I’m sure I can safely say that gardeners here in the UK will more than happy to see the back of this month which, apart from anything else, has been far too wet. I had to laugh, and indeed sympathise, at Wellywoman’s comment on my last post where she said…I’ve even started to get bored with me whinging about the weather. I’ve read that for parts of England it’s been the wettest January since records began!
It’s been a month for armchair gardening and luckily I’ve had two excellent gardening books to read. I’ve just done the book giveaway draw and it was Caro’s name that I picked out of the hat.
I did the Big Garden Birdwatch but only saw small numbers of a few birds – blackbird, blue tit, chaffinch, magpie and robin.
Talking of birds plot neighbour Trevor recently told me that he thinks a young female sparrowhawk has taken up residence in the trees down at the far end of the allotments. If it has then I’m certainly looking forward to seeing it.
I had a look round the plot on Monday when I saw these first crocuses. I’m wondering how they’ve fared since as yesterday was a really miserably cold, wet and windy day.
Hopefully February will be a better, that is drier, month as it’s now starting to get lighter and we’re all getting just a little bit more impatient to get plotting again.
Have a good weekend!
Flighty's plot 
In between the wind & rain I have managed to do a fair bit here. I’ve been lucky enough to catch the weather just right. No crocus yet but my daffs seem to be making their way up. Have a good weekend
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Joanne lucky you. I’m looking forward to seeing the crocus and daffodils. Thanks, and you too. xx
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Oh how exciting! I’ve just seen that I’m the lucky recipient of your book giveaway! Thank you for the link, Flighty – I’m thrilled to have this book to look forward to reading. It’s wet again today (as you know!) but, funnily enough, I don’t mind it – as long as it’s not pouring down and I’m walking miles from home! I feel it’s to be expected in the winter months and gives a chance to get other jobs done. I also have a tiny balcony where I can potter and sow seeds in the dry 🙂
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PS. I’ve been noticing the lengthening days and have daffs and wild garlic coming up in the garden – I haven’t got round to planting crocuses here yet! They’re hardy little plants so hopefully yours will have survived! Have a good weekend!
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Caro I sent you an email earlier today that you’d won. Congratulations, I’m sure that you’ll find it really useful. Nor me providing that it’s not windy and I’ve got an umbrella.
That’s true, but I tend to find that I end up not doing all those other jobs. Lucky you. xx
Like you I’ve lots of daffodils now appearing. These are just a few stray crocuses not the two groups I’ve got. Thanks and you too. xx
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Well done on the draw, Caro 🙂
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lovely post Mike my book turn up yesterday that I won on Joanne’s blog
http://jo-thegoodlife.blogspot.co.uk/ really is a nice read nearly forgot to make tea have a blessed weekend 🙂
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Linda thanks. I’m glad that you’re enjoying reading the book, and I’m sure that you’ll also find it very useful. Thanks, and you too. xx
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Well I have to agree with Wellywoman, I’m bored with hearing myself complain about rain too…and to think some parts of the world are desperate for it….the ground is a swamp isn’t it? Glad to see your crocus are out, mine are popping up but not as advanced as yours.
Well done Caro, I hope you enjoy the book.xxx
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Snowbird you, me and everybody by the look of it. Yes, the allotments are soggier than ever today. Just these crocus so far, the rest have a way to go yet. xx
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Yes, I will be amongst those who are glad to see the back of January. I would rather have had some snow than all the practically-incessant rain. I’m just glad I don’t live in Somerset! My Iris Reticulata are just showing some colour now, and they could do with some sunshine.
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Mark much as I don’t like snow I do agree with you. Me too, it must be heartbreaking for some people. I think that we could all do with some sunshine. Cheers.
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Another dull day here today, though it isn’t raining…yet. It was very wet last weekend and I recorded very few birds in the Big Garden Birdwatch count. Sparrowhawks are beautiful birds, but you won’t have many others around if she hangs around. Congratulations to Caro, I’m sure she’ll enjoy the book.
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Jo just dull here yesterday, but raining again today. I wonder if the count will be low generally this year. They are indeed, and we’ll have to see if she does. I’m sure she will. xx
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I have enjoyed seeing so many flowers come out so early this year, so it has been great from that point of view but you are right the rain does get you down. It is frustrating when you are desperate to get on and the garden is a swamp. But how lovely to have a crocus out. Watch out for that sparrow hawk; I had one nesting in my garden one year. He got all my blue tits and a whole family of fly catchers.
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Chloris that is the up side of relatively mild weather. It sure is annoying. I’ll be keeping an eye for it and seeing what happens. xx
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Just got in from my writing group. The ditches are overflowing all around us here, so I’m hoping we won’t have anymore rain otherwise we will look like Somerset before much longer. My neighbour, Joan said she has a sparrow hawk that now lives in her garden, because she likes to feed the birds, it like to feed on them… a sort of take-away for sparrow hawks I suppose 🙂
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Paula the ditches on the allotments are full to overflowing. At least sparrowhawks only kill to feed, which is every few days, and they’re also a sign of good garden health. xx
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I feel very lucky – I now have 2 robins in the garden – love is obviously in the air and this must mean spring is nearly here – fingers crossed anyway! Glad you’ve got some early flowers, Flighty!
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janre lucky you. This year’s plot robin has been rather elusive so far, having heard it more often than seen it. I hope so, said with fingers crossed. Thanks. xx
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Please could you send some of that rain here! It tried to rain here this morning but it didnt even wet the concrete. I love crocuses.
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Sharon you’re welcome to it as we’ve had more than enough. Me too, and grow lots. xx
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Well done Caro, I’ll be reading the book as well soon, having also won a copy from Veg Plotting. I’m hoping for some dry no-digging weather very soon, surely the rain won’t last much longer? I do hope you get to see a Sparrowhawk Flighty, it should be spectacular.
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CJ I’m sure that both you and Caro will enjoy reading it, and find useful. I hope that the weather changes for the better soon. As you say they are wonderful birds to see. xx
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They said on the news today that jan was the wettest month ever. I didn’t need the news to tell me that.
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Pianolearner I saw that too. I don’t think that any of us do. Cheers.
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Your January was the wettest, and ours was very dry! It hasn’t really rained until today…but we have had fog. Our ski area has even closed as there just isn’t enough snow. It’s unfortunate that so much rain has fallen in the UK and that some areas are flooded. Who knows what the weather is going to do next during these winter months!
Congrats to Caro on winning the book. I bet she’ll enjoy it.
It will be interesting to see if the sparrowhawk reappears…fly away little birds…and hide little frogs!
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Glo it’s a pity that it couldn’t have been a bit more even. The weather certainly seems to be getting more extreme and unpredictable.
I’m sure she will.
It certainly will, and if so how it’ll affect the other birds and wildlife. xx
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Ditto Glo. I heard your January is setting records for the wettest. I don’t know if we’d set any records for the driest… Are the five kinds of birds the same as last year?
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Nikki it’s a record that we could have done without. Yes these five kinds of birds are the most common, and I generally see them most days. xx
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Hi Flighty, January seems to be going out with a good soaking, here at least – torrential rain, a gale, same old same old! I am hoping for a good long cold snap in early February to kill of some of the pests, as otherwise I fear we are in for another Year of the Slug. Eughhh. But hey, at least the days are noticeably longer!
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Janet same here as it’s raining again. That would certainly do the gardens some good but perhaps any early flowers. I do hope not. They are indeed. xx
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Yes Flighty, goodbye and good riddance to January. Wind and rain are lashing the windows here. I’m glad at least my comment made you smile. At least those books have come along at a good time. ;0 Have a lovely weekend. x
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Welly’ definitely. Same here. The books were most welcome and well timed. thanks, and you too. xx
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yes I’m in full agreement – the rain is beginning to get me down too – your crocus are early, no sign of mine yet
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Elaine I’m not surprised. There’s just these few early ones, the rest are on the way. xx
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Land under here too and I’m more than fed up. Worry about my poor bulbs and other bits that hate the wet. Still, you seem to keep busy – longest month is still ahead: February. I’m always afraid of it but it can only get better, no?! Have a good weekend too 🙂
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Annette hello, with it being like that I’m not surprised at how you feel. Let’s hope that the bulbs and plants do survive. February is the shortest month in the number of days, but perhaps seems to be the longest as we wait for spring to arrive. Yes it will get better, even if the bad weather continues for a while longer. Thanks. xx
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I know it is, Flighty, but the days certainly never feel as long… 😉
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yes everyone hoping for an end to all this rain, its been a soggy January. It must stop raining soon surely!
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