Berberis

A few weeks ago, many of you helped to identify my Berberis in the garden. It's funny isn't it, but once you know what something is, you see them everywhere! Having said that, I don't often see a specimen quite as fine as my own. When I was home and opened the curtains on the first morning I was greeted with a gorgeous sight and I am afraid that, as usual, the photo really doesn't do it justice. It's about 10 feet tall and a riot of bright orange flowers.

Tucked away underneath in a very unassuming position is a large clump of delphiniums and a mysterious rubber pipe. The rubber pipe disappears into the ground and seemingly does nothing. Odd.

Now that my garden is getting going as spring makes way for summer I am learning what plants I have already, a very healthy and well established purple geranium, tulip bulbs, honeysuckle and clamatis, sedum, primulas, mombretia etc. It is lovely to inherit these things and watch them come to life over the summer and I am sure there are a few more surprises to come.

I am lucky because although there are plenty of established plants in the garden, it is far from overgrown and has been left without much character and personality, making it easy to put my own stamp and ideas onto it. I once lived in a house with a garden so overgrown and chocablock and full of bindweed that I never really got to grips with it (just in a rented house, I didn't live there very long) and I am so happy not to have a similar experience this time.