too hard!
Over the last week I’ve been worried about my animals. Curly began coughing and sounded very croaky….so I tripled her duvets and hoped for the best as she would never tolerate a vet handling her…..and fortunately she recovered quickly.
Then Herbie stopped eating….and after a little panic, I realized he was hibernating again…..in APRIL, and in a centrally heated house! After a couple of days he began eating again.
Next came a real disaster. The dogs were having their normal run in the garden when Annie slammed into the metal leg of the trampoline at great speed. The blow was hard and she really yelped. She wasn’t badly hurt but she thought that Sam had done it and suddenly refused to run or play with him. Then she refused to go out with him at all and even shied away from him in the house.
Border collies are renown for sticking to things….for better or for worse, so I was really worried about this development. The best friends ever now had a huge wedge driven between them. So, I stopped trying to run them together and took them out individually for a few days, which was heartbreaking.
Yesterday I took Annie out and threw the ball for a while, then I let Sam out and remarkably Annie stayed out and played a little. I didn’t allow it to go on for too long in case she ran in again…..and so far so good. I’ve had them out playing with a ball a few times now and she’s back to playing with him in the house and in the courtyard so, slowly, slowly catch your monkey………animals eh…..a right headache at times….
I heard on the radio today that wildlife is really suffering during this cold spell, barn owls are dying due to a shortage of food and bee and butterfly numbers dropped radically due to the rain last year. In the rescue, we are swamped with wood pigeon, collared dove and pigeon chicks at the moment, all needing hand feeds, but no garden birds yet. And it’s still too cold to start releasing our hogs….
I planted my mini orchard….about ten fruit trees in all but no leaves yet…..even the hedgerow is still bare! And apart from a few sprouting peas nothing much is happening in my veggie patch.
Yesterday I had trays full of African marigolds and cosmos…..today, despite the eggshells I don’t have a single seedling left. All gone! A curse on all slugs!!!!!
But my salad leaves are thriving, even the second sowing…..
And just look at my radishes and spring onions…..
I have a thing for box plants. Here are all my baby plants, with last year’s in the middle. I’m looking out for those topiary shapes that you put around the plants then snip them into wonderful shapes….
And here’s my larger box plants that I’ve just re-potted….
And finally, here’s a few of my wares from the auction, all painted up and hanging on my living wall.
I agree, this spring is just crazy! I’m sick of the cold to be honest x
You and me both Babs!xxxx
The cold weather continues here as well. I hope Annie is continuing to recover and has forgotten all about her mishap by now. Too bad about the slugs. At least the salad greens, radishes and spring onions are doing well. I like boxwood as well, especially when it is clipped into a simple shape.
Thanks Jennifer, Annie is still strange in the back but fine in the house.
Slugs!!!! The bane of all our lives.
There is something sweet about box, I’m hoping to have a short hedge eventually.xxxxx
Thanks Linda, things are still awkward between the dogs in terms of running in the back garden but at least they are back to playing normally everywhere else.
When we go to the lakes, we stay in a dog friendly cottage, and my neighbour feeds Curly cat, and herbie and holly hogs go to wildlife to be cared for.
Animals do get into routines don’t they. Our dogs just love going on holiday with us as it’s always long long walks each day. xxxxx
A pet friendly holiday cottage is a good choice and the dogs will love the long walks.
Just catching up after our time away and hoping things have improved with
Sam and Annie’s reluctance to run together. It sounds as if there’s a lot going on with all the animals. How do you manage to have a break as you say you’re going away to the Lake District? It’s nice to get away, but we don’t like to leave Gino for too long. Even one day away he starts acting strangely because he likes her routine of being home and indoors with company by 5 p.m.
So sorry about your seed trays! Stupid slugs. The rest of your garden looks great, and i’m glad your animals are doing well. I hope you get warm weather soon!
Thanks Bumblelush…..slugs! The bane of my life!!!! It’s unbelievable how much destruction they can actually do…..
It’s a little warmer today which is wonderful.xxxxx
I do hope the dogs sort out their problems, it would be a shame if they stop running together.
The weather here is rather grotty yoo.
Thanks Dessie, Annie still won’t run with Sam but we go away to the Lakes for a week soon so I’m hoping that helps break the pattern.xxxxx
Dare we hope the weather is going to improve from the weekend? It really was a miserable winter and spring and we need some sun for our sanity! What a shame about your seedlings being munched, those slugs are such pests. Your salad leaves look wonderful though, as do your box cuttings.
I couldn’t agree more. I cannot imagine what it must be like to go out without a coat!
Slugs…..nightmare they are. It’s so frustrating isn’t it.
My salad is delicious, I can’t understand why the slugs don’t want it.xxxxx
Yup …brass monkey weather and continuing. It reached a balmy 3deg Celcius at lunch time today. Hibernation almost sounds like a good idea.
Do animals mirror us or do we mirror them?
😉
Eeeek! 3 deg???? Running for the duvet I would be!
I think it’s a mixture….maybe animals become like us and we them!xxxxx
This weather is just awful, is it ever going to stop being so cold and gloomy? We get a little glimpse of what could be then it is back to yuk! I didn’t realise (but should have) about the wildlife suffering. I’m going to try growing salad stuff on my kitchen window ledge this year. Suzy x
It is truly dismal isn’t it? It saps the energy out of us the endless cold.
Good luck with your salad growing, the salad leaves grow so easy and do taste wonderful.xxxxx
After the dismal wash out we had last year this spring is making it all the more miserable….maybe we’ll have a lovely heat wave to make up for it, we can hope eh?
Thanks Flighty.xxxx
It’s not surprising that you’ve not known a spring like this one as it was the coldest March for fifty years.
Hopefully it will get sunnier and warmer from now on so that we can all get busy in the garden at long last.
I hope all the animals are now okay, and I enjoyed all the pictures as usual. xx
Your poor animals; I hope the dogs are their old selves again soon. The impact of this dreadful spring on the wildlife is really troubling, no wonder Holly and Herbie aren’t ready to go out yet. And how frustrating about the slugs; I was hoping this year would be a bad year for them (after the damage they did last year). And sorry to read from your comment above that you’re not well – take care x
Thanks Wendy….things always seem to happen at once don’t they…..I’m hoping the dogs sort themselves soon….
It really is worrying how wildlife is being affected….at the rescue we are waiting for the casualties to start pouring in, it’s mainly bigger birds at the moment….most are starving and little and often feeds bring them back.
Slugs……arghhhhhh…..Thanks for your good wishes, I’m feeling really sorry for myself at the mo….coughing, sneezing and the dreaded runny nose…..xxxxxx
I thought that spring had finally sprung at the weekend as we actually saw the sun, but it’s back to being cold again. I’m beginning to wonder how long these low temperatures can last for, it’s certainly been a long winter this year. I do hope that the slugs aren’t going to be as pesky as they were last year, I don’t think I’ve known such a bad year for them, but I had some broad bean plants munched a while ago, and now your seedlings have been devoured, it doesn’t bode well. Hope Annie and Sam are back to being bosom pals again soon.
It’s downright weird isn’t it…..they reckon it could last until the end of April…..how crazy is that!
Slugs never seem to suffer whatever the weather. I had a dismal year with them last year as well….sighs….
How annoying that they got your beans, mine are popping up in the veggie patch so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed re the dogs…..thanks Jo.xxxxx
I’m so relieved that Annie and Sam are friends again. Poor Sam. I’m sure he couldn’t understand why his play partner was being so surly! I’m sorry about the cold that persists. But perhaps your garden will really burst forth when spring finally shows up. Your lettuces are looking marvelous! I’ve liked growing radishes and think I might try lettuce again. Will have to get copper to edge the container, though. Our snails are VERY persistent!
Poor Sam was absolutely bewildered…..he kept galloping out only to find he was alone, then he’d just stare all puzzled! It is getting better each day so I’m hopeful that the problem will be resolved soon.
I look at all your wonderful roses and plants in bloom and then go out to find nothing but daffs and snowdrops in my garden, still I can live through yours!!!!
I love growing radish, they pop up so quickly……oh snails and slugs…..they simply will not be defeated!xxxxx
Once again, a great pleasure visiting your garden. Some of the pictures were really fine. I loved the picture of the trees, with a good deal of shade towards the top. We too are having a lot of cold days still. and it seems a bit unusual. But of course, the weathermen here are so knowledgeable that they can always tell us of some year that was just like this one… I’m already enjoying the spring, and like walking in a brisk cool breeze. Beautiful post. Sorry to hear of the animal complaints and troubles though.
Thanks Shimon. Everyone seems to be having a delayed cold spring. Our weathermen say ours is the coldest for 60 years, and last year was the wettest in a 100 years. Worldwide the weather seems to becoming more extreme.
I love to walk in a cool breeze but we’ve had a real bitingly cold wind howling for the last few weeks.
I’m hoping all the animal problems settle down……especially with Sam and Annie.xxxxxx
Your lettuce looks so colorful and delicious. I don’t have a garden but seeing that makes me want to at least consider it. Our weather is all over the board, typical for around here. One week it is toasty warm and the next it’s snowing.
Oh my lettuce is really tasty, you can’t beat it fresh! Maybe you could grow it indoors in pots?
How odd re your weather…….everyone seems to be having odd, unpredictable weather lately….xxxxx
Our weather has been so chilly as well…Might get a bit of snow tomorrow…! But mostly, rain; in fact, 5″ this week (and from last June thru August we only received a bit over 5″. At least we’re out of a drought, for now!)
Love your lettuces: so pretty, Snow Bird. And your painted pieces are wonderful! Sending love to Sam and Miss Annie, as well as Holly and Herbie and your entire menagerie, including the loves at the rescue. And to you: Hang in there, spring is coming. 🙂
Goodness me….more snow??? And what a contrast with the rainfall this year compared to last year!!!!
The weather seems weird worldwide at the moment, no-one seems to be able to predict what’s coming next!
My lettuce is wonderful, so crunchy and fresh, really delicious it is.
Thanks for the love……I hope Annie gets over her trauma soon…….I can’t wait for spring!xxxxxx
Urgh it sounds like a nightmareish week – I’m glad the hedgehogs are OK and the puppies are playing together(ish) again though. Let’s hope some warmer weather is coming our way soon! xx
Thanks Jen…..we sure could use some sun so we can get our chairs, BBQ and wine out! Oh yes!xxxxx
Just starting to see signs of life in the West Country now, and this morning it was lovely to be out.
The bamboo is looking healthy in the wheelbarrow. Brilliant way of containing it!
Everyone seems to have had a pleasant day today……..I feel rather jealous! But hey ho….warmer days forecast soon!
I have bamboo in lots of pots, when we moved here it grew everywhere, through the cracks in the flags and the lawn. It took years to get it dug out. I do like the bamboo but it is sooooo invasive!xxxxxx
Actually, the weather has been a bit more spring-like here over the last few days – I have managed to get out and start attacking a few jobs that have been waiting for what seems like months. I do feel for the wildlife though it has been as tough for them as it has been for us – I suppose it boils down to ‘ only the strongest will survive’. Hope the doglets soon get over the trauma.
Glad to hear you have had a few better days and are getting on with the garden jobs. My herb garden is still not turned over…..
Yes, the weather sorts through the weak and the strong…..
I do hope Annie gets over her fixation, it would be a shame if they couldn’t run together.xxxxx
You are way ahead of me on your salad’s, you’ll be munching on your lettuce, spring onion and radish combo soon, and I haven’t sown any of these yet. Last year I had them all sown into cold frames on the allotment by end of Feb, but as you said it has been a crazy year so far.
The salad has surprised me, we’ve been eating it for weeks, and for some strange reason the slugs have left it alone!
None of my wildflower seeds have sprouted yet….my leek seedlings are just popping through along with my parsley.xxxxx
:Yes! Remains ‘chilly’,,,though there are clear signs of Spring – even judging from the pictures of you garden and patio….Looking fresh. Nature will proceed as only Nature can…….Hugs! :)x
It really is cold here. I don’t like to have the heating on but it still has to go on each day….still, there is talk of warmer weather coming soon….bring it on!
Yes this has been the strangest of springs. I think that animals and humans alike are feeling off kilter because of it. It’s not just that it’s a cold spring it actually feels like winter in every respect! I think the Gulf Stream has moved because of the melting ice caps, and I also believe we have many more weather surprises in store.
Having said that, there was actually a feeling of spring in the air today:)
Onwards and upwards:)xxxx
I agree about weather surprises….I think we will see more extreme weather worldwide this year.
I am enjoying the dawn chorous, the only real sign of spring I’ve seen.xxxxx
SLUGS!!! Wot are they like???? They are the despair of many a gardener 🙁 but your lettuce do look lovely and fresh. Poor old Annie! glad you’re able to slowly bring them together again. You need to be an animal psychologist on top of everything else!
Oh slugs…..HUGE sighs……
I couldn’t believe Annie wouldn’t go out…and to see her creeping next to me was awful! I’m keeping it to very short bursts of playing with close supervision at the moment, it would be awful if we had a chiminea and Annie refused to come out! Fingers crossed!xxxxx
It certainly has been a strange one, we are in limbo and I’m not surprised that Herbie has gone into hibernation again! I’m tempted as well. The wind is still biting. Its certainly got everyone talking, can we see an end in sight for the cold weather??
Sorry for your marigolds and cosmos but your lettuce is thriving. Looks great. The cold weather can’t even do us a favour and suppress the slugs!
It truly is bizarre weather isn’t it? There is not a single tree or hedge in leaf and it’s nearly the middle of April….I want to hibernate too, especially as I now have a dose of flu…..
The wind is perishingly cold……
Slugs!!!! They could have left me one or two seedlings…..xxxxx