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.

 

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.

 

My Gardening Philosophy (reasons I enjoy gardening part 6)

Even in the depths of winter there is a lot to be said for getting outside and pottering in the garden. This week I have been able to swap over the contents of the different compost bays, tidied up a few of the dead material from some of the beds and done some work rearranging and repotting of the tubs on the patio. The garden still needs attention even if it just making a temporary repairs to the excavations made by the resident badgers.

It does us all good to get some fresh air and the mental well being you get from being outside is a really good reason to enjoy gardening especially at this time of the year. Even Hecate and Mili can be prompted to shrug  off their winter lethargy when they both come out into the garden to supervise the jobs.

The atmosphere may seem thick with the pervading mizzle that damps the fur but both cats get an obvious boost of vitality and energy from being outside, even if their appetite for the cold means they retreat indoors some time before their human! However, they have had their dose of the outside and I am certain have a renewed universal sense of well being.

"Every time I talk to a savant I feel quite sure happiness is no longer a possibility, yet when I talk with my gardener I am convinced of the opposite" Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)

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.

Mid Winter

 January is always a challenging month for gardeners, but this s
year it feels like the elements have continually conspired against us. Prolonged periods of snow and then rain have totally saturated the soil. Obviously this means we should stay off the borders and be careful to not tread too frequently on the lawn; easier said than done when you need to access the shed!

The occasional nice day is so welcome and gardeners and cats are desperate to make the most of them.

The sunny days might be infrequent but are appreciated all the more for their rarity. All the pictures were taken this month, most of them on Friday! It is difficult not to be impatient waiting for spring but there is still so much to be appreciated in the depths of winter. The grasses, for instance, provide year round interest.

However, today it is windy and rainy again, so it is back to indoor jobs, washing out and disinfecting the pots.