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Garden Diary – It’s Christmas & we’re past the shortest day!
What’s not to be happy about. Christmas festivities and we’ve celebrated the winter solstice. I think none of us can wait to get to the other side of the shortest day, we feel we are heading, albeit slowly, once more back towards the long, warm, days of summer. Having said that, I do like the seasons, I’m quite sure that we wouldn’t appreciate the longer days if we didn’t have the short cold ones. And after all our British climate does produce some truly beautiful gardens. On those dullest of days, I like to spend time looking back at the colourful photos of the summer garden, making plans and generally…
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Garden Diary – Say hello, & sadly wave goodbye
As Monday dawned last week and we said hello to December, we didn’t realise that by the end of the week we’d be saying goodbye one of our elderly cats. The week and month started with bright frosty days, which most of us prefer to the dark wet days that were soon to follow. The mass of berries on the pyracantha froze solid and the regular visiting blackbirds and robin had to wait for them to defrost! Making the most of the break in the rain, the gardeners mate and I had a big weed blitz in the raised beds. The asparagus bed had the biggest make over, as we’d…
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Garden Diary – Where did November go? Flu, frost & newts
I thought as we’ve slipped gently into December – where has the whole year gone too!! – I’d better get you all caught up with November! Unfortunately, I picked up a flu type virus which I’ve been finding it difficult to shake off, so despite resuming life’s essential chores my blog had taken a back step. Fortunately though, I have managed to continue posting on social media for the majority of the time, so we do have a diary. I was pleased with the gardening jobs I got done in those exceedingly mild, first few days of the month. As I picked the last few tomatoes, it was actually too warm…
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Garden Diary – Goldilocks weather didn’t last
Last week started with perfect Goldilocks gardening weather, sunny but not too hot, it meant I could get some well needed greenhouse jobs done. Mainly potting plants on into bigger pots. Because we’ve had such an amazing spring everything’s been growing like mad, and it’s hard to get the timing of potting on just right, even a week too late and the plants can suffer. Understandably so, as being in the greenhouse on a hot day makes me suffer too! As the week progressed it gradually got hotter and I tried my hardest (in vain) not to moan. I do struggle in the heat, it just zaps my energy. And…
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Garden Diary – Say goodbye to the lighter nights!
This is the week that really feels like Autumn is tipping towards winter, as the clocks fall back and we say goodbye to the lighter nights! Despite this we’ve had some gloriously sunny days with fabulous blue skies showing off the still dominating pink flowers in the garden, especially the extra late cosmos dazzler which was backlit on a few occasions. The pink shrub salvia is still covered, the dark pink dahlias are still sending up small blooms and a few Nerine bulbs have finally opened up like pink fireworks. I really thought they must have rotted as they were so late. The sun and skies have also been setting…
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Demolition in the Garden
Well the last of the three original conifer trees was demolished this week. When we started to take them down eight years ago, we decided to keep the one, to use as a bird feeder. The birds have enjoyed it so much, especially being so close to their holly hedge. They flit between the feeders and the hedge, where they sit on the branches wiping their beaks . If you look closely you can see a goldfinch looking back at you! Totem Pole It’s become known as the totem pole and we grew some winter jasmine up it, to make it look a bit more attractive. It’s done a good…
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Christmas Tree Celebration
As it’s Christmas Day tomorrow, I thought I’d publish this weeks blog a day early – I thought you might all be a bit busy tomorrow! Let me start by saying a very happy Christmas to one and all! I thought we’d get into the Christmas spirit with some Christmas trees. Local Christmas Tree Festival We are lucky enough to have had another Christmas tree festival at our local church. As I’ve mentioned before it used to be held inside the church, but Covid moved it outside and that’s where it’s stayed. It’s so much more atmospheric in the churchyard and the frost just added to it. Although we didn’t…
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Christmas Tree Festival
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Snowing in June?
Or just willow seeds floating on the breeze. Our beautiful blue sky’s last weekend have been full of drifting white clouds of what looked like snow. But with temperatures in the 20’s that would be unlikely! It’s willow tree seeds inside their fluffy white parachutes. For three days our skies have been full of it. We notice it every year, but this time there has been so much more than usual. My sister came over for lunch, and as we all sat in the garden it floated around us. Unfortunately this included landing in our food. We all commented that it looked like snow flurries, but rather than melt, it…
