Springfield Sanctuary in the Cotswolds

New growth in evidence around the spring

Daffodils adding some colour to the bank in the spring sunshine

I took advantage of the Easter break from work to spend time at the Sanctuary, sharing it with other Herb Society members and those who came to my workshop on Easter Saturday. Good Friday was spent planting out the order received from Poyntzfield herb nursery. I've lost so many plants over the winter, I had to restock with purple sage, white horehound, pink, blue and white hyssop, lemon verbena and two different lavenders. I've also expanded the wood betony bed and planted three new varieties of echincea - purpera, paradoxa and tenneseensis. I've also decided to experiment with some rock samphire and seakale, together with goldenseal and dyers woodruff.

Easter Sunday was spending digging and planting seeds. It was wonderful to rediscover the echinacea augustifolia and eight shoots of solomans seal!. I have been really ruthless this year and have ousted the majority of the motherwort, goats rue and masterwort selfseeded plants. Some have gone to visitors and friends and some will go to a medical herbalist to restock her garden, along with some valarian. At least now I shall have some room for the calendula bed and the black cohosh, weld, agrimony, wood betony, German Chamomile, Dyers chamomile, Viola heartsease, Sacred basil, Clary sage, Mullein and Thyme seedlings my mother is tending for me. (At least I hope they will turn into seedlings!)

Easter Monday I spent in my own garden at home, ousting the woody thyme plants and replacing with a selection of new varieties - lemon, orange, golden, variagated and broadleaf. I also took some patchouli and rosemary heel cuttings in the hope they will turn into new plants.

Spring is such a busy and hopeful time of year.