That good frost a week or so ago stopped the grass growth- that could be good for the crocuses in the north lawn.

The mild weather got me out doing a bit of garden tidying today and I was surprised how many goji berries I have. I can see the fruit now the leaves have fallen.   

That good frost a week or so ago stopped the grass growth- that could be good for the crocuses in the north lawn.

It is mild, Bert.

I mowed the lawn today! It has been growing quite a bit - and the moles have gone crazy too.

Mowing round the soft fruit, the blackcurrants looked "broody" - buds rather more ready than I want to see.

I put out a few sticky bits of beekeeping equipment and they soon got attention from bees that live in a chimney next door.

We have had some very heavy rain here in the past couple of hours - lots of surface water. No mowing tomorrow!

Roger

Trimmed the mint this week. Also the fennel as new shoots have appeared. Did see the garlic producing new leaves.  All good for the chooks to devour.. My Azalea buds are now in flower. It is left in a pot to do it's own thing.... Cyclamen under the hebe is still flowering ,so is the blue hebe. The variegated hebe with purplish leaves is showing well .... Pyracantha berries are a very rich orange.. Surprised the blackbirds have not had them yet...

Early irises in outdoor pots showing the first shoots

Had a buzzard in the garden on 12th! Often seen or heard in the area and over the garden, but never seen perched here before! Was in an apple tree close to where 24+ Fieldfares had been feeding on windfalls, so that's the likely reason. There are few rabbits about, so maybe that is a contributory factor.

I notice a lot of nest box related activity among the sparrows etc. Could it be they think it is spring?

Roger

Had a buzzard in the garden on 12th! Often seen or heard in the area and over the garden, but never seen perched here before! Was in an apple tree close to where 24+ Fieldfares had been feeding on windfalls, so that's the likely reason. There are few rabbits about, so maybe that is a contributory factor.

I notice a lot of nest box related activity among the sparrows etc. Could it be they think it is spring?

Roger

Buzzard back again at 3pm today - spent 15 minutes in an apple tree watching what was going on.

Roger

p.s. Like the ceps?

 

Hello Tony.

Agree with advice already planted on here. Just add: prune so the pruned branch/stem's pruned plane faces up for stems you want to continue proliferating- rainwater will soak the planed face.  

Roll on spring for the results.

Mowed the lawn today and noticed/avoided a clump or two of snowdrops showing white.

Primroses in flower too.
Moles seem busy!
Roger

Sure is very mild, Roger.

I would worry about early budding followed by a hard spell of frost.(I noticed some shoots on the roses I hard pruned)(any tips)?.

I think the above mentioned primroses and snowdrops are tough though.

Sure is very mild, Roger.

I would worry about early budding followed by a hard spell of frost.(I noticed some shoots on the roses I hard pruned)(any tips)?.

I think the above mentioned primroses and snowdrops are tough though.

No point in worrying about things you can't control. One of the Gardeners Question Team used to say "This plant is suffering from an insufficiency of neglect." Let that be your mantra. For any frost-sensitive plants, a bit of horticultural fleece solves most problems. Bubble wrap is useful in an emergency - but tie it on of you'll lose it.

I was doing well with my mowing yesterday until I got a flat - a thorn I expect. After a bit of a battle with a cotter pin I got the wheel off today. I'll get it sorted tomorrow.

Roger

White-tipped snowdrop shoots on three clumps along our woodland bank, too; and when I cleared away some old plant waste (and I'd forgotten how prickly the hairs on the pulmonaria are) I found a variety of shoots protruding, most of which were recallable from years past but, as happens every year, there are surprises where you just can't remember what you'd planted, or better still, you'd not planted. Great time of year!

 

 

No point in worrying about things you can't control. One of the Gardeners Question Team used to say "This plant is suffering from an insufficiency of neglect." Let that be your mantra. For any frost-sensitive plants, a bit of horticultural fleece solves most problems. Bubble wrap is useful in an emergency - but tie it on of you'll lose it.

 

I was doing well with my mowing yesterday until I got a flat - a thorn I expect. After a bit of a battle with a cotter pin I got the wheel off today. I'll get it sorted tomorrow.

 

Roger

Good luck with the puncture.

3 clumps of white-tipped snowdrop shoots, two primrose blooms and plenty of crocus shoots up in the lawn; this is much more timely than last year, thankfully, when the crocuses were up & daffs blooming in November. A healthy gardening year ahead, we hope- Happy New Year.

Happy New Year. 

Don't worry about early shoots Tony. Nature will do its own thing and all will be well. 

Just a reminder that it's not too late to plant garlic. It needs frost for it to produce well. 

Cheers Caz,
Happy new year.

Hazel catkins shedding pollen in our back garden - maybe a slight heat island effect as we are in the middle of the city

Winter-flowering clematis (urophylla) now in flower

Happy New Year. 

Don't worry about early shoots Tony. Nature will do its own thing and all will be well. 

Just a reminder that it's not too late to plant garlic. It needs frost for it to produce well. 

Ah- thanks for that! That explains why my crops have been mediocre. You'd think by now I'd at least have looked that one up!

More and more crocuses showing through the lawn; mahonia flowers giving up a good scent. A bit of a wintry shock on its way, but luckily the gardens are still mostly in hibernation mode.