A blissful afternoon in the garden today. Sun! Warmth! Ladybirds! Tulips! Robins! But after five hours of stern effort, I feel the need to set down a few reminders to myself, some of which may possibly be of more general application.

(1) Weed early, weed often, while reciting ‘This year, I WILL deadhead the Welsh poppies before they set seed’.

Meconopsis cambrica gets everywhere.

(2) Keep an eye on that scratch on your arm, so that you don’t get sepsis, like poor Nic in ‘The Archers‘.

(3) Move the garden thermometer away from the south wall of the house, because although it has been warm, I don’t think it has got up to 30 degrees. (Sub-memo: check the correct temperature @CUBotanicGarden tomorrow.)

T. ‘Sunny Prince’ outside the back door.

(4) The Force is clearly Not With You in the matter of autumn-sown sweet peas (germination rate of ‘Matucana’ approx. 2%). Don’t bother next year.

Magnolia stellata gets going.

(5) While on the subject of sweet peas, try to avoid tipping a full packet of ‘Cream Southbourne’ over the just-sown tubes of ‘Mollie Rilestone’ and thence over the paving. It is surprising how similar sweet pea seeds are to gravel.

Pushkinia in front of my continuingly wonderful new hellebore.

(6) Drink more wine, as the pot of corks-for-crocks is greatly diminished after just one afternoon.

Developing cork shortage crisis.

(7) The supply of toilet-roll tubes, for sowing seeds of long-rooted plants, is also greatly diminished, but, if it can be avoided, I’d rather not increase consumption levels.

My one pot of primulas from Columbia Road market has multiplied in a gratifying manner.

(8) However ludicrous the volume of potting compost you buy looks at the till in the nursery, it is in fact NEVER enough.

Anemones under Clematis ‘Pixie’.

(9) Stop trying to stalk the robins in the ivy on the back wall: they may be put off whatever it is that they are doing.

Last year’s progeny: here’s hoping for a repeat.

(10) Accept the sad fact that you have simply run out of suitable indoor spaces for pot plants – or have you?

I don’t buy the whole Carl Larsson lifestyle, but I have always wanted this shelf.

(11) Remember that the original plan was to stop in time to sit and read in the sun …

Caroline