Planning Ahead

At this time of year my attention is drawn rather more than usual to the planning process. Spring is around the corner and the tantalizing prospect of getting outside more frequently is drawing nearer. It is easy to forget just how much the garden evolves season on season.

I was very lucky to have this picture given to me recently by the next door neighbour which shows just how much the garden did not exist when the houses were built. We moved in approximately 7 years after the pictures were taken. The poor state of the soil and total  lack of any landscaping make a stark contrast to the scene today. Fortunately, the man next door is a keen and knowledgeable gardener himself and his efforts have been quite an inspiration to myself (he and his family have lived in the houses since they were built)

Our Pennine Garden is the plot on the left side of the fence

Our plot and house in the middle of the three

The large mill in the background was demolished only a few years ago. In my opinion rather a pity that we have lost some of our unique industrial heritage not to mention the roost of several owls and bats.

Signs of Wildlife

The lawn is looking particularly battered at he moment. Thanks to the resident badger and squirrel populations this is an inevitability. A small price to pay for the wildlife, providing that like me you are not too much of  a "precious" gardener. It will soon be time for some remedial work with another good raking, deep forking and some sand and seed mixture to fill in the bare patches. I must confess that keeping a pristine lawn is a challenge I have yet to master, that is why the total area of lawn has been gradually reduced over the past 35 years. (I will do a further post on  this deliberate long term trend)

Other wildlife is in the process of deciding whether or not it is time to emerge from winter hibernation. Earlier this week I caught sight of the frog in the lower pond who understandably appears rather reluctant to venture out from his hiding place.

Design for Winter

Although much of the design of our garden is ad hoc evolution I have been quite conscious for the past few years about gradually redesigning of some of the rooms. It is a little luxury that retired gardeners can afford. The black and white terrace, for instance, is one of the few areas clearly visible from the house. As it was constructed less 18 months ago it is still quite some way off maturity. But I have been quite conscious about the need for some winter interest and structure in this part of the garden, exactly because it is visible from the kitchen. In the morning, when it is light, the planting of the terrace and the evergreen nature of the patio living wall are a welcome splash of colour, all be it mostly green.

The heathers, the hebe (midnight sun), the mouse eared chick weed, the sarcococca humilis, the viburnum, the black grasses and taller black phormium, all give the area a certain interest on a grey February morning. Even the buddleia in the bed above adds some structure, it has been deliberately left largely unpruned. The "butterfly bush" still has some leaf and greenery visible but it will need to be cut back down in the next week or so as the flowers are always on this years new growth.

The first signs of spring will also be evident by looking out of the window onto this space. The spring bulbs are just beginning to show in the raised beds and pots.

This is in direct contrast to other beds in the garden which still look somewhat bleak and rather bare at this time of the year. But they will also need a little attention, weeding and mulching. Fortunately, I can avoid stepping all over the beds (and avoid compacting the heavy soil) by carefully finding a foothold on the retaining stonework.

TIP: avoid standing on the soil in the beds wherever possible and if not use a piece of board laid on the ground to spread your weight.

Winter Fun

The snow has been falling over the Pennines yet again. Just as spring seems as it should be around the corner the Met Office tells us that we are likely to receive more snow showers for the week ahead. However, the urge to get outside into the garden is almost irrepressible. Having fun in the snow is not just confined to youngsters, just the young at heart.

In these conditions, ideally walking on the grass should be avoided where possible. The damage to the turf can lead to fungal infections. Sadly this is unavoidable in our modest plot. I can justify it to some extent by the need to knock the heaviest of the snow off the evergreens which can be damaged under a heavy weight of snow. This is particularly important for the skimmia which has only recently been relocated to this part of the garden.
TIP: to avoid the risk of disfigurement remove really heavy snow from plants such as conifers

The brightness of the light bouncing off the snow can really enhance the beauty of some plants, as the examples below illustrate. I am particularly fond of the delicate pony tail grasses highlighted in the snow.

The views from the top of the garden across the valley are also transformed by the white blanket and while air temperatures are not too cold, it is nice just to be able to tarry a while and appreciate the vistas.

While the cold wet white stuff is not the preferred outdoor conditions for our feline friends sometimes the  you just have to make the best of things. Mili and Hecate are not to sure about the garden in these conditions but their bravery might be called into question if they do not follow me outside side when they see me heading up with the camera.

Hecate at Play

Afternoon sun shines through the red hook sedge, Feb 18

We should all be able to enjoy our gardens. Clearly Hecate has got the message. While I was hoping for a nice shot of the ornamental grasses, which hold a nice point of attention even through the dreary months of winter, Hecate was thinking about play. Even though thy are both middle aged cats now (10 years old) they still have a delightful playfulness.

Hecate may not be as agile as she once was, (who is?) but she can still make it up to the top level of the gardens and delights in showing off. She is rolling around the frosted curls which have self seeded into the path. Followed of course by a little rest! All proper gardeners appreciate the value of a little rest to contemplate the next chore to be done.