The Park is a Lonely Place in Winter

A Wednesday Worisit

Spotted dotted throughout the grass in the Winter Garden at Dunham Massey earlier this month. I know that I am being lazy and should consult the books but I hope that somebody can enlighten me as to the identity of this attractive specimen.

The Stark Colourless Beauty of Winter

-5° + falling snow = great conditions to test how tough the D300s actually is! Despite being soaking wet and freezing cold by the time I got home the D300s and Nikkor 35mm f1.8G DX combo never missed a beat and came through unscathed. A successful result I think!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day ~ February 2013

I soon put the February grumps behind me yesterday morning, when some most welcome sunshine and these flowers greeted me. There was a distinct hint of spring not being so far away. The hellebores are all unnamed whilst the snowdrop clumps are galanthus nivalis and the double is galanthus nivalis f.pleniflorus  'Flore Pleno'. The left hand snowdrop in the middle row is a named snowdrop - let me introduce you to galanthus nivalis 'Blonde Inge'. She was discovered in 1993 in a Germany cemetery. The name was derived from an old German song, 'Wenn Ich die Blonde Inge mit nach Hause bringe' which translates as 'When I will bring golden-haired Inge home'. If you look closely though at one of the flowers, I think that this Inge is in urgent need of the peroxide bottle for a retouch.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is kindly hosted each month by Carol over at May Dreams Gardens.

Wordless Wednesday - 'Dancing Queen'

Wordless Wednesday ~ 30th January 2013

'Bring Me Sunshine'

"Bring me sunshine!" is what the above clump of snowdrops must have been shrieking out before I rescued them from a mound of leaves yesterday. My fault entirely for not doing this job before now. Changes in the garden last year, including the building of a wall meant that leaves had piled up more than they usually do. I filled two black bin bags yesterday with them so more raw material for making leaf mould, although this clump and two others have suffered. I only hope that they live to tell the tale.

The sunshine was around long enough yesterday for me to spend a little time in the garden although it was on the windy side. The day started off though with me perched on a stool looking out of the living room window for an hour completing the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. As usual on these occasions I'm sure that the birds know that they are being watched and therefore a number of regular customers were reluctant to show their beaks at the open all hours cafe. This year's visitors included blackbirds, long tailed tits, blue tit, coal tit, great tit, wood pigeon, dunnock, wood pigeons, magpies and robin. I live in hope of a parrot or eagle alighting at the bird table but nothing exotic to report this year.

Then outside in the afternoon where I rescued the snowdrops and did some sorting out in the greenhouse. The bite in the wind though made sure that there was no danger of getting carried away and after an hour or so I felt that the warmth of the house was a more attractive proposition. Here the sunny theme continued as we eat our one and only 'Sunshine' red kabocha winter squash for our evening meal. It was cooked in a sort of soupy stew - the other ingredients being onions, cannellini beans, celery, red pepper, herbs, stock and some sliced pork and leek sausage. Some crusty granary bread would have gone down nicely with it but there was none to hand. Having said that it was sufficiently filling without bread. The squash had a most sweet, nutty taste and is a must for this year. Sadly last years sowings which all germinated did not flourish when they were planted. I was fortunate that I had passed a plant along a plant to my allotment neighbour which thrived and that he was generous enough to give me one of the resulting squashes. It had been waiting patiently for just the right moment for consumption. No photo of either squash or stew to illustrate this post but the rest of the evening was filled with the warm glow of summer. Now that we have also consumed the last of the frozen strawberries there are only some shallots remaining from last year's harvest. Time to get sowing again!

Portrait Of A Snowdrop - 'John Gray'

My small collection of named special snowdrops has enjoyed relatively balmy conditions during this cold snap.  Not only have I moved all the pots undercover in anticipation of the rumoured coldest winter for hundred years, himself also treated me to a heater for the greenhouse. This means fingers crossed that there should be no danger of any plants freezing in the greenhouse during the colder months.

There is much discussion about the whys and wherefores of growing snowdrops in pots. I have grown them this way for several years and have found that there are advantages. It allows you to enjoy the flowers at close quarters, to breath in their scent and also to take photos of them without having to squat or lie down, which I can no longer do so easily. Pot culture also thwarts the squirrels and other creatures who might fancy a tasty nibble, although having said that I don't think that snowdrops feature high up on their favourite bulb snacks. On the minus side though is what long periods of sustained below freezing temperatures can do to bulbs grown in pots and I think that this was a factor behind some of my losses a couple of years ago or so. I wrote about that sad state of affairs here but am pleased to say that since then I've been able to replace some of my losses. I originally thought that that I had lost 'John Gray' so purchased a replacement. Maybe the shock of replacing him spurred him back into growth the following year as I now have two pots which are clumping up nicely. It is one of my favourite snowdrops flowering in January. The long term plan now for him and any other duplicate snowdrops is to split them between pots and the ground. I think that I make a start on this when the bulbs are dormant later on in the year.

As to this year I was anticipating some losses after months and months of rain but I've been pleasantly surprised. The first bulbs opened before Christmas and there are others now either open, about to open or to follow soon in February. In the last couple of days I've been making use of the extra light - a combination of sunshine (today) and the reflection of snow, to take a few photos. I have been experimenting by using black card which has been placed behind the snowdrops. It proved hard to prop up between the slats in the staging - my request for help was turned down by himself in favour of watching an FA Cup fixture on the television. Couldn't quite understand why but there you go. I'm still not satisfied with the results but intend to practise further over the coming month as more of the flowers open. More to come on snowdrops soon.

Wordless Wednesday - 23rd January 2013

Oh The Weather Outside is ......

"Frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"

Then I remember that melted snow turns into big puddles of wetness, so I'm not sure that the white stuff would be the answer. The wettest year in England which will no doubt go down in the annals of quiz questions is slowly raining itself out here. We travelled cross country by train, in an easterly direction for the festivities to spend a few days with my mother, before himself had to return to work yesterday.
I made the same journey less than a month ago - it was wet then but has noticeably deteriorated further.  We passed one submerged field after another, submerged shrubs and trees, swollen rivers, underwater sports pitches and playgrounds  - a most bleak and depressing landscape. I have made the same journey regularly over the years and have never seen anything approaching this. It was also more depressing to think that this journey did not take us through the most badly affected regions of the country.

I was on edge whilst we were away as there is a small stream running alongside one of the garden boundaries. I was relieved that nothing untoward had happened in our absence although it was obvious that there had been a good deal of rain whilst we were away. The garden though is sodden and dripping. I have got places to go - I want to get out there to cut away the old foliage from the hellebores, I want to plant the last remaining bulbs and to do some straightening up in the greenhouse. I also want to see my allotment again before I forget what it looks like. However even the inner glow of seasonal chocolate is not fuel enough to get me out there today. Instead I have dabbled with some inside gardening. I have planted a present of a hyacinth bulb up - well planting is an exaggeration. I had to partly fill the vase it came with with water and then place the bulb so that the roots are in contact with the water. It made me feel that I was doing something though however unsubstantial it really was. The hyacinth is 'Aiolos', promising sweetly scented white flowers but initially requiring a spell of at least a couple of months in a cool, dark and airy place according to the instructions.  I'm not sure whether it will need this long, as I can already see a green snout emerging, no doubt prompted by already spending time in a warm environment. I shall hurtle out to the garage soon to find a suitable waiting in the wings place whilst there is still a lull in the rainfall. Then some time to spend flicking through the new Avon Bulbs spring catalogue trying to resist all those enticing snowdrops, before making a start on the annual cull of the contents of the seed boxes this evening. How is your garden faring with the weather and have you managed to do any garden related activities?

Season's Greetings

Wishing anybody who passes by much peace and joy at Christmas! 

The illlustration id one of Cecily Mary Barker's flower fairies. 

'The Unconquered Sun'

"For this is now our turning point
The shortest day, the longest night
We'll look unto the months to come
When the sun will grow both strong and bright

A vessel crown all decked with green
That tells of winter's tales and mirth
Will bring great gladness and much joy
To all who walk upon this earth

And greater than the will of man
Or want of that which can be done
It falls and shines on where we stand
Beneath the great unconquered sun"

~ lyrics from 'The Unconquered Sun' by Steeleye Span.

The winter solstice in the northern hemisphere occurs today at 11.12am. Some interesting facts and figures about the 2102 winter solstice can be found here.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day ~ December 2012

I initially thought that I would be struggling to find blooms for today after this last week's perishing temperatures which have polished off some stragglers. It is is a degree or two warmer and definitely not as wet as yesterday, so I managed to get out into the garden between the showers. Greeting me when I initially stepped out into the porch with my camera was a glorious rainbow. In the north facing courtyard in front of the house a few erigeron mucronatus plants are still showing flowers. Although not as prolific as they were back in the summer this plant deserves a medal for its sheer length of flowering time. I liked the one above which is shyly tucked in one of the corners of the house walls. Galanthus 'Faringdon Double' is making slow progress - here it is photographed on 21st November. It is an early flowerer and multiplies well. It is difficult to see that the flowers are double unless you tip the pot up but I did not fancy doing that. I bought my pots of special snowdrops into the greenhouse to protect them in the cold snap - now a decision needs to be made whether to keep them in there, or bring them back out. I think that I could be playing a game of yo - yo all winter if I go for the latter option. Out in the garden helleborus 'Angel Glow' has opened another flower but it will be next month before this gets into full flow. There are other hellebores in bud so my to do list includes removing last year's foliage in the very near future.

Finally in the house on a north facing windowsill, an African violet is providing me with pleasure. Now although not worthy of an entry in the Guiness Book Of Records, the very fact that I've kept a houseplant alive for more than three and half years is an EVENT of almost world shattering proportions. The plant was given to me as a leaf cutting in April 2009 by my mother and is still alive to tell the tale. It was smothered with flowers this summer and is now showing a much smaller but equally appreciated show. The leaves are however looking slightly anaemic so it will require repotting before long.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is kindly hosted each month by Carol over at May Dreams Gardens. It is the ideal signpost to a world of gardening blogs where you will linger and no doubt add to your wish list.

Déjà Vu

Yes it's that time of year again - I have just realised that Christmas is just over two weeks away and that I have much to do including finishing off my bulb planting. The goal is to have them all in before year's end. It's the same scenario each year, probably not helped by buying too many bulbs and then by being foolishly tempted by bargains. A week or so ago I came across the tail end of the bulbs at Wilkos. From being 3 for 2 bags, prices fell dramatically overnight so much so that I picked up 120 narcissus 'Tête - à- tête'. Resistance was absolutely futile. That must be my bargain of the year. I was also seduced by the  online Sarah Raven bulb sale, which resulted in a bumper bag of tulips arriving in the post a couple of weeks ago.

The writing of Christmas cards was top of the agenda for this afternoon but but I have finally given in and succumbed to the large glazed blue pot, which has been glaring at me reproachingly for some time, whilst I've been looking out of the window from the kitchen sink. It had got to the stage where I could no longer enjoy washing the dishes without acute pangs of guilt.This pot was once planted with a colourful display of tulips which had petered out over the last year or so. This spring's show was absolutely paltry, so I made a mental note at the time to plant anew. I had purchased some 'Spring Green' and 'Mount Tacoma' with this purpose in mind but then had doubts as to whether the colour of the pot would complement them. I decided instead to try to find the same bulbs that had been planted in there - a combination of 'Havran', 'Prinses Irene' and 'Couleur Cardinal'. I had originally purchased these as a collection from Sarah Raven and really liked the colour combination. I dillied and dallied so much so that the net result was that I could not locate this trio from one single source.

Then in the Sarah Raven sale the solution was staring me in the face - another of her collections in similar colours, this time 'Ballerina', 'Doll's Minuet' and 'Black Hero'. Full marks to Sarah Raven for the speed with which the order was despatched and also for the comprehensive booklet of planting instructions that came with the order.  I wrapped myself up in various layers after lunch braving an rather unpleasant blustery wind and did the deed. Himself then obliged with anti - squirrel measures, which hopefully will prevent keep their snouts until the bulbs are well established enough to resist. So the bulb mountain has diminished slightly. I think that it will be a case of little and often over the next few days weather and frozen fingers permitting. Have you got all your bulbs in yet or are you like me racing against an ever ticking clock?

Side street in Malmö Sweden

A small side street in Malmö Sweden. The old parts of the city are just beautiful, and a treat to explore!

Taken with the cheapest Nikon point and shoot camera we could find last year, the Nikon Coolpix L21. Not bad considering it only cost about US$50! That's less than taking my family to eat out at a cheap restaurant... ;-)

A Snowdrop Open Day

Sparkling winter sunshine and snowdrops were very much the order of the day when we visited Abbeywood Gardens, in Cheshire yesterday morning. I penned the date in my diary as soon as I read that the gardens were holding their first snowdrop open day. Snowdrop events always seem to be hundreds of miles away adrift in the south and here was one almost on my doorstep! As well as a woodland area studded with these beauties, there were many more treasures (some 180 different varieties) planted in 'Jane's Garden', where the plantswoman behind the name has created a magical winter garden. Here Jane Rowlinson describes how her love affair with snowdrops started - do have a read.

Here are just a few of the stars of the show ~

You will have noticed the glistening white stuff on the ground. Late on Saturday night we had a cocktail of hail, sleet and snow. I am sure that Jane must have been on tenterhooks, as if the temperatures had really dropped overnight, both the snowdrops and the many hellebores in the garden would have not been able to do themselves justice. As it was the weather was made to order - if anything almost too bright for taking photos. I would have preferred to visit later in the day but was not able to do so, which meant that I've had to crop my shadow or himself's shadow out of several photos. There were some more agile photographers who took the prostrate on the ground position to take their shots but this is not for me - well not in a public place anyway.

As well as snowdrops there other bulbs and plants to catch the eye including many hellebores and one that struck me which I think is a red leaved bergenia - must find out which variety as its colour really complimented its neighbours ~

My wish list grew and grew as we walked round. I could hear himself groaning. Two must haves now are galanthus plicatus 'Madeleine' ~

and below galanthus nivalis 'Alan's Treat' which really pulled at my heartstrings as my Dad's name was Alan. I saw this in a catalogue earlier this year and paused - now that I have seen it in the flesh I will make a bee line for it next time I see it for sale ! 

We will definitely return to see how the snowdrops in 'Jane's Garden' and the woodland progress - over 40,000 snowdrops were planted in 2011 and the planting continues. However before then I have persuaded himself to point the campervan in the of Abbeywood Gardens later this year. There is a campsite nearby just right for a long weekend. There are more garden areas to explore at Abbeywood including an exotic garden and vegetable garden, Delamere Forest is on the doorstep and just down the road there is a cafe which makes the most delicious blts. The latter incentive was the deciding factor as far as himself is concerned but sometimes bribery works.

P.S. Athough this years snowdrop open day is done and dusted the Abbeywood website advises that visitors are welcome by appointment throughout February.

Wordless Wednesday ~ 25th January 2012.

~ growing in The Winter Garden at Dunham Massey ~ 23/01/2012.

January Sales

Going about my business about this morning, hood well over head to protect myself from the incessant drizzle, I was still not sufficiently incognito to be recognised by a fellow garden club member. We stopped for a brief chat, during which I was shown her purchase from the local high street florist. The word sale was mentioned so I just had to pop in to the shop for a reccie. I was delighted that I did. I came out clutching a maidenhair fern for 50p - my first horticultural bargain of the year. My track record with houseplants is slowly improving. I have now managed to keep an African violet alive for almost three years so I am keen to have a few more indoor specimens. Where it is going to go I'm not quite sure but at the price I simply had no choice but to liberate it from the shelf. Once in the shop I was captivated and had to have a good look round. I could not resist a pot of instant spring colour. This oh most prettily wrapped pot of 'Tete a Tete' daffodils will be a perfect replacement for the hyacinths that occupied my blue pot over the festive season.

Have you snaffled up a bargain in the January sales? Do confess - they say it's good for the soul.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ~ January 2012

The start of January saw roses still in bloom but a couple of  overdue but seasonal sharp frosts have finally put paid to such curious goings on. I am somewhat relieved - it was all most confusing.  A quick reccie earlier this afternoon revealed a scene similar to the middle of January 2009. There are clusters of snowdrops about to fully open, one or two hellebores already out with other buds in various stages of unfurling whilst the red flowers of the rather camera shy pulmonaria rubra 'Redstart' have been doing their stuff for some time ~

Near the house I have planted a sarcococca confusa in a pot - its little white flowers are insignificant unlike its scent which is packed with intoxicating punch . I have another older plant which is straggly and still to flower. Maybe time for the chop. There are primroses too and winter flowering heathers (himself's  choice). Before I succumbed to frostbite I spotted a pot of crocus 'Firefly' close to opening. Now that does seem early but I am going to disappear into my photographic archives to investigate - much more reliable than my memory. Then time for a warming drink whilst I visit other January blooms thanks to May Dreams Gardens.

Nipping It In The Bud

Yesterday looked as if it was going to be one of those January days ~ the morning dawned cool, dull and the fine drizzle developed into full scale rain. Definitely a write off for any outdoor activities or so I thought but it eventually brightened up. After lunch I decided to potter in the greenhouse and to make a quick inspection of the estate. In the greenhouse the sweet peas I sowed almost in the middle of November have made a fair bit of growth. These were sown much later than normal as I had such poor germination with the first batch. These second sowings have germinated well (not all of them but enough). I was worried that it may be too late to get them going but apart from the one snowfall in December, we have had hardly any really cold nights so far. Time then to nip off the growing points as recommended to make for more sturdy and floriferous plants.

My small tray of cuttings looks happy and healthy so far - the above photo was taken in the third week of November.  I did not take many cuttings last autumn - perhaps I had visions of another extremely cold winter which would involve wrapping myself and cuttings with infinite swathes of horticultural fleece. In the event I wish I taken more. However there are a few penstemons, a pretty little purple Swan River daisy, some pinks from my Mum's garden, lemon verbena which I delighted in stroking to release a whiff of delicious scent and some physocarpus opulifolius 'Diablo'. There are also a few cuttings of an edible plant which will briefly remain a mystery as it merits a blog post of its own.

I got caught up with some general tidying up in the greenhouse and sowed some seed for Veg Plotting's 'The 52 Week Salad Challenge', so in the end not much time to look at what was happening in the garden. It was exciting though to  see that another three of my little named snowdrop collection may open this week - 'Wendys Gold', 'John Gray' and 'Faringdon Double'. No doubt I will be running out every day whatever the weather to check on their progress.