And then the Heavens opened...

I had just finished planting the last of the Claines Canna collection in their specially prepared beds, when a storm of Biblical proportions arrived. There was thunder and lightning and there was rain in gallon drops, and I am still trying to work out what it means, other than not having to water them in! Was it a warning of things to come or approval of all the effort I had expended?

The hard winter that we experienced meant that about 40 of the varieties making up the collection were not ready to be planted out, and they will now be nursed along in the polytunnel, while the other 200+ cultivars and species are growing in soil that has had much compost worked in and had a good fertilizing with chicken manure pellets. About 40 stock plants were lost to the freezing conditions, a small disaster. Porous hose has been laid in a network all around the beds and each plant will be assured of good watering this summer.

With a good summer promised us by the met office, we are really looking forward to seeing the collection in a healthy, blooming state again after the disappointments of the last two years of flooding and non-stop rain.