The Mitcheldean Garden 2023
Late Spring

This page is part of a series of garden blogs from 2023. Click here for the index.

After two years when Penang was 'off limits', we had both a short autumn visit and a longer winter one. Owing to the way the air fares panned out we had only just over 3 weeks back in the UK between them which put us under a lot of pressure to get the garden first tidied after the old season and then planted up for the season to come. In the end we didn't have much time to spare but when we returned we could see that everything had gone according to plan. This picture actually anticipates the next part, being taken during (the only) two minutes of golden morning sun on 24th April, showing the tulips at their peak with the Juneberry's season over. I had just enough time to scramble up the ladder to the bungalow roof. This is a picture that needs repeating during peak dahlia time.

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This page covers the garden up until late April 2023. If you think that some of the pictures look familiar that is because we are not in the habit of moving bushes etc around and tend to put plants like hyacinths and tulips in the same place each year. If February had been mild, then March was cold and wet, it had been 40 years since the UK had such a wet one. It wasn't really a problem for us as most of the water just ran off but it did leave much of the grass enveloped in moss. April was the usual mixture with beautiful mornings often giving way to later showers. With the hill behind us that's an arrangement that works well. I've no idea whether anyone notices as they walk or drive past but there's no other garden quite like it in the road (or the the village as far as we know).

For the last few years Yuehong has used these Lidl trios for her hanging baskets, verbena, petunia and calibrachoa. They are 'tender' and went straight into 31's greenhouse. On dull, cold days like these, when getting out of bed, we can just draw the curtains open, get back in and enjoy the view. It's totally private thanks to the leylandii hedges which need no more than a single annual cut, this year I had the benefit of a new hedgecutter, In 10 years I had worn out the old one which wasn't new when I was given it. 

The lowest part of the garden is totally invisible from the bungalow and the soil leaves a lot to be desired. However, the (ericaceous) lime hating plants tolerate it and years of 'improving' the soil behind the 'new' wall seems to suit the tulips although it tends to dry out during the summer and it's none too easy to water regularly.

Very few of our neighbours have seen the garden beyond the 33 steps which is our pride and joy; in comparison for much of the year the initial part next to the road has little colour to it other than green. The second picture shows our second 'temporary' greenhouse which is currently being used to 'bring on' a variety of summer plants. So far, it seems the deer haven't worked out how to use this gap to move between #31 and #33 but one slip and there will be blood everywhere.

Finally, the upper 'red tulip' bed is revealed as having also got a row of yellow ones. which grow taller and more slowly. Of course, I have to tag them so they can be separated at the end of the growing season. There's no hurry, the main season dahlias are still in the garage although the dwarf and 'dark' dahlias are all getting started in 31's greenhouse. Yuehong has the 'patio' dahlias in tubs appropriately on the patio which they will eventually share with her favourite geraniums. 

Meanwhile at the top of the garden the purple magnolia is in full bloom, none of the other five specimens lower down (and more visible) can begin to compete.

10 years ago this was a vegetable patch, but it was too small to sustain us. It is now essentially another large flower bed, the bottom part of which which will be used for its original purpose, to grow runner beans.

This is the current view from above the bench next to the summer house. Note that the lighter part of the bungalow roof and the visible part of the extension roof have had their first 'clean' for 6 years, to remove as much of the lichen as possible, it grows furiously with the aid of 'pigeon poo'. Our friends up the road paid serious money to clean theirs, that's a luxury beyond our means.

This section finishes with views of the patio special tulips.

By planting them in pots, we can rotate their positions so we get the best possible display next to the French Windows at any one time, especially as they can be viewed from our dining table in the living room.