Dark Skies, Mists, Snow and Winter Structure.

The winter structure in any garden is such an underestimated element. My own theory is that because we venture outside less in the dark months we have lesser expectations of our outdoor spaces. Of course, it might be less appealing to use our gardens for sitting and relaxing in mid December but the occasional brew on a garden bench or a little gentle tidying up can be just the tonic for a gloomy day. The garden can also be viewed from indoors by many of us, even if it is just from the kitchen window. 

Therefore to add that all important interest and the psychologically important elements of green then structural plants are a bonus, if not essential. Heathers, brooms, ivy and our Scots  pine are just a few of the green items that can be found in our Pennine garden. While non of these might be enough to entice us go outdoors and wonder at their individual beauty, together they can paint a pleasing vista to gladden any heart.

My top tips to help with a winter garden include 

~ take heed of the shadows and light levels that the low winter sun gives. They present an opportunity to give the garden a very different seasonal ambience, particularly if you are lucky enough to have some low level backlighting through some of your plants or even fading stems. For us this is best in the morning when the sun is in the East

~ try to have some structural elements across the garden, it will encourage the eye to link different spaces together, reinforcing the underlying sense of movement and interest.

~ utilize contrasting textures in your planting as well as as your hard landscaping.

~ remember the views, with no leaves on the trees, new vistas are opened up and might be enjoyed even more if seating can be rearranged

Below, recent December conditions and a contemplative Hecate stares through the mists. By contrast a less than happy Mili, who likes to follow me outside come what may, even into the snow.... then I get the blame for wet paws!

 

Make Hay While the Sun Shines?

The garden might have been somewhat neglected over the past few weeks, storms, snow and soggy ground have certainly restricted access. But the critical jobs have been completed, such as digging up the agapanthus (all of them!) and bringing them under cover. 

But at the same time the meteorological conditions have presented us with some beautiful, if sometimes foreboding, winter vistas. Make the most of the weather, when the opportunity presents itself, even if it is just to look and stare.

 

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.

          

Grey Skies and Rainbows

 

Looking to the West across the valley the vista has been predominantly grey and gloomy. However, there has also been several sighting of rainbows, including the one below which appears to be rising out of the quarry. The rainbow never arrives without both rain and sunshine, so to the garden and its myriad of mini wonders.

Sometimes working outside in the rain has its compensations!

Jobs for the Rainy Days

Now we have well and truly returned from our Scotland sojourn, the garden was supposed to be the antidote for any post holiday blues.  But how wet has the weather been for the past two weeks? I am writing this blog entry because it is once again pouring down. Luckily I was able to shower dodge this morning and did get outside for a few hours.


Normally, we look for things to do inside when the weather is inclement (and it has to be bad to stop most gardeners getting outside). Tidying the shed, pottering in the greenhouse (conservatory for us) even building and mending jobs in the garage. But somehow this does not satisfy my cravings for a bit of fresh air. It is easy to just get wet (as the professionals must have to) but it is not always advisable to work in borders when they are wet and heavy and likely to compaction. For us just traversing the back garden means walking on the grass, not the ideal preparation for the autumn/ winter hiatus. Working in the rain can be counter productive if we are not careful.


Consequently, I do have a few outside jobs which I can leave for the rainy days.

~ washing out the plant pots in the shelter of the back door
~ tending to plants that are either climbing the house walls or growing in its lee, such as on the patio
~ power washing the pathways and steps, which is always a wet job anyway
~ even tidying out the ponds (always awash with extra vegetation growth at this time of the year)

So my top tip would be plan ahead for all the British weather contingencies but when prudent to do so retreat indoors anyway, like Hecate and Mili!

Garden Moods

The garden and the mood of the garden can change quite dramatically depending upon the time of the day and the lighting conditions. The rather flat light during the overcast day gives the upper grasses a cool and distinctly unseasonable feel. But I do think it rather emphasizes the blue tones in the grasses, in particular the Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' which is a stunning ornamental grass with silver-blue needle like foliage. I am fond of this grass which forms dense clumps and can be grown in borders or containers on the patio.

By contrast the night scene on the patio (with illumination provided by the security lamp) is more intriguing. Some of the vibrant colours seem to really stand out, even the shadows provide a little mystery. The more naturalistic planting of the cluster of pots seems to be more subdued and is better in the daylight scene.

 

I have read many articles about designing to create a mood in your garden. What I find many of them are really advocating is choosing a theme, probably to match a mood that you may imagine you have at that period in your life. Common advice is often along the lines of

• Select the theme or mood – try to make it harmonious with your location, the architecture of your house, and your microclimate.
• Study a bit about the design you’ve chosen and determine what key elements give it its integrity and feeling, possibly Mediterranean or English Cottage, Woodland, Japanese, etc.
• Determine ways to interpret those elements in a manner that you find aesthetically pleasing, affordable and suitable for your part of the country, soil type, aspect etc.

However, I believe that the mood is, in many ways, beyond our control. The garden is an organic and living entity often with a life and mind of its own. So my top tip would be to embrace the changing moods of your outdoor space, do not try to restrain your ambition for your garden. After all our temperate western margin climate must the the best in the world for being able to take advantage of the capricious  nature of the great and marvellous outdoors.

Microclimates

Hecate and Mili in the Shade

Cats have good instincts when it comes to enjoying the garden, they might gravitate to the warm and sunny places or they can be adept at seeking out the cooler and shady spots. 

Hecate by the lower pond

Over recent weeks the summer temperatures have meant that Hecate and Mili have been found in the cooler corners. This might be in the micro climate of the underside of shady shrub or in the vicinity of the running water that feeds back into the lower pond.

The welcome cooling effect of a body of water has been exploited in warm climates for centuries. The evaporation and release of negative ions into the air cools and calms you. The thermal inertia of water - it takes a long time to heat up and cool down - means the pond has still to heat up while the rest of the patio is starting to bake. Although this is most noticeable with larger bodies of water, even modest sized water features do have an effect.

Alternatively, water will be radiating warmth after the rest of the garden has cooled. This is why putting buckets of water into cold greenhouses or conservatories will help to nudge the temperature gauge up that extra all-important degree or so at night during the early weeks of spring.

Mili by the Lower Pond

 So well done Hecate and Mili for having an instinctive understanding of microclimates!

A Cat for all Seasons

Hecate in the grass bed

Mili by the dogwood

Following on from the previous blog entry it seemed appropriate to mention how the two cats have managed in the variable meteorological conditions that we have experience over the Pennines during the past few weeks. Mili and Hecate are of an age now when the big outdoors has somewhat less allure when the weather is inclement. However, it is without fail that my first foray into the garden on any particular day will be accompanied by two feline companions. Whether or not they make it up all the steps to the top of the garden on subsequent trips that the same day is a matter of feline capriciousness.

I am confident that they feel more secure when they have friendly or familiar humans in the vicinity. It rather belies the notion that cats are independent and aloof pets. According to the website of cat behavior consultant Pam Johnson-Bennett, cats aren't aloof; they're focused. If they don't respond immediately when you speak to them, it may just be that they are too engrossed in looking for potential prey, like the foot you're about to move underneath your blanket. Cats may show affection by sitting on you or next to you, rubbing against you, bumping their heads into you and licking you..... and in the case of Hecate and Mili when you can provide the outdoors back up to keep away the scarier of the neighborhood toms.

Last Day of Winter

Spring arrives tomorrow, but this past week has been a foretaste of the season ahead. This year winter has been as temperamental as any gardener could wish for, the seasons being an integral element of all the life cycles which give the gardens their interest. The photographs below summarize the glorious meteorological fluctuations we have had in just 3 months of winter. The pristine white of the snow clad hills give way to fantastical rainbows, cold dazzling bright days, interspersed with heavy skies and glorious winter sunsets that close down the shortened daylight hours. Thank goodness for winter but time to welcome the thaw and spring ahead!

More Snow

Although these pictures were taken after the previous lot of snowfall, today has been a repeat performance but with heavy laden skies (less photogenic for the cats) and even greater amounts of snow.

Hecate by the steps

Mili stalking another snowflake

View across the valley

Making any progress in the garden has therefore been frustrated. Cleaning and disinfecting used plant pots and last years plastic trays has been the order of the day. The cheap price of the plastic modules barely makes it worthwhile spending the time to clean them out and reuse them but if we are all endeavouring to use a lot less plastic then gardeners really must do their part. It also means that I stay warm in the conservatory while doing the cleaning rather than getting cold and damp outside.

Christmas on the Hills

If you have noticed a lack of recent posts it is partly down to the seasonal weather but also personal reasons. Hopefully, matters will take a turn for the better, for both family and friends into the New Year. So whilst the human elements of the household may not have been able to enjoy the winter garden quite as much as usual, the wildlife and to a lesser extent the two cats have been outside.

Yesterday was Christmas Eve, so I took the opportunity to venture outside and forage some materials for the modest festive table decorations. There is a tradition dating back thousands of years for bringing inside some greenery to cheer up the darkest days of winter. Holly, ivy, mistletoe originally have all been used in pre-Christian times to help celebrate the Winter Solstice Festival and ward off evil spirits and to celebrate new growth.

I hope you all have a lovely and peaceful Christmas, and as the incomparable Dave Allen would always say "and may your God go with you." Scroll down to see the garden on Christmas Eve including some Brother Cadfael roses in bloom on the patio.

More Challenges

The break in the summer weather has presented Northern gardeners with some new and old challenges. The grass has started to grow again but bald patches and badger damage now need attention.

The upper most part of the garden has seen plants with new shoots munched by the deer and the borders excavated by other hungry wildlife.

Lobelia Cardinalis ravaged by deer

Excavations in the border

The rains and wind have taken their toll on some of the plants. Anything lacking in adequate protection or staking has been vulnerable. Each year I regret not staking just a little more robustly and some flowers will inevitably fall victim to the elements.

However, a top tip do not be in a hurry to discard the fallen. It is possible to rescue some of the flowers and use them like you would any cut flowers. the gladiolus below was brought inside last week, with the addition of a little fern and verbena bonarensis it makes a passable arrangement that lasted days and days.

Weather v Climate

The recent spell of hot weather has been quite a challenge for the nation's gardeners. Here in the north west we have been warned to expect a hosepipe ban at the start of next month. Given that we are in the wettest part of England with the Pennines receiving huge amounts of rainfall each year (often in excess of 2000 mm pa) it seems rather strange that we are one of the first regions (Northern Ireland apart) to have such restrictions on domestic usage.  

I can only assume that there is very serious mismanagement of this vital resource by the water company responsible for our supply. It is quite clear that the infrastructure is in need of proper maintenance. The capture and storage of the autumn, winter and spring rainfall must be urgently reviewed. Why do we have less reservoirs then we did 25 years ago when demand has increased? The profits extracted from the over charged consumers must be investigated and the money used for vital reinvestment in the infrastructure.

Mili by the lower pond

However, in the meantime we must still be sensible. Take a leaf out of Mili's book, keep an eye on your pond water levels. Top up in regular but small amounts, thus avoiding the need for a hosepipe. Brown water might be available (if not contaminated with soapy chemicals). It is important to remember that the wildlife is dependent on your pond. Lawns are hardy and will survive prolonged periods of no rain but your baskets and pots will not. Newly planted specimens will need water for the first few weeks but well established plants particularly larger shrubs and small trees are a much lower priority. 

Mili conserves her energy

It is quite ironic that we might have designed our garden spaces to cope with the increased rainfall that has been the trend over the past decade. Putting the right plant for the right place, (as advocated by Beth Chatto, undoubtedly one of the most influential British garden writers of the last half-century) is now accepted wisdom. 

However, when a semi drought arrives the garden press is full of articles about the benefits of Mediterranean planting schemes! My top tip is definitely, prepare for weather of all types but make long term plans based on climate. Let's hope the water companies are listening as well.

My Gardening Philosophy (or why I enjoy gardening part 2)

It is now a well acknowledged fact that people like to be outside. For me this might be on the golf course or more usually in the garden. This is, of course, related to a connection with the land (or if you prefer, connecting with nature) but for me it is more simple, I get pleasure from just being outside. Being indoors can feel restrictive and irrespective of the weather, I do like to be outdoors. Getting a breath of fresh air is invigorating. Doing the gardening when you are wrapped up against the cold or protected by your second best waterproofs or even gardening in the nice sunshine of a balmy summers day is just wonderful.

According to Simon Worrall in a recent National Geographic article (February 2017) neuroscientists, especially in the U.K. and U.S., are starting to look at how people’s brains respond to different environments. What they’re seeing is that if their volunteers are walking through a city or noisy area, their brains are doing different things than if they are walking in a park [or in your garden]. The frontal lobe, the part of our brain that’s hyper-engaged in modern life, deactivates a little when you are outside. Alpha waves, which indicate a calm but alert state, grow stronger. Buddhist monks, meditators, are also great at engaging alpha waves.

Worrall continues "The Romantic poets emerged during the dawn of industrialization. They saw tremendous benefits to being in places that weren’t crowded or dirty, that were more pastoral, like the Alps. The alpine tour took off in the late 18th century to early 19th century. What was unique about it was that it wasn’t about finding peace in God or finding religion. It was about this more immediate connection to nature and how that spurred our spiritual imaginations, how being in more rural, natural environments made us whole as people."

Being outside is good reason itself for taking up gardening, it gets me out and if we let the weather put us off, to quote a greater thinker than me,

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather". John Ruskin

I am sure this is why I enjoy all the seasons and why climate and weather features so regularly on this blog. Getting fresh air is a good reason to get outside even if the jobs are nearly all complete and the weather a little inclement.  One final quote from an esteemed ex colleague and keen gardener "there is nothing better than a cup of tea outside" Adam P.

Go outside and get some fresh air
good advice for us all