The Bird Garden: Part 2

Well, its been a year since we started our renovations of the garden at the front of the farmhouse, to turn it into our very own Bird Garden! See Part 1 here to see how it started out.

Now the new plants have had a chance to decide whether they like it here or not, I thought I would write a quick update!

Here is how it looked a few weeks ago. Although the grass between the planting is a bit raggedy (I attempted to give it a hair cut with my hand strimmer but wasn't the tidiest job), the plants that we put in last year are establishing nicely. The grasses and ferns are still rather tiddly but I am hoping now I have weeded and trimmed a little they will have space and light enough to shoot up!

The candelabra primulas (also apparently called Mealy Cowslip, which is somewhat less glamourous) are definitely the starts of the show right now!

We painted the new gazebo a soft cream and muted clay colour to match the chicken house up by the cottages. We still have yet to find time to realise our plans of offering afternoon tea there to our guests, but when we do, it will be a wonderful place to enjoy some tea and scones whilst surrounded by the sound of willow warblers and redstarts!

The gunnera jungle growing up round the gazebo in the Bird Garden

After the snow pretty much dissolved my arum lilies, I am very pleased to see this strong new growth (well, on two of the plants. The third, I lost in the weeds and then when I found it again I was so excited I lost my balance and trod on it, breaking both its new leaves!). Perhaps we might get a flower one day!

Strong shiny new leaves, only a little bit munched...(bloody sheep)

Stay tuned for Part 3, hopefully showing how the garden develops later in the summer and what birdy visitors we have managed to record!