The real joy of Spring is the colour that starts to appear and banish the gray of Winter.

Gardening need not be expensive!

As a reasonably keen gardener I cannot resist a bargain, especially at this time when the likes of B&Q are offering some nice bedding plants at excellent prices. Early in the season they are great value for money, however as time goes on there are some very sad looking plants. Anyway, last Autumn I was looking for some item of hardware and (as I am usually unable to resist) took a detour through the garden section. There, sitting on the clearance trolley were three pots, each with a withered stump claiming to be hosta (Plantain lily) and priced at twenty-five pence each.

Willing to risk the loss of seventy five pence and unable to resist, I purchased them, eventually planting them out in our small front garden. Lo and behold this April saw the appearance of three Hostas. Two are especially healthy plants (yes I do have a particular interest in this type of plant!) with nice markings, as yet to be identified and one smaller one which is slowly establishing itself. Being the proud (wife thinks ‘bonkers’) owner of quite a collection of these plants it is also gratifying to notice that at least two of the three are varieties I did not previously possess. So there you go, gardening doesn’t have to be expensive…

Spring Bank Holiday

The weather this year is shaping up to be as mixed as the last two, despite what the forecasters say. Last week the park was bathed in sun in the evenings but come the weekend.... Rain!


















However rain isn't all bad it can produce some nice effects on the plants.

River Bank Collapse

No not another financial instiution gone to the wall. Rather, part of the retaining wall in the park in Ballymoney has given up the unequal struggle against the eroding effects of the river. The excessive rainfall of the past few years must have been the final straw and the wall and walkway on top have ended up in the river. Luckily no one was on the path at the time; it is a well used path.