Hair today, summer flowers tomorrow...

Lockdown means John can’t get a haircut – but at least that gives him more time to get on with growing his summer flowers!

In the world of gardening no two years are ever the same. Plant growth and flowering are all affected by weather from late frosts to dry years, wet years, severe cold and in Scotland we occasionally get a heatwave. After the wet year of 2019 it has been quite a surprise to get a very dry and sunny April. The normal April showers reluctantly made a brief appearance on the last day then it was back to dry warm weather, which for us gardeners was a gift, though a return to winter is threatened about the time this goes to print.

In the meantime the hoe has been out to sort out any weeds, the hose has been in use to give the plants a drink and flowers have been having a great time.

I had hoped to be writing about the flowers that brighten up the garden once the tulips display is at an end, but they just seem to keep on flowering.

The early summer has helped plants to grow strong and I am kept very busy potting up plants, planting out and seed sowing.

You would think that with the spare time available with lockdown, as trips to shops are rare, trips to pubs a distant memory, I canna even get oot for a haircut, so I should have plenty time for gardening.

Another consequence of lockdown is I no longer have my art classes, and yet as an artist the garden is taking up all my time, so it is months since I had a paintbrush in my hand.

However, as a trained gardener, spending every day doing a bit of gardening is no great hardship, and I get my daily exercise amongst some beautiful flowering plants.

Although the tulips are still very much part of the show, especially the

Down at ground level the deep pink Phlox subulata and the golden Doronicum Little Leo are absolute crackers

Triumphs and Darwin Hybrids, the azaleas and rhododendrons are now taking over as the main showstoppers.

Rhododendron Elizabeth has always been a favourite and is now a bright splash of crimson.

Other dwarf Japanese azaleas are also seeking attention, as well as Pieris Forest Flame with its bright red young shoots.

Down at ground level the deep pink Phlox subulata and the golden Doronicum Little Leo are absolute crackers.

Another great yellow plant at ground level is the Euphorbia polychroma.

I first saw this in the display garden at Glendoick garden centre then had to get a plant.

I use a lot of pansies to add to the spring display of tulips but my hanging baskets are all pansies, which seem to want to continue to flower well into summer.

However, by June I will be hanging up my summer hanging baskets, so I will carefully remove the pansies and find a quiet border to let them continue to flower.

Late spring and early summer sees the peonys and oriental poppies coming