It's Cold Out There ...

Good Morning!

We've had some pretty chilly weather recently, including a few snow flurries! 

Although nothing like most of the country which part of me is rather disappointed about lol

We had bright sunshine all day yesterday so I went for a wander around the garden and saw these lovelies bobbing around ... I love the dainty blooms and toughness of Snowdrops and I know they are two words that you wouldn't normally put together! 

The flower buds on the Hellebore have been building up over the couple of weeks and I can't wait for them to bloom.

I also received a Plant Delivery yesterday which was a nice surprise as I wasn't expecting it just yet. I've also been itching to do something in the GH recently as it feels like ages since I last planted something! 

I ordered 3 Primula 'Cobalt Blue' Plug Plants last month from Sarah Raven along with a few over plants which are yet to arrive.

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

Well I bet you didn't expect to see a Garden Checklist post so early in the year, truth be told neither did myself lol However I had a few things to do around the garden these past few days so thought I might aswell list them for all of you, incase you needed to do them too.

1. Cut back Hellebores - It isn't essential and not every one does this,
but I like to.
January is a good time to cut old Hellebore leaves down to the ground when the new flower buds are showing. This helps the new growth get as much light as possible and also lessens the risk of disease. Here is a photo of the tidy up half way through, you can see it looks much more visually pleasing too.

2. Cyclamen - If you have been keeping Cyclamen in an un-heated conservatory like me recently, you might want to consider moving them into the Greenhouse. Due to the lower temps we've been having and heavy frosts it's been a bit too cool for mine in a north facing conservatory, but a day after moving them into the GH they perked up.
Also don't forget to remove any yellow leaves or signs of mould on the plants, it can soon take over!

3. Greenhouse Plants - Sticking with the Greenhouse theme it's also a good idea to look out for yellowing leaves on other plants such as Pelargoniums and Auriculas. Removing them as soon as you see them will benefit the plant and it's a good idea to check them as often as you can.

4. Feathered Friends - If your feeling the cold then you can bet that our feathered friends will be too. If possible why not set up a bird table or simply hang up a feeder with some feed in for them?
Bread is okay but other food stuffs such as Winter bird seed, Apples that are past their best and Chopped up Raisins, Currants & Sultanas are better for them, Robin's even like small piece of mild cheese! You can also buy specialised suet blocks with added extra's such as mealworms as you can see here.
Also don't forget to keep an eye on small ponds & bird tables, water can soon freeze over limiting their water supply.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Frosted Flowers ...

Good Morning!

We've had a few frosty mornings where I live over the past fortnight and even though it's not ideal for us Gardeners, plants can look magical with a touch of frost!

Here's a few snaps that I have taken, I hope you like them.

The Rose 'Princess Alexandra of Kent' was still in bloom at Christmas and the frost gave the edges of the petals a sparkly outline.

The white Polyanthus are my favourite's when they've been frosted, the leaves also take on a magical look.

The buds on the Primroses also catch your eye.

The Cyclamen Coum, Hellebore, Heuchera and Azalea have all been given a frosty outline ...

Finally the one bloom on my 'Passion' Dianthus was given a sparkly transformation too.

Thanks for popping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

My Favourite Garden Photo's from 2014 ... Part 2!

Good Morning!

I'm back today with the second part of my favourite photographs taken in my garden during 2014.

I hope you like the rest that I have chosen ... oh and Happy New Year!

JULY

The front border during the summer months, a little tricky to photograph but it was full of colour provided by the Antirrrhinums and Dahlias, not forgetting the lovely rose at the end.

AUGUST

It's always nice to see the local wildlife enjoying the plants as much as I do.

SEPTEMBER

Rather unexpectedly this little Auricula decided to bloom at this time of year! The one thing I want in 2015 is an Auricula Theatre to prevent the rain getting on the leaves. 

OCTOBER

One of the things I enjoy doing is putting together pot displays. This is one of my favourites that I did for the Autumn using a Heuchera, Hebe and some white Viola's.

NOVEMBER

This year Cyclamen have become one of my favourite plants. Here is my little collection kept in the conservatory providing some much needed colour at this time of year!

DECEMBER

To end the year I planted some Narcissus - Paperwhites into pots which are kept in the kitchen and living room. The ones in the kitchen are blooming their socks off and are 29inches tall!

Thanks for popping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX