This is May Day

 Happy Beltane,


May 1st marks the start of summer in the Gaelic calendar. Here in our little Cornish corner things get a bit weird with crazed hobby horses running through the streets, colourful Maypole dancing in school yards and wickerman-esq bonfires out in the fields.

The earth is alive with fervent energy. I simply cannot keep up. This past week I have been struck down with Covid. For three days I lay horizontally. In real time, I watched the trees form their green canopies from their witchy winter frame works.  It will be a short garden update today...

 



 

Before the lurgy...

A seedling swap at a private creekside house. Each year the family open up their garden for charity and encourage visitors to bring spare plants for the table sale. They also sell delicious refreshments.

Trachycarpus furtunei -offspring from Long Mizzle's 'Mama Fuzz'

I took with me some baby Trachycarpus fortunei plants. The lady organising the plant sales was delighted at my plant descriptions and asked if I could stay all day to man the store! Alas I couldn't, but it would have been rude to have left without Mumrah and I sharing some delicious rhubarb cake. Dad sat there drinking coffee watching us eat the cake - he's dieting. These kind of events are worth it for the tea and cake alone!


 

Pizza oven in creekside garden


Back at Long Mizzle, the rampant budleja's had a severe haircut. Please don't feel sorry for it though - it has been adored with twinkly wind chimes.

 
 

Also before the lurgy - new growing beds, carved out from un-used spaces. Most materials are recycled and repurposed in this garden. No need for fancy timber frames...


To the left of the playhouse - two new log lined beds for raspberries and thronless blackberries.

 
A new rock edged bed - for squash or strawberries. Pointy sticks to stop the local cat's crapping on it. Woodchip paths to be re-laid, then promptly sprinkled with vinegar. Again, to stop the local cats crapping on it.


After the lurgy...
 
Time to recuperate and rest. Just some gentle potting on duties by the greenhouse.
 

 

Above: Pieris japonica (also known as crack cocaine for bumblebees)


I hope you are keeping well. Please send gossip.

Lulu xXx
 
P.S. Thank you ever so much to my online buddy Cherie for sending me these seeds and gorgeous embossed card. They really cheered me up no end!
 

 


More recent blog posts can be founds here - 

https://longmizzle.blogspot.com/






Comments

  1. Elderberry-Rob1 May 2023 at 07:37

    sorry you got covid, hope you will soon be your usual self. Yes happy Belthaine to you - no wicker men here but there is a coven of sorts that creep to the woods and do weird stuff round 'the lightening tree' (struck by lightening) and leave offerings for the Green Man and his mates (I think the badgers and foxes scoff it all up. Your garden looks exciting with log beds and anti cat crap strategies in place, my garden is looking like a swamp after a 10 minute onslaught of heavy rain just now that may have bruised my poor little tomato plants :{ you never know what the English weather will do... well I hope your garden will keep itself tidy until you are up to speed. Betty

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:11

      Thanks Betty :) Oooh, the lightening tree sounds ominous! Maybe the badgers & foxes get some free fruity snack or cupcake perhaps? ;) I'll be over soon to see what you've been up to... xXx

      Delete
  2. bahnwärterin1 May 2023 at 09:24

    your garden is bursting with life and flowers - absolutely gorgeous!! looove the forgetmenots - mine are out too.... ohhh - and tulips like a baroque painting!
    and look at all the seedlings! its a great idea to give some of them to charity... :-D
    so sorry to hear that covid got you - wishing you a fast and complete recovery. but please do not speed up to fast......
    garden greetings! xxxxx

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    Replies
    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:14

      Thanks Beate :) The orange parrot tulips are my favourite this year. There were meant to be tulips floating above the forget-me-nots but they have all disappeared! Perhaps I have acquired some mutant voles too :0 xXx

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  3. Winter Peach Photography1 May 2023 at 10:22

    Sorry you've been struck down with Covid! Hope you're feeling much better now.
    Your garden is looking beautiful - a riot of colour with those gorgeous forget-me-nots and that amazing Pieris! I pity not the buddleja. They grow crazy fast don't they? Ours is in a really hard to reach place (we didn't plant it) so heaven knows how big it is right now.
    Glad you managed to enjoy some time out with your Mom - BL. That's one scenic location for a pizza oven! xxx

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:18

      Thanks you Claire, much better but still having to have the odd afternoon nap! Common Budleja's are beasts. The creekside garden was in an amazing location - I could have sat there all day long xXx

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  4. Jules2 May 2023 at 02:11

    I hope you feel much better very soon. Xx

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:19

      Many thanks Jules. I hope that you are keeping well xXx

      Delete
  5. Polyester Princess2 May 2023 at 06:23

    Happy Beltane, Lulu! So sorry to hear you were stuck down with Covid and were horizontal for three days. Still, you managed to accomplish quite a few things in your lovely garden pre-lurgy, and even managed to indulge in some cake at the seedling swap! I guess some gently pottering will do for now. Do get better real soon! xxx

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:21

      Thank you Ann :) I am much better now, but energy levels are still up and down. We have another three day weekend, but I am forcing myself to take it easy! Cake & tea is on the agenda for today xXx

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  6. Ellie Foster2 May 2023 at 07:10

    Dear Lulu
    Sorry to hear you have had the lurgy but it's good that you are recovering. The garden is looking lovely . Up until the end of June is my favourite time of year. Tea and cake makes everything better!
    Keep recovering well and happy planting!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    Replies
    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:24

      Thanks Ellie :) Everything's bounced into action in the garden hasn't it! I usually have a bit of a colour dip in June, but I've just spotted some Alliums sprouting - don't remember plating those! xXx

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  7. Ivana Split2 May 2023 at 07:36

    So sorry to hear about Covid! I hope you're doing well.
    Beautiful garden pics.
    Sweet of your friend to send you seeds.

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:24

      Thank you Ivana, very kind of you :) Lovely to hear from you & I hope you are keeping well xXx

      Delete
  8. Vix2 May 2023 at 10:17

    Bugger to the Covid, I hope you're feeling better soon! Your garden is stunning. I'll never feel sorry for the buddleia, it's a beast, I need to get out there with the clippers and do battle with mine burt I'm too much of a wuss to spend much time out there at the moment, it's too cold! xxx

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:28

      Thank you Vix :) I'm glad I did the bigger jobs pre-covid. It completely wiped me out for two weeks :0 I was surprised to hear it's so cold in the midlands, but then I did see snow on the news further up in Yorkshire! Take care xXx

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  9. David Bennett4 May 2023 at 04:44

    Just as we thought it was over you get Covid! That's a bummer, hope you're feeling better now.
    A lovely trip around your garden, it's looking vert colourful and the haze of blue here " there is nice. Forget me Nots? I need something to ward off cats as thet come into my garden trying to get the birds that I feed, my puppy is too naughty to leave in the garden by himself just yet but will soon be let loose and then we should be cat free.
    Coronation coming up, a lot of our money being wasted but I will watch it, it's history in the making. Take care Lulu 😊

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:33

      I noticed on Friday the news announced the global Covid emergency was over. So I didn't quite escape it, though I'm pretty sure I had it early January 2020 - before it was officially in the country. Oh the cats do not know what's coming, when naughty puppy grows a little more and is allowed free reign of your garden! I hope that you are keeping well David xXx

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  10. Mike Perry4 May 2023 at 05:08

    What a magical garden you have and love the photos. Strange though, as I had just had a red mist moment as next doors cats had been relieving themselves in our flower beds. They seem to think we are the local 'convenience'. Anyway, hope you have beaten the Covid, it took us a while to get over it a short while back, seemed to linger on. Keep smiling, all good wishes.

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    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:36

      A well aimed super soaker works quite well Mike too ;) The trouble we have is rival cat gangs - they all insist on marking their spot! Thankfully I am covid free but energy levels haven't quite restored themself. Thank you & take care xXx

      Delete
  11. Kezzie5 May 2023 at 16:12

    Sorry to hear about the dreaded lurgy! Urgh, the local cats have been crapping on my bed too- all Winter! I love cats but I get very cross with them!
    Your garden is gorgeous! I love the mist of Forget me Nots!x

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    Replies
    1. Lulu8 May 2023 at 02:38

      Many hanks Kezzie :) The lurgy was horrible but thankfully the spiky sticks have successfully been warding off fluffy cat bottoms xXx

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  12. Jess 12 May 2023 at 18:02

    Oh what a cute card filled with seeds. Hope you're feeling better now. X

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  13. Kezzie27 May 2023 at 13:11

    P.S. Your typo cracked me up. "thronless blackberries."- I can imagine disgruntled little blackberries in crowns!

    ReplyDelete

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