Back working in the garden. Well, where else can we go?

I just love your garden, Linda. Just been showing OH too. He likes the pic of the steps, as I do too. I have a thing about paths and steps, especially old or rustic ones.
Can I ask, what is the name of the plant in pic 2? I love the leaves and the flowers, lovely colour. Nice big plant too.
Your front doorstep looks nice too, you have a lot of interest all around the garden, up paths, up steps and the front lawn looks good too, lovely shape to it with the drive sweeping round.

Lovely array of flowers and very pretty garden steps, I would love something like that.

The garden is over 100 years old, Kate. Pollokshields, where we live, has wide avenues and large gardens. It was set out for the traders and ship builders that built the city. The plant you are asking about is Bergenia. It grows really well here in Glasgow. It doesn't like it too cold, but we have banks of it and it keeps the large leaves all winter.
We have been here for forty-five years and it has been a joy to add to this lovely garden. The lay-out was here when we arrived, but the major planting is my work. Like most people on this site I am plant mad.

Thanks Sunnydais, I have been very busy getting rid of the moss and opening up the area of the steps. The moss gets really slippy and I don't want to fall and the width gets less and less. I am sitting here in the study looking up the steps as I write. It is one of my favourite bits of the garden.

Yes, I love those steps too. And I think that is the prettiest Bergenia I've ever seen. It really loves that spot doesn’t it. I haven’t heard anything about Angus not collecting our garden bins. I will check that out. My bergenias are not doing very well here. One of the two white ones looks good and has grown. The other looks very poor. My recently added pink one has got very red leaves, but they are looking very shrunken. I fed it today. Hopefully it will pick up a bit now.its keeping the slugs off them that’s my problem I think. I’ve been out in the garden all day Linda. As you say..what else can we do now? I’m happy of course, and like you, I feel the garden is starting to look pretty again after the winter. It hasn’t been warm, but at least we had some sunshine. We just have to make the best of it. Thank goidness for online nurseries...and I think B&Q is still open, so if I get desperate I could maybe get some compost.

When we were looking for somewhere to live within easy reach of Glasgow many, many, moons ago we saw lots of lovely houses like yours, so full of character, I always wonder what it would have been like to have lived there....instead we are at the opposite end now!
I too love those steps .....it’s all looking beautiful and very grand......

John's Bergenia in Sweden always starts the season with red leaves. I think it is the cold weather that does it.
I bought a lot of compost and a big bag of weed and feed for the lawns a few weeks ago. I wasn't taking any chances but it is still pretty cold here too.
I have three full bins and four blue bags of bits and the Cotoneaster is not even cleared yet. I need a good saw.
Barry is still having trouble with his foot. This is week nine and it still swells up when he walks!! He can't help.

We are both artists DD and the portraits we do are pretty big so we need large rooms for studio space. These Victorian houses have tall rooms. They also have big gardens!!

I am so envious of all of you who have large gardens. Plenty of social isolation, which would suit me fine, lots of plants with which to potter.

I have to agree with Siris, Linda..it’s be lovely to have a much bigger garden, especially in summertime. I can dream...
I know Pollockshields, not too well, but as I’m from Ayrshire originally, I roughly know all the areas around there and around Glasgow, Paisley and the outskirts.
Fascinating how old your garden is, Linda, I bet it’s a lovely area where you are. The architecture of the houses, big gardens too.

I have no shortage of jobs to do, Siris. it is a lovely area, Kate. It has wonderful trees and the blossoms are coming out now. It was a great garden for our boys and a safe area for them to go off on their bikes.

It is Kate. Scott and I are lucky enough to have seen Linda’s home and garden, and it is so characterful and beautiful. Linda, I hope Barry’s ankle will get better soon. Its harder to heal the bits that are furthest away from your heart I guess. It will take time. I bet he is totally p’d off.

Your garden looks lovely Linda so much colour in it too with a lovely mix. Shame you could nt burn the branches. I dont understand why bin men have stopped in certain areas ours has nt. Makes me wonder do they want a plague of rats too or are they wanting to fine fly tippers to get money out of them.
You can still hire skips here.

3d...I agree. Was thinking the same. Closing the recycling centres is only going to cause more problems. Even when they are busy you don’t really come into contact with others, and the build up of rubbish is going to be dangerous.

It is just garden refuge and bottles they aren't picking up. General refuge is being collected and our house recycling but not food recycling. The local recycling depot is closed.
I keep suggesting good exercises for him but he thinks it is not for him. Yoga type exercises!!

Exactly Karen just makes me wonder what kind of brains are behind it when they say we have rats as close as 3ft away from our homes.

Oh crikey Linda.....it would do him so much good to take your suggestions on board. But you can lead a horse to water.....as they say! X

Thanks 3d.

Linda, you have some lovely plants in your garden. I used to pass by a house that had a fantastic display of Bergenia beneath a bay window. The soil was always bone dry yet the leaves were huge!

I am currently reading an Alex Gray murder (pronounced 'mudder' if you're Glaswegian!) mystery novel and Pollokshields is mentioned in it. Hopefully we will get to visit Scotland in the future.

What a lovely garden that you have and some really nice plants and shrubs. Like everybody else those steps are awesome and as others have commented there is so much interest going on in there.

what a beautiful and creative garden you have. Lets hope we have some lovely weather so we can all enjoy lunch out doors.
Love the spring flowers and hope you will show more as the spring and summer progresses.

Pollokshields is Taggart’s favourite filming venue Shirley. I have several friends who have had film crews in their houses. We get used to the rows of vans for actors and food etc. Glasgow is built on a series of hills, we are on the highest point in the city, Daley. I sometimes think my garden is the top although I think it is two gardens along from us. ☺️

Thanks Seabirngirl. There are a lot of spring bulbs to come out. We are always a bit later than England. It is not quite so warm here.

My OH used to work in Glasgow.....he remembers the area....now I know why you choose a large Victorian villa....(portrait artists) ideal....

Linda, many thanks for that interesting information.

What is the name of the plant in picture No.3? I have two blooming in my garden at the moment and would love more. Beautiful shade of blue. Thanks

You have some beautiful spring flowers in your garden, and lovely views.
I am also looking forward to lunches in the garden if we get some nice weather later on.
It's surprising how quickly garden waste builds up. I don't get it collected but take it to the tip in bags. However the tip is closed so I think I'll have to find somewhere to keep all the bags until it reopens.

It is Anenome blanda, Carleton. It is a beautiful shade of deep blue.
In Sweden, where my son lives, the white wild Anemones grow in abundance.
I have lots of garden rubbish in bags already, Hywel.