The wildflower garden at the bottom of St Ethelwold’s Garden is starting to bloom. The purple pyramids of flowers are Honesty.

There are honey bees and bumble bees in the garden and a good variety of flowers – far more than in February. This bumble bee is on a willow catkin taking pollen. It is not just the flowers that have pollen.

There are lots of grape hyacinths.

Fruit blossoms grow against a wall on an espalier.

There are hundreds of tulips coming up, and April will look magnificent with even more flowers. The volunteer gardeners have been busy.

At the bottom of the garden is Clematis ‘snowdrift’ with its drift of flowers. Its long narrow leaves are evergreen and leathery.

On one hedge, I saw a sparrow-like bird. The picture has a blurred 3-D quality. It may be a Dunnock, also known as a ‘hedge sparrow’ which is not really a sparrow.

Happy Easter!

Since January, the tortoise has moved from the birdbath to a large jug with yellow flowers.

Volunteer gardeners have strung new ropes across the trellis area. Most plants are still quite low and the view is uninterrupted.

The row of compost bins near the bottom of the garden are at different stages. Just the nearby bin is taking fresh organic materials. The others hold heating up compost or final compost.

A blackbird pecks for worms among the Hellebores. Hellebores flower during January and February and establish themselves before other plants compete for resources in the spring and summer.

Daffodils are now on the lawn under the tree where the aconites flowered in January.

Pink Primroses brighten up some areas of the rockery.

Rather than visit a nature reserve every month, as in previous years, I have decided to pay a monthly visit to St. Ethelwold’s Garden. A dedicated team of volunteers keep this garden thriving! Some are gardening experts. Others are newer. Since December, there has been a notice about Simon, one of the gardening experts, who died. There is a book of remembrance for him inside the house.

This is the view from one of the many seats in the garden and the view back to St Ethelwold’s House, which serves as a spiritual retreat and community centre, as does the garden.

Last week was cold, and there was thick ice on the water butt.

After two windy storms (Isha and Jocelyn), today was sunny and breezy.

There are not a lot of flowers in January. But some of the flower heads from last year have been left and still give a good display.

The first flower of the year was probably the Winter Aconite. They are balled up in the morning or when it is cold but open up to reveal six petals within a frill of leaves by afternoon.

Clumps of snow drops are also flowering. I also saw pink primroses and dutch irises, protected close to a wall. Hose pipes are laid about and help irrigate the garden.

A robin was on the highest spur of leaves above an evergreen, singing away.

A great tit and blue tit were on a tight rope near a peanut holder. They could be the same birds that visit our feeder in West St Helen Street. Our garden is about 80 meters from St Ethelwold’s as birds fly.

Owners of two gardens in Abingdon opened their gardens to the public on Sunday, June 11th 2023 as part of The National Garden Scheme, a charity that opens private gardens to the public for a small admission fee.

The linked gardens, which are owned by members of the same family, have been participating in the scheme for eight years. They are known for their creative use of plants and sculptures to create tableaus.

There were also cakes and refreshments being served and plants for sale.

One of the garden owners is a wood carver, and members of the Oxford & District Wood Carvers came to do some wood carving in her front garden.

The National Garden Scheme is a way to enjoy beautiful gardens, support a good cause, and learn more about gardening. For more information, visit www.ngs.org.uk.