Some winter colour

 

The last couple of days I’ve only been taking a quick look round as it’s been too cold too linger.

Foxy is keeping an eye on the plot for me, as he does year round from under the rose Pretty Lady. 

I keep the ivy well trimmed so he stays visible.

 

 

Some winter colour continues to be provided by these primroses.

For various reasons I’ve never done well growing carrots so wasn’t going to try again this year but I’ve been given some Chantenay Royal seeds.  According to person who gave them to me I should sow them on the longest day, Friday 21st June, to hopefully  avoid carrot fly which is a problem on our site.

Have a good week!

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Windowsill plants

At the moment the only plants that I have on the windowsill at home are this small house leek, in a three inch clay pot, and a spider plant.

      

 

The three pots each planted with three hyacinths which have been in a cool, dark place since I planted them.  This is the best pot with the tallest plant now about a couple of inches high.

 

I tried growing gazania rigens Talent Yellow from seed last year without success.  I’ve bought some more to try again, and hope to do better this time.

 

I generally grow one or two tomato plants in pots on the windowsill but they’ve never done that well but I keep trying.  This year it will be with the variety Tiny Tim.

It rained for much of yesterday, and today it’s sunny but much colder with the temperature feeling around 0C.  It looks like staying like that until at least the middle of next week so I’ll be just taking a quick look round the plot most days.

Have a good weekend!

Winter plotting

Thanks to reasonable weather for this time of year I’ve carried on plotting almost every day again last week.  Digging out and sieving compost, along with hoeing and weeding has kept me warm but I’m glad to go home for tea and biscuits after a couple of hours.

Looking round the crocuses Snow Bunting aren’t far off flowering and the primroses continue to delight.

     

The collomia grandiflora did well again last year but as always self-seeded over on the next door plot so as usual I’ve dug up the plants and replanted them in the flower patch.

Other plants of note include the chocolate coloured sedum flower heads and the bright green poached egg plant foliage.

   

For one reason and another I won’t be doing much winter plotting next week, and it looks like it’s going to get noticeably colder by next weekend so I’ll be spending time armchair gardening browsing through the J.Parker’s Wholesale Catalogue Spring 2019.

Have a good week!

Tree following, January 2019

As I mentioned last month Pat, The Squirrelbasket, is continuing to host Tree Following this year, and both Liz and myself will be following trees again.

Liz, over in Lexington, Kentucky,  will probably follow the witch hazel outside her dining room window.

I think I’ll follow this apple tree across the roadway next to the water tank on a nearby, untended plot.

If you want to see what Tree Following is all about, and maybe even follow one, then please click on the link.

 

Have a good weekend!

Armchair gardening

I often talk about armchair gardening and wish that I could do it like this!

Have a good week!

I find it surprising…

that I’m still plotting almost daily at this time of year but making the most of the good weather has really been worthwhile, and I should be well prepared to start planting and sowing in the spring.

As well as the crocuses that I mentioned almost a month ago the daffodils have now started appearing.  There’s also new growth on the sedums.

That’s not all as it’s the same with both the asters and perennial  cornflowers.

  

I’ve not known what day of the week it’s been recently but the horticultural society trading shed reopens on Sunday and next week sees a return to a normal routine.  I’ll also be thankful when it starts getting noticeably lighter in the mornings.

Have a good weekend!

My thanks

I hope that you all had a good Christmas, mine was quiet and relaxing.

My thanks to those who sent me a card/ecard, and to Nikki, over in southern California, who also  sent me this lovely cat face wooden coaster.

 

 

 

I’ve spent a couple of hours most mornings on the plot.  It’s surprising that the strawberry plants are only now starting to die back with the leaves changing from green to red then yellow and finally brown.

 

 

The growing year ended better than expected thanks to a good autumn, which made up for the cool wet spring and dry hot summer which made it rather challenging at times.  Next year will be my 12th full season and I’m looking forward to it as always.

My thanks to everyone who has stopped by here to read my posts and look at the pictures, and especially to those of you who have kindly commented.

Have a good week and happy New Year!