This isn’t our appletree. It belongs to our next-door neighbour. We don’t have fruit trees, which I think is a pity, but it’s great for everyone else, because we are the ones you can give your surplus to, and we are very grateful. It’s cherry blossom time too, and there’s a whole avenue of pink frilly trees just across the river. They are right on time – thirty years ago tomorrow they were just like this the day we moved here from Edinburgh.

Yesterday we went to Inchmahome to look at the bluebells. It was just a bit too early for them,

but not for the violets.

There was an osprey too, circling over the Lake of Menteith, and the first swallows of the summer. I haven’t seen any here yet – it’s late for them and I expect the bad weather further south is holding them up.

Back here in the garden I’ve been catching up with the weeding and adding to the herb patch. There are some new plants of bergamot and sorrel, and the mint has has a makeover. In the greenhouse I’ve sowed marjoram, fennel, basil and coriander, as well as courgettes and pumpkins. It gets very warm in there, although outside the wind is cold and there was frost on the roof this morning.

In the fruit bush area, the gooseberries are setting and the strawberry plants are beginning to bulk up. I don’t suppose there will be too much fruit this year, but they’ll be gathering their strength for next summer.