January

January is generally one of our coldest months with northly, biting winds, bitterly cold nights and snow.  We had a cm perhaps at most around the 12th...so far.

As I make this entry the mist is rolling in after a very cold Sunday with the mercury hitting only 2c max. 

However, since it's been dry for a couple of days it was a good time to get out into the fresh air and tackle some tasks fit only for a cold winter's day.

First up, fence painting. It's long overdue, but winter is the perfect time to get the brushes out and treat any wood since plants climbing up it tend to be dormant. 

While The Man That Can is busy with the fence, I cut back the dead fern fronds.

Planted three pots of snowdrops and three pots of dwarf narcissus in the front garden...

...planted a new pinky purple hellebore, split a large clump of hellebores and replanted the sections in the empty spaces in the front garden. 

I weeded and scraped leaf litter from emerging bulbs, while TMTC split a further huge clump of hellebores. Half was returned to the original spot and the other half planted beside the bird bath.

A good watering in, despite the low temperatures help to settle the soil around the new plants...so long as it's not sub-zero. 

In the back garden, further weeding was necessary.  Chickweed is such an issue here, flowering and setting seed whatever the time of year.  We have had a mild few days with temperatures around 6-9c which has helped this nuisance spread.

I'm a sucker for scented plants and Christmas Box is so welcome during the colder months. Tiny white flowers that really pack a punch feed that desire. This one has been planted in the shadier side of the garden beneath the mixed clematis. We have another in the pink garden.

I finally found the right plants for the north side of the bottom shed...evergreen ferns! 

I've heard that some folk think gardening is not for the winter months.  With so much colour and scent available on a cold day, what is stopping you wrapping up warm and taking a walk around your garden? 

Pre-Christmas colour

Winter. It's been particularly mild thus far, but while December is classed as a winter month, it's rarely seen as that bitterly cold snow covered scene on the cards shared at this time of year.

The first 'Christmas Rose' is unfurling along with blue and pink buds of primulas 

Silvery markings on cyclamen above with emerging buds on viburnum. 

Winter jasmine is the only flower in full swing in the garden.  The tiny sweet scented blooms appear for the first time on viburnum bodatense 'dawn'. There are two clusters on the pink winter flowering variety in the pink garden.  Once fully established I'm certain it will fill this space with welcome winter loveliness.

A single pink 'New Dawn' rose clings onto life while it's leaves are passing. 

This lovely rich hue is supplied by Pittosporum tenufolium Tom Thumb above, now it's leaves have all turned shiny purple. Below is a hebe in a very similar vibrancy. 



A new acquisition is a cornus alba 'Baton Rouge' which has a stunning red bark and promises red foliage.  

It was my birthday last month, and with money from my dad and step-mum it took me a while to find this fantastic plant to brighten up this space behind the bird bath.  It's positioned in perfect eyeline from my seat inside the house and creates a lasting reminder of them.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Leaf litter

For my birthday, TMTC gave me a garden shredder and a leaf blower/vacuum. 

And then it rained.

Or we had plans.

So as soon as we were able, he shredded all the hedge trimmings and I blew all the fallen leaves into piles.  TMTC had to do the hoovering part of the leaf collection as I wasn't strong enough to manage it with what is still a very weak arm.

The leaf vac shreds the leaves also, to help speed up the composting. 

Our new compost bin in now almost full of shredded leaf litter.  The blackbirds shouldn't be able to get at them this year!

The Clearing Begins

Some plants I prefer to leave over winter to provide food and shelter for wildlife, or remain looking good over the winter with a little frost to decorate.  Others however are looking decidedly tatty and so the back garden was given a tidy up this week.

The pink Japanese anemone spreads like mad in this corner. The whole plant was cut down and the unwanted sections removed.  Also in this corner the zebra thuggish grass was dug up.  We may have to keep an eye on this area as it sends out runners under the soil.

The fuchsia has been removed further along this bed, creating a good planting space for next year.  I haven't decided on the replacement yet.

Three clematis have had a hard prune.

The water feature in the Yen Garden has been emptied, cleaned and stored in a frost free spot in the shed.  The plants have been put into the pond until the spring. 

The remaining wall planters were stripped and the Japanese anemone in front of the shed was also cut back hard.  A new handle has been attached to the shed door.

Long strappy leaves from the crocosmias either side of the arch have been removed. 

'Flo' has been returned to her usual place and a handle has been added to this shed too.

Finally, the working area has been tidied up with the bags of compost being stacked up the corner.  A fourth compost bin, gifted from a neighbour, had been positioned ready to be filled by all the pruning and dying bedding plants from this week's spruce up.

Around the garden, leaves are falling, revealing some stunning stems of dogwood and birch. 

Next comes the front garden.