Roses, a Recipe and Thoughts of Spring

Refreshing rain at last! Sunny days are wonderful but constant watering is a chore. The garden was very thirsty but now it’s moist and full of promise.

The roses have started flowering and their beauty is a joy. My “Golden Showers” climber was the first and lit up a corner where it leans against the fence.

Next was my “Sharifa Asma”. This is a lovely rose which was given to me after the workmen ripped out a rose during resurfacing of the drive. It’s thorny but has delightful pink blooms with a delicate fragrance.

Now my “Paul’s Scarlet” is scrambling through the apple tree. It’s a bit temperamental and I’m not sure it’s entirely happy where it is but every year it produces a few red roses which I love to see.

At the end of the jasmine tunnel an “Iceberg” rose dips its branches. It’s just opened one flower so far. Such a lovely contrast to the dark shady tunnel.

Peonies and poppies have fat ripe buds and are about to burst. Looking forward to that. I thought I’d lost my “Sarah Bernhardt” peony but she reappeared with four promising buds. I have a new peony I planted last year but I can’t remember the name. It will flower for the first time.

My favourite oriental poppy “Patty’s Plum” didn’t do well last year but it now has two buds so I’m hoping it will pick up and thrive. My scarlet orientals seem to have taken a battering over the winter so not sure about them but I have two lovely pink ones I grew from seed kindly sent to me by a Facebook friend.

I’ve planted some petunias and verbenas at the front of the house. They will be pretty in a week or two. Pink verbenas in a pot by the front door are a cheerful sight. I’ve potted two lovely dahlias with lilac tipped petals below a small burgundy coloured clematis in the back garden.

My deutzia is a show right now and the bees can’t get enough of it. It grows next to an old ceanothus which has seen better days but still produces a few bright blue blossoms.

A few other pleasing flowers around the garden caught my eye.

Vegetables are coming on although I’m a bit behind with sowing seeds this year.

The potatoes are up. Some gardeners insist you have to earth up the leaves. I stopped doing that years ago and it doesn’t make a scrap of difference. As long as the new tubers are below the soil surface they will be fine. Apparently, earthing up is done to protect the leaves from frost. I don’t think they should be planted so early then the risk of frost will be less of a worry. The leaves need to photosynthesise to feed the growing potatoes. They need the light to do that.

Broad beans are flowering. Mine have marigolds (Calendula) growing beneath them. This is purely because I love marigolds. It doesn’t stop blackfly aphids from finding the bean plants. I rub off  any aphids and if they’re very bad I pinch out the top of the plant. Not usually too big a problem. It does vary though from year to year.

Apples and pears are forming and the natural shedding of excess fruit is going on now. The trees drop many tiny fruitlets before the serious business begins. I’m hoping the drought this Spring hasn’t affected the cropping potential.

Meanwhile, life has to go on indoors.

I had two small very over-ripe bananas and wondered if I could use them rather than throwing them in the compost bin. A new recipe was called for so I got my thinking head on. The result was very pleasing, so I’ll share it with you.

Banana and Orange Buns
Makes about 1 dozen.
I used cupcake liners for the bun tins but if these are not available, just lightly grease the tins.

2 small or 1 average, very ripe Banana
1 Orange
2 large Eggs
100g Light Brown Sugar
125g Self-raising Flour
15g Bran
1 rounded teaspoon Baking Powder
100g Sunflower Oil

Mash or process the banana. Scrub, then grate the orange.
Heat the oven to 180C, or 160C for fan oven.
Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. ( Mine took 17 minutes)

Allow to cool completely if you want to freeze them.
Nice as they are but extra special with a topping of glace icing.

A couple of weeks ago I was inspired to write another poem about Spring. It’s such a lovely time of year and lifts our spirits after the dreariness of winter.

Thoughts of Spring

Sweet scents dance on the air
As I pass wallflowers bending in the breeze,
Their colours like a fire's flare,
A multitude of reds and golds, my eye to please.
Apple blossom delights me
As I pass beneath the orchard's shade,
Rose-tinted buds unfolding to attract the bee
With petals that will softly fade,
While pure white strawberry flowers shine out
Among the fresh green leaves
And soon the scarlet berries shout
Of what the natural world achieves.
No matter how the years go by
Spring fills my senses and my soul.
Though winters drag and summers fly
Spring completes me; makes me whole.

With you again in a couple of weeks. I hope you’re enjoying Spring as much as I am. Bye for now.