A rather snowy week

 I am rather pleased that this week is over. While I can appreciate the beauty of the snow, after a day or two of the disruption it always causes in the UK, I am heartily thankful to see the back of it. I think we have so much difficulty when it does snow because we are just not ready for it every year.   Last year, there was only a bit and this year, up to this week, a light dusting occasionally.  So when it descends on us in any quantity, everything grinds to a halt. Countries who get the snow every year are much better prepared for it precisely because they expect it and are ready.

 My Magnolia Fairy Blush did look very pretty with the frozen water droplets on its leaves.

 I hope it has survived the cold snap.

 This was Tuesday - not too bad, although cold, but the snow melted quickly.

 This was Wednesday.  Yes, very pretty and I love the way that snow muffles all the sounds.  We walked to work but were sent home at 12.30.  Having an extra day or two off work was a really welcome bonus!

 I did take pity on my box bushes and removed the snow as it was pressing the branches down.

 My poor plants!  However, the dustbin and compost bags look better with their snow hat.

 Impressive icicles on next door's guttering.

Some more impressive icicles on our guttering (this was yesterday).

Even the pots at the front door had icicles of their own.  I am pleased to say that the snow has melted now.  I am not sure how much damage it has done as I haven't insulated as many pots in the back garden as in previous years, but I hope plants have survived. We shall see.

Looking forward to Spring

I like looking at Winter - snow enveloping familiar landmarks and creating a quiet atmosphere, dark branches silhouetted against frosty blue skies, winter sunrises and sunsets - but I don't much like the cold.  This winter in particular, my hands have been suffering a lot thanks to Raynaud's Syndrome, which I have had since I was fourteen.  It is where extremities are ultra sensitive to temperature and the blood vessels constrict, cutting off circulation.  My fingers go white and numb and I then have to work at getting the circulation going again.  Irritating and sometimes painful, but not life threatening, I am pleased to say. 
I am always cheered by the sight of snowdrops and other winter flowering bulbs.  My snowdrops in the garden are starting to flower and are a sign that winter will soon be over.

 Cyclamen coum will be flowering next month, but the buds are preparing themselves.

 As I have mentioned before (just once or twice), snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers as their delicacy belies their inbuilt toughness.  They don't seem to be worried by the winter weather.

I noticed more signs of life with the tips of some crocuses just starting to show above the extremely soggy soil - you can tell that it has been very wet!

I always want to add more colour to the winter garden and decided that I needed this plant; 'Nandina Domestica Firepower', which is a small shrub with lovely autumn and winter leaf colour, and white flowers in Spring.  

I was sorry to hear on last week's 'Gardeners' Question Time' (Radio 4) that Chris Beardshaw does not like Nandinas and rather dismissed them.  I shall enjoy my little plant, which has already given me a lot of pleasure through the dull winter weather.

Snowdrop progress and a blue sky

 As yesterday was such a beautiful day, I thought I would go out and check on the snowdrops.  There was sunshine and a lovely blue sky (something we haven't seen too much of this dull and grey winter).

 Definite progress made now, but still not open flowers.

 I think they were all from my Mum's garden.  They are quite tall with large flowers, but I don't know the variety.

 Nearly open...just a bit more sunshine needed, I think.

Again, I'm not sure which variety this is.  I did have some galanthus elwesii, but that has thicker leaves than this one.  As I have said many times before, snowdrops are one of my favourite plants.  Their delicate and elegant form belies their toughness.

Cheerful things

 In a rather dull and grey winter, it is always cheering to see signs of growth and the promise of Spring.  While winter can be lovely when it gives blue skies and wintry sunshine, the dull days can seem very long.  I was in the garden and noticed the snowdrops starting to poke their heads up. It won't be long before they are in flower.

 Another little clump in the garden.

 A very welcome splash of yellow is provided by winter flowering jasmine, with its straggly stems.  The flowers do make up for its untidy habit.

I also found the noses of one of my patio peonies (I think this one is 'Athens') with the promise of beautiful flowers in late Spring/Early Summer.  This is a really encouraging sight.
I have also just bought a rhododendron 'Tinkerbird' which is meant to be happy in a pot as it is a dwarf variety.  It is supposed to be very hardy, having been bred in Scotland and is also said to have a jasmine scent in May.  My plant is looking healthy and has lots of buds.  I will let you know how I get on with it.

Winter in the garden

 This was the sky at sunrise this morning and today has proved to be rather windy, with rubbish bins blowing over outside.  'Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning' indeed.

In the garden, the snowdrops are in flower and these started flowering in December.

 I think this variety came from my mum's garden.

 The winter flowering jasmine still has a few flowers in it, and you can see the leaves starting to grow.  It began flowering in December too.

The winter flowering honeysuckle is also still in bloom, and yes, this also started flowering in December, which is really early for this plant.  Normally, it doesn't start flowering until late January.
It really needs a bit of sun in order to release the beautiful lily of the valley fragrance.  Lots of bulbs are starting to show their leaves too and there are more snowdrops to look forward too.  I haven't spent that much time in the garden recently, but I have been making plans.  Lots of plants need to be re-potted...

Winter has arrived

It can't be denied any longer, yesterday morning, Winter had definitely arrived with the first real frost of the season. I took a few photos of the frost on the plants - above is one of the blueberries.

It looked like a dusting of icing sugar on the flowers of Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle.

 They looked really quite beautiful.

 Frost on the rose leaves...

... and highlighting the edges of the Penstemon leaves

Although it means that autumn is over, Winter does has its own beauty.

Thoughts of Spring (in the depths of Winter...still!) and a meditation on Works in Progress

 I know that people in the UK are famed for their obsession with the weather.  This is a fact and one which I am not going to dispute.  I am going to conform to this stereotype and talk about the weather (briefly).  As I write, there is a covering of snow outside with a freezing wind coming from Siberia and winter has definitely decided to show it is not over yet.  So, to cheer myself up, I shall allow my thoughts to stray to lovely Spring-like patterns of material.

 As you know, I am someone who likes to have lots of hobbies and projects on the go.  This is all very well, but having so many things that I enjoy means that I have to spread my time between them and consequently, there are many, many works in progress.  I do occasionally finish some of them, but there are many more in my head as well as started and not finished.  You may remember that I did make some Christmas bunting which I actually finished and was pleased with, despite some slight problems with measuring.  I had a brainwave the other day and rashly suggested to Chris how nice it would be to have seasonal bunting to add some colour to our rather neutral sitting room.  He agreed and off I went to order some material to add to the rather interesting stash I already have (much of which is not suitable for this project).  These photos show the results of my internet shopping.

They are chintzy and floral and gorgeous! I am particularly fond of the paisley inspired one in the photo above.  Now all I have to do is to get on with the bunting making.  Oh, I also need to make some things for the Spring/Easter swap which needs to be posted this week, oh, and make some jewellery, oh, and then I would really like to learn to crochet so that I can make some flowers and then there is the Kumihimo braiding I need to do and the wirework...*Sigh*...rolls eyes heavenwards...

Winter images

 The above photo was taken when I was visiting my friend at her Granny's house.  This was once a beautifully espaliered pear tree (I think) and the training of the branches was easy to make out.  However, it hadn't been pruned in quite a while and had developed this fantastic tracery of branches, making their wayward growth towards the sky.  There was a lovely bright blue sky behind them, but I think it would have been even more effective against a dark stormy sky, or with a full moon.  I think this would make a great book cover - something like Wuthering Heights or perhaps a gothic horror.  Very atmospheric.

 This morning, I was out in the garden, battling with the strong wind, and there I saw these brave little snowdrops, looking so delicate, but able to withstand the winter weather.

They are one of my favourite flowers and seeing them immediately puts me into a more positive frame of mind - Spring isn't all that far away.

And finally, the picture of contentment has to be this one of Scruffy, taken last night.  We had the fire on, the curtains drawn and had settled down to watch a film.  Does life get any better?

One goal down... winter thoughts

Following on from my thoughts for this year, I have achieved one of the list items, namely, a calf length dressing gown. OK, not very exciting, granted, but definitely useful for when lounging about whilst drinking several cups of tea and trying to force yourself to face the day. I would have really liked a cotton one, but have had to settle for a lilac fluffy one instead. It was quite a bargain in the sales, so I was reasonably pleased.
Going back to work this last week has been a shock to the system and, after discussing this with colleagues, we came to the conclusion that having to get up when it is still dark, and having to be prompted by an alarm clock, has messed up the natural order of things. Once the mornings are lighter, we'll all leap out of bed with renewed vigour. (I can't say that I ever leap out of bed with vigour, even in the summer months, but we can always hope!)
My garden is looking incredibly battered and sorry for itself. I am itching to get out there and have a few hours sorting things out, but I know that while it is still deepest winter, it is best to leave well alone. I am contenting myself with gardening books and plant catalogues and am being tempted by all sorts of lovely things. Spring seems a long way away, but in a couple of months, things will look very different and the daffodils will be out. (The photo is one I took this morning when I went out and noticed this rather bedraggled but brave little viola, valiantly trying to flower despite the cold - that's the spirit!)