Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Growing Family

UK home and garden blog sharing ideas, inspiration and tips for busy family life, written by Catherine Hughes

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • Garden
    • What to Plant Now
    • Garden Jobs this Month
    • Grow Your Own
    • Gardening with Children
    • Garden Tips
    • Garden Design
    • Houseplants
    • In Season Now
    • Birth Month Flowers
  • Interiors
    • Interior Design Tips
    • Living Room
    • Kitchen & Dining
    • Bedroom
    • Bathroom
    • Family Home
    • Product Showcase
    • Food
  • Exploring
    • Exploring Nature
    • Days Out
    • Travel
  • Craft
  • Reviews
  • Giveaways

Blossoms, blooms & seedlings

May 7, 2015 by Catherine 18 Comments

This week in the garden it feels like I’ve looked away for a day or two and everything has completely changed.  Flowers that were tight buds are in full bloom, seedlings that weren’t even above the soil are suddenly inches tall, and there’s blossom everywhere you look.

I keep grabbing the kids and saying things like “look, last time we checked this wasn’t here!”.  I’m compelled to share the magic with anyone who’ll lend me their ear, and so this week’s garden update is a virtual version of me taking you by the elbow and dragging you around my garden.  Here’s what I want to show you.

First of all, the seedlings.  We’re completely overrun with trays of seedlings at the moment, the greenhouse on the allotment is heaving and the little mini greenhouse we have in the garden is packed too.  Not traditionally something in the garden that you’d gaze at, but I do love all that concentrated growing power that you can see packed into these tiny plants – they’re just so alive.

courgette seedling

ourgette seedling

nasturtium seedling

Nasturtiums – or owl eyes to me

Purple sprouting broccoli seedling

Purple sprouting broccoli

basil seedling

Basil with a tiny beak

sweetcorn seedlings

Sweetcorn

ipomoea seedling

Ipomoea (Morning Glory) disguised as butterfly wings

 

After all this gazing at plant life in miniature it’s time to bring on the blooms…

apple blossom

Early morning apple blossom

clematis montana

Clematis montana

clematis montana white

Clematis montana

Sempervivum

Not strictly a bloom, but such a shot of colour – Sempervivum (house leek)

Remember my tree peony looking a bit alien a few weeks ago?  In the last week it’s gone from this…

tree peony in bud

to this…

tree peony full bloom

with flowers almost as big as my head!

tree peony flower

The photos don’t do justice to these blooms, they are completely over-the-top and wonderfully decadent, I can’t stop nipping outside to gaze at them and have a little stroke.  The bees love them too, their pollen sacs are so full they can barely fly away!  Last year we had about 8 blooms, this year there are over 20 and I’ve had to re-stake the whole thing because it’s so top-heavy with flowers.  Just gorgeous.

With all this loveliness going on outside at the moment, this is where I’ve been sneaking off to whenever I get a chance…

garden bench with clematis

My favourite spot for garden gazing

Having spent all that time and effort nurturing plants into life, you’ve got to sit down and enjoy them when they pay it back – don’t you think?

Joining in with Annie’s ‘How Does Your Garden Grow’ series at Mammasaurus.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: Grow Your Own Tagged With: Blooms, Blossom, Flowers, Garden, HDYGG, Seedlings, Seeds, Spring, Vegetables

« A garden celebration & giveaway with Crabtree & Evelyn
Make a Small Change for Nature: Nottingham in Bloom Open Day »

Comments

  1. happyhomebird says

    May 7, 2015 at 5:57 pm

    Those nasturtiums seedlings really do look like owls! 🙂 Clematis montana is such a favorite of mine yet I have none, must try and pick a cheap one up to climb over the garden shed. Your seedlings look great, very tidy – mine are looking a bit slug eaten 🙂

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 8, 2015 at 8:26 am

      Definitely get a montana, they grow crazily fast and you’ll have masses of flowers before you know it. I really should have cut mine back hard last year, it’s got very tangled, but I let myself have one more season of overload!

      Reply
  2. Gemma says

    May 7, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    I’m amazed at the rate of change in the gardens/parks at the moment. The nasturtiums really do look like owl eyes, haha! I’m looking forward to the weather warming enough to eat dinner outside so we can sit and have a proper look at everything 🙂

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 8, 2015 at 8:24 am

      Ooh yes, outdoor dining is just around the corner isn’t it – so lovely to be surrounded by nature, I really miss it in the colder months.

      Reply
  3. Kriss MacDonald says

    May 7, 2015 at 9:10 pm

    Those flowers on the tree peony are just fabulous – a feast for my eyes as well the bees! You definitely deserve to sit and admire your garden!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 8, 2015 at 8:29 am

      I love the fact that something so beautiful is great for the pollinators too – if I had the space I’d have lots and lots more of them!

      Reply
  4. The Reading Residence says

    May 8, 2015 at 10:51 am

    It all looks so pretty and fresh out there. I know just what you mean, too, as things seem to be blooming daily now, don’t they? I love it!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 8, 2015 at 2:08 pm

      Yes May is such a great month, every year when it arrives I realise just how much better it feels being able to enjoy the outdoors in milder weather. No wonder we all perk up at this time of year!

      Reply
  5. Louisa says

    May 8, 2015 at 1:47 pm

    No wonder you like to sit and gaze at your garden. Your plants are wonderful. The peony bloom is amazing!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 8, 2015 at 2:04 pm

      I haven’t got much done this week, it’s fair to say!

      Reply
  6. chickenruby says

    May 8, 2015 at 3:41 pm

    lovely photos, we can only use our garden at night as it’s too hot in the day and i miss the lovely plants I’ve been growing in the sand pit

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 8, 2015 at 3:57 pm

      Ah shame you can’t enjoy them in the daytime too – although sitting here with pouring rain and black clouds outside I’m longing for a little bit of your climate!

      Reply
  7. Rebecca U says

    May 9, 2015 at 9:51 am

    wow your garden looks amazing. Such great photography too #MBPW

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 9, 2015 at 8:21 pm

      Thanks, after months of it all looking a bit bare it’s lovely to see everything really going for it!

      Reply
  8. Catherine says

    May 9, 2015 at 3:48 pm

    I love the tree peony, have often thought about having one but never made the plunge. Maybe this year!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 9, 2015 at 8:17 pm

      Oh definitely do it – mine is about 6 years old, every year the number of blooms doubles and it’s just glorious!

      Reply
  9. Anya from Older Single Mum and The Healer says

    May 10, 2015 at 7:46 pm

    *Impressed face* That is all wonderful work and what a lovely way to say that it’s good to sit back and appreciate when they pay it back! I featured you in last week’s #MBPW and will be doing so again. Thank you for sharing – love this :))

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 12, 2015 at 9:00 am

      Glad you enjoyed it – and thanks so much for featuring me! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi, I’m Catherine. Welcome to Growing Family, a top UK home & garden blog sharing ideas, inspiration and tips for making the most of busy family life, indoors and out.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Subscribe

Get blog posts to your inbox

Instagram

Pinterest

VuelioTop10Badge2020
CandideTop10Badge2019

HIBS100 Index of Home and Interior Blogs
HIBS100
BRAMBLECREST GARDEN FURNITURE

Connect

Catherine Hughes is a home & garden blogger sharing ideas, inspiration & tips for making the most of busy family life, indoors and out.
Learn More

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

winter nature craft sowing winter salad seeds
faux fur blanket with coffee cup

AMAZON ASSOCIATE

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright Growing Family 2015. Design by Stacey Corrin.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.