Summer colour - NOT amateur radio

A few weeks ago our lawns were green. Then the sun really shone and patches turned brown. Slowly they are recovering.

By mistake, we bought impatiens for our front garden instead of begonias. Luckily they have been a good splash of colour.

Our sweet peas look healthy, but we have yet to see a single flower. My brother down in Devon has also had a disappointing sweet pea show this year. We both bought these as plugs from a well respected seed supplier.

Roses - NOT amateur radio

Our roses came out early this year. They look great at the moment but will be bare in a few weeks' time. Our garden looks good at the moment. The risk is muntjac deer will eat the flowers!

Iris - NOT amateur radio

There have been some beautiful irises in a garden near here. They are at their best right now. These are a lovely colour.

Tulips - NOT amateur radio

We have had a crazy few months. Daffodils were about 6 weeks late, but most things are now early! Today, we visited Ickworth, near Bury St Edmunds. Most tulips were past their best and another week and we'd probably see none still in flower! This one would be over within a week.

Tulips - NOT amateur radio

It is hard to think that in the 1600s tulip bulbs were worth more than houses in Holland until the price crashed and lots of people lost lots of money.

We have had a strange spring. Daffodils were late, but now are mostly dead. Tulips are mainly dying now. I saw my first swallow earlier this year than previous years here in East Anglia.

Our garden always looks at its best at this time of the year. The blossom is largely out and the green on the trees is "spring fresh".

Dandelions - NOT amateur radio

Although officially a "weed", dandelions and daisies are everywhere now. These signal spring and that we are no longer in winter. To me, they are cheerful flowers.

Nearly - NOT amateur radio

This garden border, in the next street, is usually a blaze of yellow daffodils by now. Things are late this year, but another week or so and they should all be out. Nearly spring and lighter evenings again.

It started out sunny today, but the forecast is for rain later. I caught this photo before the rain came, although it has already clouded over.

First aconites - NOT amateur radio

This winter seems much colder than last. We have yet to see a daffodil out and the snowdrops are later. Yesterday I saw the first aconites out, in a garden not far from us (see above).

We are seeing more birds from Scandinavia like fieldfares, redwings, starlings and waxwings. The latter I have still not seen. Each winter we see some but usually they come as it is very cold in Scandinavia. Seeing lots here often suggests a cold winter.

Birthday Roses - NOT amateur radio

One of our sons bought my wife some roses for her birthday, which she put on the breakfast table in the kitchen.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

Suddenly we seem to have moved from summer into autumn. The nights are getting rapidly darker earlier, the temperature has dropped and it suddenly feels like autumn. I enjoy all the seasons, but they seem to come around sooner. Where was summer? Yesterday we planted primroses instead of the begonias which die in the first frosts. The picture shows the primroses under the windows at the front of our bungalow.

Begonias - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday (first day of summer - cold 12 deg C and drizzle!) I planted 46 begonias in our front garden. We have more for the back garden. Once planted, these need very little attention and they provide colour until the frosts in late autumn. I just dig a small hole for each, throw in some compost and plant each flower. Usually they are very easy plants for the summer and autumn. At the end of this I was very exhausted - still an after-effect of my stroke. In the past this would have been easy.

We usually put in winter flowering primroses for the winter.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

At this time of year we go for a walk at nearby Landwade to see the daffodils, snowdrops and aconites. This year, everything is early. It was a cold and dry day with a strong east wind. The temperature was 3 degrees C, though it felt much colder. We went with our "London" grandchildren.