Winter Turns into Spring

Winter turns into Spring. It is sometimes hard to believe how quickly things can change. The photographs, both taken this year, show the transformation between March and April. The wonder of the British climate is how variable and inevitable it will always be. There is a great joy in witnessing this timeless progression. The anticipation has turned to a reality. The garden is now alive with fresh colour and the grass needs to be cut.

There is a scientific reason we enjoy this anticipation. Most people tend to imagine positive events in their future. When an individual anticipates something good happening, the neurotransmitter dopamine is released, resulting in positive feelings and decreased painful ones, along with increased arousal and excitement that can also feel good. 

Perhaps this is why gardeners are generally a more happy bunch, we are always planning and anticipating the next round of the eternal climate roundabout?

But do cats feel the same? They certainly enjoy the extra outdoors time. Just ask Hecate and Mili.

Top tip: Always think ahead and be proactive not reactive. Enjoy the anticipation but tackle those weeds now because the soil is beginning to warm up. Weeding now will save so much effort later.

 

 

Time for Action

The blog has been dormant for a while but this has only been a reflection of a lack of opportunity to get outside into the garden. I would like to blame the BBC for setting the trend of hibernation, taking Gardener's World and Beechgrove off our screens for the duration of the dark months but the reality is a combination of bleak weather and being largely confined to the indoors has limited my activity.

This is not to say that I have been idle but rather taking it a little easier. Key jobs have of course been done. The shed has been tidied, tools sharpened, the conservatory deep cleaned and the first seeds have been sown. 

However, inspired by some beautiful late afternoons and seeing the buds beginning to emerge will undoubtedly re-energise the horticulturalist in me. It certainly seems that Hecate and Mili have missed the big outdoors. So roll on spring.

 

The Upper Bench

The bench covers have come out this week and the furniture on the patio now has its winter protection. However, the bench at the top of the garden will remain uncovered until the start of December. We will be very unlucky if there is any snow before winter proper, but who can really predict in these changing times. 

The upper bench is a favourite spot for everyone who visits the garden, the views and the proximity of the upper pond are major attractions. It also offers a tempting resting place when a break from forking, digging, weeding or trimming is needed. But it also seems to attract feline attentions and competition for a seat can be fierce. I have to remind Hecate and Mili that there are two seats on the bench and we can all share. But they like a rest too, patrolling, scent marking and chasing flying insects must take it out of them!

     

Mili has claimed her spot

 Hecate closes in, she seems intent on a seat....

......but we all share in the end

 

Am I just security for Hecate and Mili?

Hecate and Mili have not featured a great deal in recent posts. This might be partially because they visit the outdoors noticeably less, as they are becoming a bit more cautious with age. However, when it suits they still enjoy the garden. Hecate will always seek out a comfortable spot, while Mili prefers to be somewhat more vigilant. In fact, I am sure if Mili could help with the weeding then she surely would do, as she is a constant shadow when I am working at ground level.

Of course having the two cats around is a symbiotic relationship. They provide me with a valid excuse to sit down and take a break. In return my presence makes them feel more secure and able to enjoy the outdoors without anxiety.

 

Spring Time Again

 A little bit of spring sunshine brings out the best of the garden, and brings the beast into the garden. 

It is so rewarding to see the bulbs emerge and enjoy them with a little warmth on your back. The colours seem so vivid following the muted tones of the winter garden. Clearly I am not alone in these thoughts as Hecate and Mili have also been venturing out once again. For months they have been self confined to the hygge of the cosy indoors. The pleasure is multiplied by the presence of others, be it a pair of increasingly elderly cats or be it an increasingly wise missus. A shared plate of fruit at the top tier of the garden was a March treat with little compare. Hopefully the first of many this year.

Spring also awakens the rest of the animal kingdom and the birds, bees and amphibians have all been evident and active. There is comforting reassurance that blossoms and blooms are on their way. 

   

Mid Winter Fire

 There can be little doubt that mid January can be somewhat lacking in pizzazz. The little flashes of colour have to be appreciated where ever they can be found. The dogwood shrub is invaluable for its coloured bark which shines through with the absence of foliage. We have a few dogwoods at the top of the garden behind the grasses and a lovely, small specimen in a pot on the steps leading up to the front door (pictured below). 

Top Tip: In order to get the best from your dogwoods pruning each year is to be recommended, as the best coloured stems are those of the newest growth. 

 

The specimen at the front is "Sibirica" and the dogwoods at the back are "Midwinter Fire". However, the "real" midwinter fire was seen two days ago with this spectacular sunset.

Not to be out done, Hecate posing in front of the Jasmine, another little flash of md winter colour.

Chelsea Take Note

It is now a few days since the close of the Chelsea Flower Show 2021 and I must say how much I have enjoyed the BBC coverage. I am also of the opinion that having the "most prestigious flower show in the world" at a completely different time of the year has been most refreshing. The palate of flowers and plants has been different and it has compelled the designers and exhibitors to move out of their comfort zones and think a little bit more about how to accommodate the challenges of an autumn palette. These are considerations which every "real" gardener has to contend with on an annual basis. It is part of the fun that keeps us on our toes. 

Consequently, I have little sympathy for the designers who have ducked the challenge of the autumn Chelsea. It was a pity that there were the fewer main show gardens than there has been for many years. However, the gardens that did make it were a triumph, well done to each and everyone. I have spoken with numerous other fellow gardeners and we are of the unanimous opinion that a Chelsea in autumn must be repeated, maybe once every ten years? I am aware that this may not fit in with the annual social calendar of the London set but visitor numbers did appear healthy all the same?

Late summer and autumn interest are not difficult to achieve. For instance our pastel beds are now a little faded but still with plenty of interest and structure, thanks in no small part to the different shades of cosmos and the sea holly.

Top Tip 1: planning for year round interest is a challenge but if selected beds are devoted to different seasons it does make the task easier. The alternative is going for a much more trickier succession of plants that will flower in the seasons all  in the same area. Our Pennine garden was always intended to peak in mid summer, to coincide with the school summer holiday. However, since retirement season round interest has been much more important.

Top Tip 2: when planning year round interest, think carefully which parts of the garden you are most likely to be using/ sitting in at the different times of the year.  

A simple use of grasses are an easy way to extend some seasonal interest and when backlight by the sun are delightful, while pots which can be shifted around (as we do on our patio) are a fool proof way of ensuring the most floriferous plants are in prime position.

Garden Visitors

A few days ago I was tickling around in the borders when I noticed that something had caught my gardening companions attention. Both Hecate and Mili were transfixed by something at the upper end of the garden. Sat side by side they were not for exploring anymore closely but thy were clearly keeping watch with some intent.

Naturally, this peaked my curiosity too. First thoughts were it must be a bandit alert, another feline from a neighbouring garden. But not this time. Second thoughts a squirrel, there is one grey who in particular likes to wind up Mili. But no. 

It was, most unusually for the mid afternoon, a bold pair of deer who decided to stop by for a snack. They were picking off some of the few blackberries that are still left.

Of course knowing that they were now being watched they silently slipped away into the undergrowth behind the top boundary of the garden. Their ability to merge into the background helps them thrive in the valley and I suspect the population is blossoming. It is a pity the same cannot be said for the aforementioned borders. They are in full colour the the blooms are looking a bit beaten down by the unseasonably wet August rains.

Top tip: even though the weather might be somewhat inclement try to keep on top of the deadheading. The more fastidious you are the more blooms you will have when the summer sunshine returns. The sweet peas must also be picked regularly or they will set seed and your display will be over weeks before it should be.

Summer Days Really are for Chillin'

In the last post I made reference to my inability to relax in the garden. Of course, this is something of an exaggeration as it would be silly to not find some time to kick back and chill. Our two furballs on the other hand have got it down to a fine art. I have much to learn, obviously!

Mili snoozing under the shade of the canopy

Mili again in the shade of the pot

Hecate slowly emerges from the shadows

Mili, especially, seems to have mastered the knack of finding the cool and sheltered spots, but her sister is rarely too far behind. As the temperatures have soared over the past few weeks the shady and quiet spots are at a premium. But if it one thing that cats understand, it is how to make yourself comfortable.

Monochrome Magic

  

The recent damp weather has been most welcome for the garden. However, the downside is that time spent relaxing outside has been minimized. So while we have hardly used the terrace during July the plants are flowering and producing a lovely display. As you can see from the accompanying pictures the roses are in full bloom, the hebe has its gorgeous purple flowers and the sambucus is equally pretty when in flower.

Of course all this growth means that deadheading is a regular activity. The roses are feed regularly and while there are signs of blackspot (despite a rigorous hygiene routine) the aphids seem to be much reduced at this moment in time. 

Top Tip: roses are hungry plants and remembering to feed them regularly will always pay dividends.

The range and variety of roses is so vast I would not dare make any firm recommendations but the variety which does best for us is simply "Claire Austin" an English climbing rose, with the added bonus of being a repeat flowerer.

Black and white can also be spotted elsewhere in the garden, even on rare occasions when the weather is inclement!

April Snow

When snow falls in the middle weeks of spring it can cause of few concerns. Accumulations on plants with new growth can be damaging, so this morning I was out brushing away the snow piles from the more delicate plants. Of course, I did have two helpers, both of whom needed a human to show how to negotiate a path through the cold wet white stuff.

Top tip: It’s always wise to remove heavy snow that accumulates on your plants before it freezes and breaks or deforms the branches. Gently lift branches upward (if need be with a broom) and shake the snow off, starting near the top of the plant. If snow has already frozen on the branches, or if there’s ice, it’s best to wait until temperatures rise above freezing.

Trees and shrubs with horizontal branching tend to be less susceptible to snow and ice damage. Most conifers, including juniper, yew, spruce, and pine, have relatively flexible branches and are well adapted to shedding snow before it becomes so heavy that it breaks branches. Multistem shrubs and trees, and those with narrow upright branching, can be seriously harmed when heavy accumulations pull branches apart. Some gardeners go further and tie the stems of such shrubs together which can reduce winter damage. But prevention is a better approach: prune properly, and maintain your plants so that they develop strong branching that resists winter injury.

However, not much can be done for some spring flowers, the daffodils have taken a bruising.

     

So while today there was a temptation to linger outside and enjoy the sunshine the indoor jobs were calling.

          

Winter into Spring part 2

 Winter has been largely wet, icy, cold, snowy and grey. The garden has been somewhat neglected for a few weeks. But at last the Spring seems to be close. 

However, even on the gloomiest of days, the garden can still be alluring for humans and felines alike. 

     

      

The winter aconites and iris reticulata are bringing colour and life back into the garden. On a bright day their colours are magical. 

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” 

Francis of Assisi

Top tip: winter aconites can take a while to establish, be patient, ours took about 3 years to get going properly. 

Historically, the winter aconite was identified with the classical aconite, a poisonous herb dedicated to Hecate, a moon goddess in Greek mythology teaching witchcraft and sorcery.