Well it's been nearly a month since I've managed to do anything of note in the garden - apart from potting up the bare rooted Hostas - because it's either been too cold or too wet. So I was determined to get out there for a couple of hours today, even 'though there is a cold wind. The photo is of the Photinia plant I bought last month.
The first job was to sweep up the leaves which gave me a chance to see what's out and and what's coming up. The first surprise was to note that the small patch of grass I re-seeded about six weeks ago is coming up. I didn't expect them to germinate until spring. Then I noticed that the Vinca minor, Rosemary and Fuchsia Lottie Hobby are flowering which is very late and the Pelargoniums in the window box are continuing to flower too. In the veg area the Alpine Strawberries are still growing and I picked one ripe fruit. And it was good to see that the Peas are still doing well.
My first Snowdrop is in bud (they usually flower in January) and there are a number of Primroses out now. Lots of the Narcissus are poking through as are most of the Dutch Iris! And the Aquilegias have plenty of new leaves. I dead-headed the Pansies and Cyclamen and rearranged some of the pots on the patio now that the Heliotropes have completely died back. They have been replaced by the Skimmias.
Then it was matter of cutting back some of the herbaceous perennials which were looking untidy such as Geranium and Digitalis and pulling out some self-seeded Briza Maxima which can take over if I'm not careful. I topped up the water feature but left the bell cloche in place because there are still some leaves yet to fall. I also watered some of the plants in the greenhouse and picked off a few yellowing or mouldy leaves. The parsley seedlings are just getting their first true leaves - they seem to be taking forever - so they can be potted on soon.
It was great to get out there again but I'm glad to be back in the warm.
Georgie
