Win some, Lose some

Winning

1. I'm really happy with the critters I have created for the Friends of Teddy online show.  I'm not allowed to show them before the show starts.
2. It hasn't rained for 24 hours.
3. I have planted up my hanging baskets and planters with fuchsias, petunias and geraniums.
4. My tomatoes and cucumbers are in their final pots in the greenhouse.
5. My salad leaves are growing well.
6. My peas have germinated.
7. Some runner beans have germinated.
8. I now have my outfit for my son's wedding.
9. The garden looks beautiful this time of year. Photos below were taken this morning.

 Rhodedendrons and tulips - a match made in heaven

 I love the different shapes of maple leaves

 We have lots of different forms and colours of aqueligias in the garden.  They cross-pollinate and self-seed freely. 

 Azalea luteus - the scent is heady and wonderful.

 Clematis montana grows over a garden arch and gate.

 Comfrey is SO useful.. I will steep the leaves later in the season and use it to feed my tomatoes.

 Dicentra alba is so old-fashioned but delightful.

 Geranium pratense - one of the few truly blue flowers in the garden.

 Conference pear

 Not sre what this is called - a pink relative of the bluebell.

 Rhododendron Pink Pearl - big, blowsy flowers.  We believe our shrub is over 50 years old.  When we moved into the house, 95% of the shrub had reverted to the species plant, with just one small branch of the cultivar remaining.  It now puts on a fabulous display every May.

 Pink scabious - How can such a pretty flower have such a horrible name - it sounds like an ailment!

Soloman's Seal - I love its architectural boughs!

 Growing Inside

My Dad used to buy me an amaryllis (hippaestrum) bulb for Christmas every year.  I now have the pleasure of seeing them all flower every summer!

 The greenhouse is getting into production!  Salad leaves, tomatoes and cucumbers in the photo.

Losing

1. My workroom needs a tidy!
2. None of my french beans came up.  I dug around where I planted them, and cannot find a single bean!  I planted some more in the bed this morning.  I went indoors for two minutes, went back out and found a pigeon where I had just finished planting.  Possible culprit?  I have now sown some more in a seed tray in the greenhouse. 
3. I'm way behind with my bear-making for my summer shows.
4. My Williams pear tree doesn't have many fruit set despite being smothered in blossom.  I don't think there have been enough insects for pollination due to all the rain and cold temperatures.My Conference pear seems to have a good amount of fruit set (but it is self-fertile).
5. My Beauty of Bath apple tree has little fruit set, although the James Grieve seems to have plenty.
6. I need to lose the pounds I've put on over the last few months!
7. The rain has made the weeds grow really well.
8. I'm not getting any younger! :)

 Best wishes to all!