Mahonia

 Departing from my recent apparent obsession with Sunday's Band Festival  today I am considering one aspect of another of my passions, gardens and gardening.   Even for the keenest amateurs and most proficient professionals there are always going to be difficult areas.   Those places where the sun doesn't shine as much as we would like, the ground is too dry, or too moist, difficult to get to north facing slopes, or dark corners between garage and fence.   I am a regular listener to Gardener's Question Time where questions about these difficult places are often asked, but rarely have I ever heard my stock answer come out as a suggestion from the team.

Mahonia is a very tough shrub that will grow almost anywhere, has lovely towers of bright yellow blooms (about now) gives year round interest as it is evergreen, the leaves are quite spicy so as well as looking interesting are good security additions around perimeters.   There are a number of varieties, from prostrate to tall and sculptural, I generally go for something in between, and as it is s easy to propagate I will often take cuttings, or layers from one garden to another (without being at all sure which variety it is)

Of course there are all sorts of interesting plants in the garden at the moment.   We are getting yellows from the last of the Daffs, Kerria Japonica, Forsythia, primroses, and in my garden dandelions! Pinks, whites, and mauves from Aubretia, Bergenia and Camellias, and tulios giving us the full rainbow!
 

Shrubs are all coming to life with Skimmias, Chaenomeles and Pieris all giving their best, and all the herbaceous plants and summer bulbs are showing above the soil.

Today I was out working this morning for the first time wearing shorts and enjoying the sun, I think it will only be a matter of days before I start to put out bedding.   I know the old saying about May being out, but round my way the May is now in flower so I feel safe.

All photos from my own gardens this morning