It has been a gorgeously sunny week in Scotland. I’ve been away up north, where it was calm, sunny and 18 deg C…..a week of Scottish Highland paradise. meanwhile, the sunshine has brought the garden on tremendously. Here’s another splash of new season colour.

First alamanchia, a great shrub, I love the way that the red-bronze leaves set off the white blossom.

Last winter, I hacked away at a huge set of old clematis montana set against the stone house wall. They’ve looked ropey, but suddenly a few flowers have arrived.

Also against the house wall, I host a very old pear tree, probably 200 years old, and it spreads it branches round one of the windows. It is just COVERED in blossom this year.

Tulips are coming into their own now. I’ve got some nice new ones in pots, and last year’s are doing well in the garden. I think this little pot is a leftover from last year…still doing well.

Pond plants have just started, some lovely ranunculus, flowering away in buttery yellow.

The pond has been giving us a little trouble for a while. A HUGE waterlily, has been floating up to the surface. Yesterday I plucked up the courage to get in, pull the whole thing out (very heavy) , and chop it up. The pond was very cold lower down, but the sunshine kept me warm. We’ll put about 25% back into the pond and removed all the rotting bits.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot