Craft Cart and Newts

I was thrilled to see the newts in the pond today.

We sat for at least ten minutes watching the pond surface and were totally amazed to see not one but many newts all swimming together in the warmth of the sunshine.

I have lots of questions....

Did they hibernate in our pond? 

Did the warm sunshine bring them out?

If they didn`t hibernate in our pond, where did they come from?

Do they eat frogspawn?

Bit of research tonight I think.

The photos are not wonderful but I am glad to have even got a picture.

Also very pleased to see the ramshorn snails are back.

Do they hibernate? And is that an air hole on its shell?

And I managed to capture the first picture of a frog, unfortunately surrounded by blanket weed.

The thing about the pond is this......it is no good just glancing as you pass, you have to sit on the logs and keep very quiet and still. All sorts happens in front of your eyes.

I could sit there for ages. It`s a world within a world.

 

I made some new bunting for the craft cart and I have hung it with bunches of statice and ribbons of helichrysum, all grown at the garden.

I am very pleased to see that the perenniels enclosed by net curtains, are all starting to romp away now that they are not being grazed by rabbits.

The first plants went onto the nursery table which is inside the garden this year.

More to be added later.

Over winter I buried the dahlia tubers in the middle bed of the polytunnel and covered them with a carpet. Today I dug them out in readiness to put in their summer positions.

Apart from  a mouse nest and s few chewed parts, they were intact. In fact they were huge. 

Some parts broke off. I will make new plants with them. On the left of this picture you can see them all lined up.

The rhubarb is growing overnight.

The asparagus has just started.

Brocolli in cheese sauce for our evening meal.

It was delicious.

And finally some new bunting for the reception desk.

Look out for this as you arrive at the farm.