The cold easterly winds did blow . . . and then the sun came out and chased them all away.

Easter in the Lakes promised sunshine for the visitors, and there were many more of them as a result.

We took the opportunity to stay off the roads and I personally spent time planting up the garden for the new season ahead.

A wide angle view from Whiteside to the red 'post' box.

The grass in the paddock has grown fast compared to the sheep field over the fence.

A sack of daffodil bulbs doesn't go far in a field this size, but it does add some dancing colour to the newly grown grass.

The pond is looking good . . . the marsh marigolds are in full bloom.

Looking back at Ann's favourite morning reading seat.

Up the steps and we're into what we now call the middle garden.

The rhubarb to the left is growing nicely with good leaves if not long stalks.

The fruit cage to the right is now complete after partially causing my back problems in January.

The Lingholm Octagonal Walled Garden mid-April . . .	. . . and a comparative photo ten days later.

The onion sets are shooting up and my rocket seeds have sprouted well.

The weather has been so warm I've left the greenhouse door open all day.

The beans planted in pots that were showing first tips . . .	. . . have grown nicely in the same ten day period.

They will be planted out in the fruit cage this year, not because they need protection

but because they need to rotate to a different plot and I've got space in there.

Celery . . . I cheated slightly with these and the brassicas as I bought them as seedlings in trays . . . hopefully guaranteeing them a better start !

The hoops to the right were for a fleece cloche but I removed the cover in this hot weather to make it easier to water.

Still inside the greenhouse are the remaining plants that need dealing with.

Nasturtiums for the edible flowers, sweet peas for the decorative flowers and the rest are lettuce and spinach that I've planted as seed.

Down the end with the lolly sticks are seeds for this year's tomatoes.

The main bed is almost full.

The white mulch around some of the plants is an organic, sheep smelling, wood based, slug repellant mix.

I haven't a clue whether it will keep the slugs away . . . but at least it is not poisonous to dogs and other visitors.

Last year I scattered four or five packets of wild flower seeds with little apparent effect.

This year I've scattered the seed mix onto trays and now have the best part of 200 plug plants to dig carefully into the paddock.

Let's hope the final outcome will be better for these tiny seedlings, as a result of the lack of the unfair competition from the grass.