watchingthedaisies

My Donegal Garden – A Pond Revamp and Glorious Growth

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Bleeding Heart, Pulmonaria and Tulips

April and early May have been full of glorious growth in the garden. However, many of the early blooms are now gone, including these Tulips:

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Bluebells

Bluebells and albino Bluebells have flowered and are now sleeping until next year:

Personal Favourites

Among my favourite spring flowers is Bleeding Heart, with its little pendants which hold a special place in my heart:

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Another favourite is this Magnolia stellata, with its pristine white petals showcased to perfection against the turquoise fence:

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The Pond Revamp

My pond was badly in need of a new liner, so I took the opportunity to give it a revamp and added a little stony beach to allow minibeasts to access the water.

I shall purchase some new pond plants soon to keep the water fresh.

Can you spot the fairies among the Primroses?

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Apple Blossom

The apple trees blossomed early, and I hope to get another terrific crop of apples. I gave them a good mulch with homemade compost, and they seem very happy.

Apple Blossom

Sowing Seeds

In late April, I sowed several packets of seeds direct, including Verbena rigida, Poppy somniferum and Scabious “Tall Double Mix.”

I waited until the soil seemed sufficiently warm, before scattering them in random fashion.

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I think they will enhance the Cottage Garden theme.

The “Cottage Garden Mix” has been scattered under my Birch tree, while I have followed advice and planted the Dahlia and Wallflower in trays, to be transplanted later.

Watching the Daisies

My feline friends Coco and Buster like relaxing among the flowers. I have several species of Daisy in the garden. These white ones are one of many varieties of Marguerite.

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Aquilegia

I have a growing collection of  Aquilegia in a variety of hues. I love their traditional name of Grannies Bonnets. 

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Allium

I also love the Allium family, and have several species coming into flower. I particularly like this little corner which has both white and purple thriving amongst the silver leaves of Lambs Ears, the dark purple of Heuchera, a blue Aquilegia and the orange flowers of Calendula.

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Weeding

May is an optimum time for growth, including the weeds. Although I have completed most of my planting, weeding keeps me on my toes!

Brigid P. Gallagher is a retired natural medicines therapist, passionate organic gardener and author of “Watching the Daisies- Life lessons on the Importance of Slow,” a holistic memoir dedicated to the art of mindfulness and healing from debilitating illness.

 

107 comments

  1. Welcome back, Brigid. Your garden is gorgeous. There are so many beautiful flowers. I have some apple blossoms. My plum trees have hundreds of plums growing. Roses and other flowers started blooming a month ago. Thank you for this wonderful post. 🙂

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  2. The garden is stunning. My bleeding heart did grow this year. Nevertheless my bleeding heart is not as specatcular as yours. Do daisy’s grow every year by themselves? I want plant plants that need no special effort from me and grow every year. The pond looks great and i just about spotted the fairies.
    I havent made it out into my garden as yet since Easter. But i need to.

    Thanks for inspiring me.

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  4. Wow and wow, Brigid and welcome to WordPress. Your garden is awesome and beautiful and so nice to see the little pond with the fairies sitting in between the flowers. Loved your little cat she is soaking in the atmosphere of beauty that is all around her. Thanks for the awesome presentation of your garden.

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  6. How beautiful. We have these albums – nectsroscordum having looked it up – which are lovely and so different to the Pom Pom varieties. Have you seen them

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    • Thank you Geoff. Yes, I have a few Allium nectarascordum. One is about to open amongst the Heuchera and Calendula. I have more in the front garden. I do like all the varieties though.

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  7. Oh, how beautiful Bridget. I think I saw the fairies in your pond.
    I love the names of the flowers especially bleeding heart and lamb’s ears. A Daisy called Marguerite wow.
    Brightened my day and hope you are well 🧚‍♀️❤️☘️🌿🌼

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  18. I love dicentra too. Your garden is looking lovely. I love your selection of seeds – beautiful colour combinations!

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  19. Here we have several thriving bleeding hearts, one of my favorites too. Daisies are one of my delights and I used them for my wedding. Our soil isn’t warm enough for direct seeding until June, so my annuals go in then.

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  30. This is so soothing and peaceful, Brigid. The apple blossoms bring me back to my youth. We had a tree in the middle of our garden. I looked forward to seeing them bloom every year. Thanks so much for sharing your garden with us. Solace for the soul. XO

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  32. Your garden is looking absolutely gorgeous Brigid! Everything is so bright and cheery-looking. Your bleeding hearts are beautiful. I’ve been thinking of planting some, and seeing yours has encouraged me to go ahead and get some. Thanks for sharing your lovely garden with us.

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  36. Brigid, your retreat continues in this haven of a garden! It is heavenly! 😀 Bleding hearts are one of my favourites and your magnolia against the fence reminded me of Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom paintings! Sublime! Oh yes, now is the time of weeds but a wonderful satisfying task as the glory of the flowers are allowed to stand unhindered!

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  38. Brilliant. That Lamprocapnos is a real stunner. I wish mine would grow like that (it has always remained the size it was when I planted it). I won’t say you are lucky to have such an uplifting garden, rather that you clearly have worked hard to make it so. Though you *are* lucky to have two such well-behaved cats. Mine would never think of curling up anywhere other than on top of a plant!

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  39. You have your own little “Princess Garden”, Brigid. I love the bleeding hearts too and the daisy garden is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing with us. I hope you’re enjoying your Mother’s Day weekend! ❤ xo

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  41. Such a lovely garden! The magnolia flowers in front of the blue fence look like a painting. I also have a fondness for bleeding hearts and yours are beautiful. Happy May!

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