This is the everlasting sweet pea on the right hand side. It’s coming up well and there’s growth all around: nigella, hyssop, alliums, seedlings – and who knows what will emerge from the stuff I’ve put around the obelisk and broadcast.

After failing to find suitable willow trellis for the back fence, the next plan I’m pursuing is eternal sweet peas in pots against the fence. I have put two deep pink ones in so far. There’s certainly room for one in the middle and probably one to the left. I’ve tied the canes to the fence with a piece of wire as nod to wind resistance. Fingers crossed the pots are big enough to keep the plants happy.

I have put some Miracle Gro into the pots and tickled some in all around the boundaries too. The geums are picking up nicely and last year’s calendulas are very happy! I’ve had to start deadheading already. Another note to self: remember that we have to get this far through the year before the beds really start filling up with perennials – but at that point, there’s not a huge amount of space left. Even the nasturtium bed does a fine job of being self-renewing.

The gladioli have flower buds now. There’s probably still room for one, maybe too dahlias here among all the poppies, but I think most will end up in bigger pots. I’m still not sure if any more freesias will appear in the front bed, but one or two could go there if not. I’ve seen the first couple of shoots on my tubers, which are still in the box.

I got a free tomato plant at the garden centre today – a tiny little thing. My tomato plants are still smaller than they were a year ago. I think they must have got chilly one day and been stunted. I hope they catch up soon, they’re bugging me. The bitter melons that were so difficult to germinate are going great guns though!

I’ve also bought 4 75l bags of compost today, so I can fill pots and mulch freely. I’ve emptied the sage out of the trough pot at home and will sow rocket in there.

With the mad mix of weather today – including hail -, it’s quite something that I got my panorama with blue skies. Minutes after I got home, it threw it down with rain.