Going to have a look in the raised bed in the greenhouse later to see if the Jersey Royal spuds are ready. 

The barest of peeks from some early daffs, but no signs yet of snowdrops. Certainly no agapanthus.

You've just had the "life in southern Britain" experience! Mind you, even though there are various bulbs with buds here, and some primroses happily flowering, there are no daffodils yet. Further west, at the wolf centre near Reading, there were so many daffodils in flower that the owner cut some and put them on her Christmas dinner table! That's a new one on me...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/02/fig-almond-trees-thriving-uk-thanks-to-fewer-frosts-rhs 

It’s this kind of article that slightly annoys me. I’ve posted a screen capture above in case the article is

re-edited with a Ficus carica instead of a Fig leaf gourd (cucurbita ficifolia) sic image. 

Someone else is bound to notice. I’m surely not the only person.

Yes, we get less frosts nowadays but when you see this story on Figs and Almonds growing in the UK due to fewer frosts, it’s a bit of a misleading article. The photo of a fig gourd masquerading as a Fig)  (I’m 100% sure the writer meant Ficus carica), merely shows sloppy research.  I know a little bit about figs. Roger if he reads this knows even more. But anyway I’ve grown them in England in the last century with great success and know they were grown in Britain probably by the Romans and certainly in medieval times.

Almond trees were introduced to Britain I believe in the 1350s. The implication/message of the article is of course that gardeners have only recently been able to grow these two plants in Britain because of fewer frosts.  That’s misleading. Whether it’s written on purpose or with ignorance, who knows? But one thing is certain, good editors are a declining species.

Rant over.

Very good. Hope germination is fast.

Yesterday I was able to mark out with string and pole to make a suitable half circle bed for my crab apple ‘Evereste’. A lot of thinking went into this tree. Getting the right rootstock (MM106) was an issue because many nurseries and garden centres leave this off their description and they can be coy about they’ve used.   I don’t want a huge tree but on the other hand not a very small tree. The rain/sleet and snow began as I finished the groundworks. Perfect timing. I’ll be using a mycorrhizal fungus to improve its root growth.  

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/maintain-the-garden/mycorrhizal-fungi/ 

First time for me and it’s teaching an old dog (me) new tricks but I’ve become increasingly aware of their importance in ecosystems. It was a German who first opened my eyes to their importance in the soil a long time ago. So I now have a packet I’ll add to the roots and planting hole when the soil is OK for planting. Frozen still.

I think I saw Monty Don extolling the virtues of mycorrhizal. It was in a white powder form.

I planted 20 hazel trees last autumn but the incessant winds this winter have taken their toll. One olive tree is nearly totally bare and my myrtle tree is very burnt.  

There is a Lincolnshire saying: "Plant your beans when you see the first drunk coming home from Boston Fair!"

Photos wanted to celebrate fair's 900th birthday

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7vde7gl7vzo 

https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/worm-casts-in-lawns 

https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/moles 

No moles in my garden but they are active on verges around here.

I have sweet cicely in the fridge chilling out before I sow it. Rock samphire seeds in a bag in the office. I should have sown last autumn but garden and house works have prevented that. Now the fence is up again (neighbours) it will be all go on the garden again. My crab apple went in a couple of weeks back.

I have a gardening assistant who began work with me on Boxing Day. Cleared one pool of some prime fish and almost all in another before I took preventative measures. But he or she won't take no or feck off for an answer. Talkative as hell but I can't understand heronspeak. Just stands there talking on a ridge or where ever it can see me and talks.

Would come in the office if I left the door open and see what i'm doing but after its rich dinners I wouldn't want to house clean after it.

Just hope it isn't like a parrot and can learn phrases.

No chance here, I think we have developed permafrost. 🤣

In all seriousness, the ground seems to have been frozen for the vast majority of the year/month so far. Any hint of spring seems a long way away in the garden.

Oh this is good to know, I wasn't aware that there was a night scented variety (I'm still relatively newish to flower growing). Thanks for this, I may have to get some seeds too.

I was out and about yesterday with no jacket - only a sweater needed. What a contrast! The micro-climate of "the horseshoe round the Wash?"

These should be fine: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304408110624 

The seeds themselves are tiny, but they're easy to germinate. Just keep them in a propagator on the windownsill and you should see little green shoots within a week or so. 👍

That is early. Mine in pots are all slimy yellow leaves.

It will be April before the new leaves show here I think.

And the flowers sometime in early July.

Snowdrops appearing though.

In the front garden we have loads of the things, well drained sandy soil they are in the beds in the ground. They have leaves on all year round, easy to split and propagate and act as great weed suppressers.