When you write about
gardening it makes you acutely aware of the changes in the season. On
our way to and from school each day we can take several routes so
each day can bring something new along the paths, in the hedgerows
and on the trees. January brings with it many problems such as the
days are still quite short and it is often colder than December. All
this and the glitz, glamour and excitement at the anticipation of
Christmas has long passed. A first glance at many gardens and they
seem half dead and muddy but delve deeper and there are treasures to
be found.
My early flowering daffodils
are now famous throughout the neighbourhood. As they were in bloom in
December now six weeks later they are looking a little past their
best. I can see the green shoots of the crocuses and narcissi we
planted to ensure some spring colour in the front garden. Round the
back it's more of a case of what has survived but the new green shots
on the fuchsia (yes Dad the one you gave us!) are a sign of brighter
days to come.
Under the kitchen window and
in the shelter of the house is the parsley. I'm rather proud of this
as I grew the parsley from seed last year. Despite some heavy cutting
at times it has thrived and obviously has worked out as excellent
value rather than continually buying pots of it. Around it the thyme,
oregano and mint are all starting to come back. It seems though that
the Yorkshire climate is not suited to sage which is a shame as I use
quite a bit of it.
Once again the geraniums
continue to defy the seasons. These are same geraniums that have now
spent two winters outside through rain, frost and snow but yet the
leaves stay green and the buds are ready to come out soon.
If any nursery or seed
company wish to buy them off for testing as to why they remain
indestructible then I'm open to offers! I fear though they may want
to wipe out my variety as it means I haven't needed to buy any more
to replace them.
One final shot is purely for
the hydrangea lovers. There's not been that much frost to damage the
flower heads and now the old hydrangea blooms are protecting the
green shoots further down the stem. I daren't venture any further
into the garden at the moment as the grass is so muddy but hopefully
the sunshine that has graced us this week will keep coming back and
help dry the ground out.
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It's amazing what you see once you look past all the shades of green, there is so much going on!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe your daffs are almost done! Already!! I've moved my fuchsias into the greenhouse now, and this post was a good reminder to go and check on them, thanks! Let's hope the mud subsides a little x
ReplyDeleteAlways appreciating hydrangeas - ALWAYS!
ReplyDeleteMy geraniums have been our for two years straight and always come back healthy and strong (with me that's laziness as opposed to gardening experimentation!) Last winter it ended up as a withered dead-looking brown stick and the in Spring - boom - it was back!
Loving how much is going on in your garden lovely - thanks for joining in again Jibbery Parsley Jabbery x
So many hints of spring so I really am hoping that winter doesn't have any nasty surprises for us. My daffs will however be late as I was so late planting the bulbs!
ReplyDeleteit's looking like spring on your side. the only daffodils i see around here are in pits at the store. enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWow your daffs are simply incredible for flowering that early! Our crocuses flowered this week! But the hard frost has seen off our geraniums sadly.
ReplyDeleteLove the crop of parsley you have there x #HDYGG
I was a lazy gardener when I lived in the UK, I just left the garden during winter and when the spring came i cut back all the dead stuff, i think by leaving all the dead foliage it provided the garden with a protective layer against the frost, many plants survived every year despite my mother telling me they would die
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