Finally got the potatoes planted this afternoon.  It was a lovely hot sunny day here at Bellaugello gay guest house in Umbrtia, and an utter pleasure to work in the garden.  The vegetable garden is beginning to take shape, the broad beans are growing nicely, whilst the oonions seem to be at a standstill, however there is time yet!  I have salad lettuces and peas ready to be transplanted.

I then spent an enjoyable hour watering the new hedging plants.  We planted Photinia at the foot of the main entrance which with its wonderful russet red foliage makes a superb hedge, and is beginning to contain the entrance.  I am hesitant ot say but so far the Irises are looking good, they seem to have survived last year’s porcupine areacks and form a nice row underthe large fig tree.  In anticipation of survival I have some more Irises coming to plant under the apricot trees.

And joy of joys the tree paeony which was sent by my mother almost three years ago has a bud, I cannot wait to see it grow and open.  The camellias are in various stage of bud and flowering, clearly happy in their shady posistions, and the roses got a severe pruning by the girl who delivered the plants last week, much to my shame I had been too conservative in my pruning.  At the same time the cypressus got a good trim and are now looking tall and slender.

There is still a long way to go with the garden, but progress is certainly being made.