It’s been a quiet couple of months in our garden. Winter is obviously usually quieter but it seems even more so because of the weather. In December we had frosts, then our leaves fell and then snow. It’s not been the most inviting of weather to get out into the garden, and so I’m covering two months in this post.
The frosts were certainly pretty, and I loved to see the frosted spider webs though I imagine the spiders were less keen.
The whole garden took on a Narnia-like quality, and we spent quite some time admiring it from inside!
Up until this month the weather had been unseasonably warm and our leaves hadn’t yet fallen. Once the frost and snow had gone nature set about righting that and quite literally overnight we were right back into autumn. At least they all came down at once, usually it is over a longer period - so the clear up was at least shortened too.
Sadly the cyclamen weren’t a fan of the frosts and snow, and looked very sorry for themselves. They haven’t really recovered and the leaves have gone leaving the corms showing. They’ll come back though, I’m sure.
So unusually December was about leaves, frost and snow - quite a way to end a year of strange weather.
And in January…
The frosts continued, but at least the days were bright if not on the cold side. And we’ve had some glorious blue skies. The fatsia is still recovering from the frosts, its leaves drooping just as they did in the drought this summer. Over the month the grass has gradually defrosted, and while it’s not quite a mud bath it’s definitely softer than frozen.
There is signs of new growth though. Among the flower beds the cyclamen leaves (which were in a more sheltered spot so fared better) are now being overtaken by the euphorbias, who in turn have the beginnings of their lime green ‘flowers’.
The bulbs are also pushing their way through the soil. In the pots I have tulips and alliums, and there’s daffodils throughout the garden. I read recently that squirrels don’t like the smell of daffodils and leave them alone, it seems though the scent doesn’t travel that far as the squirrels are more than happy to make holes in the grass, much to MOH’s annoyance.
I’ll leave you with a shot of the faded hydrangea heads. They’re mostly still going strong, having weathered the frosts and the snow - and still manage to look beautiful. I’ll need to check them next time I pop out, to see if the new growth for this year has started yet, or not.
How’s your garden fared this winter?