SAGE Amberley: Mid April in Sarah and Mike’s garden

This sparrow hawk was not disturbed at all by Mike as he slowly approached with his camera.

Our small birds keep a wary eye for predators and we think that the location of the bird feeders under the tree branches add to their protection.

The gold finches appear usually in a ‘charm’ and firstly position themselves in our largest garden tree Sorbus aria ‘Lutescens’ Whitebeam. From here they fly down to the much smaller Sorbus vilmorini tree and then onto the feeders which hang in its branches. Fortunately the Sparrowhawk is not a regular visitor although is more often seen in the distance in the direction of the Brooks.

This Song Thrush has been a regular and very welcome visitor to the garden this Spring.

Tulip Jan Reus is looking gorgeous in full bloom at the front of the house in a pot and also in the border by the front door. It’s actually a beautiful deep crimson although in this photo it looks red.

Viola Tear drops Raspberry has flowered since being planted in the Autumn and is still looking fresh and lovely by the front door.

I promised to post a picture of Lithodora once it came out and here it is now in full bloom trailing over the edge of the pot where it grows very happily. It’s easy to grow and does well to make good evergreen ground cover.

Here is a close up of Erysimum Bowles Mauve with its strong colour and which when deadheaded regularly flowers from Spring through until the first frosts. This plant is very easy to propagate. Cuttings take easily just pushed into the side of a pot.

This red kite circled overhead last week as I hung up the washing. Currently Mike has the camera set up on its tripod ready to capture at short notice any birds or wildlife that we see.

We have a nightingale which has been singing quite close to the house in the scrub between us and the river although this actual photo was taken on the reserve a couple of years ago. Nightingales are not easily seen as they often sing from the centre of dense vegetation so we were pleased to have this opportunity to capture the image early one morning.

Tulip Flaming Spring Green is planted in the big pot along with wall flowers and Tulip Sarah Raven. This is a magnificent tulip with a raspberry coloured marking on a green and cream base. It would be a lovely in a vase but I prefer to see it outside where it can be enjoyed alongside the lovely red leaves of the Acer.