Memories of Autumn in Spring

The garden is a confusion of seasons at the moment. With the oaks starting to drop their brown marcescent leaves the lawn resembles an autumn scene. The oak near the cottage is covered in brown leaves with bright green leaves starting to appear from the tips of branches. Behind them the quince hedge is covered in big open pale pink blossoms embracing spring while the oaks are still apparently embracing autumn.

Autumn leaves on  a spring lawn

In the orchard the tiny peaches and apricots prompted me to hang up the fruit fly bait stations. The bait stations are meant to reduce the exotic and invasive fruit fly population in the garden. The female fruit fly needs to feed on protein before reproduction and is attracted to the bait station that consists of protein hydrolysate, plant extracts and a toxicant. She feeds from the bait station and dies. In the absence of females, the male fruit flies leave the area in search of females.

The quince hedge

Quince blossoms

The bait stations remove the need for a spraying programme that leaves a potentially toxic residue on the fruit. The bait station approach will assist in ensuring that the fruit we pick for eating and preserving is organic.

The rosarium in spring

Vibrant rose plants

The rose garden is building up to a spectacular display with the leaves in luminous shades of green and red. The anticipation is getting too much for me. Some selected rose cuttings have been transplanted after rooting into black bags and if all 52 rose plants survive I might struggle to find homes for them all.

Rose plants 

Hello Clivia

The first Clivia flower has appeared and I cannot wait for the rest to start flowering. I am suffering from Clivia envy because my neighbour’s Clivia is glowing orange from across the road.

The Clivia garden accross the road

Spring is seriously moving into the garden but I think autumn might stay for another cup of tea before he goes. Luckily winter did not waste time and left rather abruptly.

The green lavender in flower