HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Haven't been on here for a while, seem to have been very uninspired to do anything in the garden for a while. the weather has been wet and windy but a couple of days ago I had an afternoon doing a few odd jobs out there and felt much better for it. Finally got round to replanting my tulip bulbs which should have been put in a couple of months ago and were starting to shoot as if to remind me they should be in the ground.

Anyway here are the photos I took this morning.

rogan says it's cold out here and are the hailstones from yesterday still laying on the ground?

No ice on this pond, just a covering of duckweed.

The Fuschias should be in the warm but the daffodils are peeping through, spring is round the corner.

There has been rather a lot of rain to dance in and one or two fierce storms as well.

still not coming out!

a few hailstones left from yesterday.

There was ice on the table. Bill and Ben the Flower Pot Men have got cold bottoms! Little Weed is laughing.

Haven't sat in my chair for a while.

The last of the flowers on my Mahonia.

A few Bluebells coming through over Tara cat's grave

She has been flowering all winter despite Smudge cat using this part of the garden as a litter tray.

And we move into the vegetable patch with my overwintering onions,

carrots,

broad beans

and leeks.

The Tree Spirit keeps watch.

I wonder if anyone is using my bug hotel made from bamboo in an old tin can and placed in my archway .

 

Now we come to the front garden, with my lonely twisted Hazel outside my front door.

Looking across the garden to my Witch hazel, she came into flower just in time for Christmas.

This baby gargoyle sits guard over the coal bunker.

I didn't have much fruit from my Loganberry or my Blueberries last summer, but they seem much happier since I repotted them in pots i had for my birthday in July, the Loganberry even had a baby so I'm hoping for a better yield this year. Apparently i should start to feed in February.

The last of the flowers on my winter flowering Jasmine, she has done well this year.

And the Viburnam is well in flower and has been on and off all year, giving off her subtle aroma.

And then I started playing with my macro lens to get the following photos.

Think the Heather flowers look like miniature mice!

Must use this lens more often I think.

 

Working in the front garden this afternoon. First of all a quick look at who's in flower now.

Elijahs tears

Kaffir lily

Winter Jasmin

Viburnum

My pots of Pansies.

An old sink with winter flowering heathers, underplanted with tulips to flower in the spring.

Another Viburnum, a cutting from the first one.

I try to keep something flowering all year round, both for my benefit and for the wildlife as well.

But now to work.

A while ago I cut the Budlea down and left the trash in a pile on my pocket handkerchief of a lawn, today I decided to start to deal with the pile

With the help of my trusty garden shredder. My garden is hard on shredders, this is model number 3. Number 1 broke it's blade and it was a cheap own brand one from B&Q and I couldn't get replacement, then I bought a Draper  because I could get replacement blades but the motor burned out, I wonder what will happen to number 3 and how long it will last.

I managed to shred about half  the pile and filled the bag twice, which I spread as a mulchover the bed next to the path.