Better late than never

I planted seeds on March – whilst there was still frost on the ground. Tiny plants grew.

I potted them on in April and let them go outside. The plants grew lanky and leafy.

In May I transferred them into the soil – some near the kitchen window and others by the tree at the end of the garden. Full sun, plenty shelter and they were watered and encouraged to grow.

But a whole lot of snails and other garden creatures were watching and waiting. The ones by the tree disapeared within days – snail food I fear! The ones by the kitchen struggled on.

The lower leaves were munched on a nightly basis. The plants persevered and grew to maybe a metre or so.

In everyone else’s garden sunflowers flourished. Tall, luxuriuos, waving in the wind. In mine the 2 survivors were starting to point their heads to the autumn sunshine.

And eventually they bloomed. A touch tiny and lacking in foliage – but they struggled on and made it. Nature at its best – better late than never.