Where’s January going? It’s disappearing at an alarming rate!
Where’s January going, it’s disappearing at an alarming rate as this year has started off as madly as I left last year, the house alterations are still in full swing, with skilled people coming and going, meaning extra early mornings to be out of the shower before they start arriving!
Also constant vigilance of the milk situation, as neither the garden apprentice or I use much milk (normally). The kettle has never been used so much since we bought it over 12 years ago – it’s age probably tells you everything you need to know.
It’s a good job we only have heating in half of the house as the amount we are saving is going on electricity for the constant kettle boilings, and extra milk. At least the later part is supporting the farmers.
Hassen to say that the garden is still taking a very second place in my actions if not my thoughts. I have got as far as getting the electric propagator out of storage and sorting the packets of chillies I want to sow, ASAP.
I’m desperately in need of some more seed compost but unfortunately the only retail primacies I attend these days – builders merchants – don’t sell it!
Builders gofor
I have though learned a huge amount about building materials over the last few months. I did wonder at times if the builders were playing a few pranks on me when they’d send me off to buy things such as ‘peep weeps’.
When I got to the builders merchants I waited until the counter was clear before asking quietly if they sold them, to my surprise and relief they did, but then to my next problem when I was asked, “what colour would you like?” As I didn’t even know what they were, but obviously didn’t want to sound ignorant, I said, “what’s the most popular colour?”, “orange to match the brickwork”, “of course, orange it is then”.
The Gardens not missing me
But the garden is not missing me as much as I’m missing it. On my frequent visits down to the compost bins, things are stirring. Especially in the white garden where Viburnum tinus is already flowering, the snowdrops are shooting for the sky with the first glimpses of white, and Iberis Sempervirens ‘snowflake’ has buds forming all over it.
Somebody likes the rain
The evergreens have benefitted from all the rainfall, let’s say more about that! The ferns are looking lushesly green, the bamboo has more leaves on than it normally does at this time of year, the rhododendrons have plump buds ready to burst and the Skimmia has already burst.
Proper weather at last!
The cold snap we are having right now feels much more seasonal and should hopefully let the plants know it’s still winter, although one hardy little Pulmonaria flower has already dared to open up.
The sedum that I mentioned a few weeks ago continues to prove what an all year around plant it is, holding snow on its dried heads.
Mixed results with the pots
The pots near to the house with crocus bulbs are well up and should be giving off some colour in just a few short weeks. The black grass Ophiopogon ‘Nigrescens’ which in actual fact is not grass at all, is spreading well since I planted it a couple of years ago, there are snowdrops underneath it which should be coming up soon, but…
The poor old cyclamen that I planted back in November over the top of tulips ‘Claudia’, have not at all liked the rain, to put it mildly! I’ve kept thinking, I must move them somewhere out of the rain, but like everything else at the moment it’s all about priorities, and I’m afraid they weren’t one.
I’m just hoping the tulips underneath have faired better, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, fingers crossed.
And so I’m back on the phone to my new mates at the builders merchants, ordering ever more supplies and leaning the names of even more building materials. And don’t forget to get more milk…
Happy gardening. Happy building.
