Silver Seas.

Rain first thing, dry and warm for most of the day and more rain in the late afternoon.

I had been looking forward to the change to BST (British Summer Time) yesterday as I enjoy being up to watch the dawn and before the clocks 'sprung forward' an hour it was already light by 6.30 which is when I tend to get up. Yesterday my body was still on winter time but this morning, even though I'd had a late night, I woke early and was up before 6.30. Only to discover that it was raining and all I could see was a grey sky and a sliver sea. I had to drink my morning cuppa sitting in the open doorway to stay dry.

Luckily by the time breakfast was over the rain stopped and I was able to spend the day out in the front garden. Over two sessions I emptied the second dumpy bag. As I thought it needs three bags to cover the whole area with the first layer of gravel. It's a shame they only deliver once a week but that will help me pace myself and get some other gardening jobs done. I might even be able to fit in pressure washing the original paving slabs. In between gardening I baked some chocolate and walnut brownies as an Easter treat, just half the amount as I'm still on my diet. I have to say they are very sweet, next time I shall adjust the amounts, less sugar and more flour. I have been eating small amounts of chocolate on my diet but mainly 70% cocoa or higher. But in their favour the brownies haven't been made in a factory with all sorts of additives to make them last longer or to eke out the more expensive ingredients.

And here are the latest garden flowers for the first day of the month.

I'm very pleased with the way the rockery looks at the moment.

Down at the far end of the garden the mystery bulbs from the wall that went across the garden turned out to be these lovely blue irises and a few red tulips.

Most of the daffodils have finished flowering but the narcissi are still looking good.

Last year I separated the two colour clashing azaleas (bright pink and tomato red) and I'm pleased to see that the red one has survived being dug up and plonked down between two hydrangeas.

The bluebells, which have just begun to flower have turned out to be Spanish bluebells rather than the native British bluebells. Both types are pretty anyway. 

Whilst not out in the garden this saxifraga stolonifera did come from a friend's garden. I first came across it when I was at uni, it was either in the university greenhouse or in the greenhouse (sorry should say glasshouse as we were frequently told) of the school where I went to do gardening evening classes. It stuck in my mind after I saw it being grown as a hanging plant and for over 40 years I have been on the look out for one. So when we visited a friend's beautiful garden and I saw it growing in her herbaceous border she was kind enough to give me a few runners and it's happily growing in the sitting room window.