The local garden centres have been open for quite a while now. We've already ventured out to one of them and found that the one way system was working well. Yesterday we returned to get some terra cotta pots, to see what plants were available that would suit our small garden and look again at the selection of Spring bulbs. Now is the time to plant them.
Looking at colourful plants is always a delight even if we don't buy them. We have our lists and usually stick to them, although I did get some unusual bulbs this time as I like to plant something different each season. I also went to the bargain bench where plants are marked down to £3, but the ones I saw last time had gone except for the asters. I got one as it'll fill a gap in the front garden flower border.
The garden ornaments that have been placed among the flower pots of colourful plants were displayed well, but I was not tempted to buy one.
These blue hydrangeas looked almost artificial. I had to touch a flower head to see if it was real, which, of course, it was. The hydragea plant in our garden is pink, turning to mauve so I know our soil conditions wouldn't suit this particular variety.
There were plenty of butterflies to photograph. Robins were flitting about, attracted by the bird feeders, but too quick to get a shot of any. Although out in the open air our obligatory masks and the unfamiliarity of the situation makes everything seem strange and unreal.
We did take a quick walk around the indoor departments where there are household and other gardening items on display. The café is now open and as we had to walk through it because of the one way system we could see that the tables were spaced out and less of them. Most people were sitting outside in the area of the grounds dedicated to café customers on this sunny day.
Here are the items we bought. I expect you can guess which are mine and which are Mr P's.
I've now arranged the plants that I bought in a corner of the garden. The white winter violas, the cyclamen and the pelargoniums will look good at twilight.
Before we went home we stopped at nearby Damflask Reservoir which is almost opposite the garden centre. Although it was sunny it was also windy so the water was quite rough looking. The man in the orange safety jacket beside one of the pump house buildings is a worker. There's a new, very solid security gate and, of course, the stone wall to keep people away from the grassy sloping bank and the deep water.
Thank you for your visit. Have a great day!