A morning in the garden

This month hasn’t come with April showers but gave us sunny spring days instead. The soil warmed up and seeds could germinate, everything has bursted into shades of green, trees are unfolding their leaves, the first spring flowers are blooming and the fruit trees are in full bloom. Spring is really here!

I love to spend some time in the garden in the mornings. The air is fresh and the sun covers the garden with a soft silvery light. Today I’ve been sowing another row of spinach, radish and lettuce. I’ve learned not to sow everything at once but little and often. There’s no need to already fill all the space in the veggie beds. Plenty of time to come!

The vivid green and curly shoots of peas, growing to the light. They are safely protected against the cold northern winds by the hawthorn hedgerow, which is blooming now. I’ve already been drying the leaves and I hope to harvest blossoms this weeks. This wonderful plant is beneficial for all things related to the heart!

Just looking at its fairylike blossoms already gladdens the heart, doesn’t it?!

The first leaves of spinach and radishes are popping up.

Soon I can harvest the first rhubarb which I’m really looking forward to. Making jam, compote and rhubarb pie. Plenty of choice!

This chard is from last year but made it through winter and is producing new fresh leaves again.

Every year it’s a surprise to see what’s sprouting. I can’t let everything come into full growth and have to hoe but sometimes I just leave nature as it is. And nature knows best and treats me on beautiful patches of plants. Like this patchwork of little speedwell, dandelion and small field cress. It’s too lovely to remove, isn’t it?!

This year I also have a lot of garlic mustard which seems to feel at home in my garden! I’ve already used it into pesto. Narrow plantain also grows in my garden and the leaves can be used to treat the sting of a nettle. I really love how wild nature slowly enters the garden and perfectly matches with what I’ve already planted. It’s an interesting and grateful interaction!

It’s still too early to sow everything outside. So I’ve been sowing flowers as zinnia and cosmos, and vegetables such as cucumbers, zucchinis, pumpkins, artichokes and tomatoes inside.

It’s such a delight to see then germinate within a couple of days and watch them slowly grow into mature plants. I’m always amazed by how from one tiny seed such a powerful plant can grow which will nourish us and abundantly produce healthy veggies.

My potting and garden table where I love to spend time to sow, repot tiny plants into bigger pots, make flower bouquets, …

Time for some flowers now! Over this bow grows the pretty akebia quinata and a yellow-white colored honeysuckle. When the akebia is withered, the honeysuckle starts to grow, a perfect and colourful mix!

Heavenly blue forget-me-nots are just such enchanting flowers, aren’t they?! And the tulips add some cheerfulness to the garden at this moment.

The first roses are already in bloom. They are delicate and small but their smell is heavenly sweet!

We haven’t cut the grass yet and are enjoying the pretty carpets of daisies. They open in the morning and close their delicate petals by sunset.

I often use these happy flowers in my tea. They’re a delight for the eye and the soul!

I’ve had to wait several years before the lacey cow parsley has come into my garden but every year they find new spots to grow. They’re one of my favorite wild flowers and now I can pick them straight from the garden, what a joy!

Our fruit trees are in full bloom now. They haven’t been dressed with so many blossoms before. Slowly their white petals are whirling around like snowflakes.

The plants in the flower beds are growing so fast now and it all looks more green by every day that passes. Soon the peonies, foxgloves, love-in-a-mist and valerian will bloom and add pastel colors to the garden!

A small posy with wildflowers and flowers from the garden. A mix of buttercup, cow parsley, honesty, forget-me-nots and cuckoo-flower.