Made a start in planting the herb garden at the music school. The  tallest plants (Fennel) in the middle, low growing herbs for picking round the edges (Mint, Lemon Balm, Thyme, Chives and Garlic Chives), interspersed with various annuals (Borage, Nasturtium, Calendula). More to come.

 The circles are crushed eggshells to keep slugs and snails at bay; they don't like dragging their slimy bellies across the jagged edges. Actually I've seen hardly any this spring. The days have been too sunny and dry, the nights have been too cold and dry. However there may be another problem in this setting: deer. Muntjacs regularly come into the grounds to forage, they may or may not like culinary herbs. 

 

Apple blossom.

 

 Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) in its natural habitat which botanically speaking is sloping calcareous grassland. From the perspective of folklore Pasque Flowers grow where Danes' blood was spilled in battle. Seen here at Knocking Hoe, one of the few remaining sites in the country where they grow in abundance. Chalky for sure, blood-soaked I don't know.

 

 One of my favourite flowers in my back garden: Smyrnium perfoliatum. A busily self-seeding biennial or perhaps triennial. I bought one in a pot, let it self-seed and now it pops up here and there every year. Does well in dryish soil in half sun/half shade corresponding to a woodland edge habitat. 

 

 Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa) emerge from the leaf litter in deciduous woodlands, generally before the Bluebells though sometimes overlapping when Bluebells are early. Having said that A. nemorosa is less widespread than H. non-scripta despite the similar habitat.  

 

 Speaking of wildflower walks what is more glorious than walking through a Bluebell wood in spring? My home town of Hitchin is blessed with several in the surrounding countryside notably Hitch Wood (above), Wain Wood and West Wood. The Bluebells are early this year, mid-April and they are in full flower.

 With spring well and truly underway wildflower walks will be bountiful. Cowslips proliferate in the churchyard of St. Paul's Walden so that was a good place to start...