The Gardens at Barnsley House

Catherine's lovely picture of the Laburnum Walk with it's flanks of bright red 'Apeldoorn' Tulips this week .

Weather.... that perennial life saver of the British and Irish conversation; hardly surprising for a population perched on the very edge of the north Atlantic, with all of it's  moody whims! May can't come soon enough; it's been a teasing last two weeks of  April...some gloriously sunny days that were painfully chilly. I think we had snow pellets the other day, is there such a term as 'snow pellets'? It wasn't hail nor was it snow; but soft pressed pellets of pure white sorbet snow that hit the paved terrace and broke up like tiny snowballs. I love all aspects of weather....trudging back with dogs through soaking summer rain, iron hard ground and steaming breath, stranded in the field with fast approaching distant thunder; I even like mud; for short periods! Come on May, we need you.

First of all, during April, House Martin's were seen above the bottom lawn, then Swallows at Coleshill and finally Swifts above Barnsley House on Thursday 28th. Church Farm's dairy herd have had their spring charge down the lane, Calgary style with impressive dust clouds and thundering hooves, to taste 2016 pasture for the first time. We've had all the signs and markers so let's kick on!

A beautifully composed picture by Ben, displaying his creation of two jugs of Tulips 'Alabaster', 'First Class' & 'Maureen' along with seasonal young Rosa foliage.