Six on Saturday

Another very cold and frosty morning in Cheltenham. Not a lot of activity at the moment other than rose pruning when the day warms up and assessing jobs to be done when February comes around. February is my weed/feed/mulch month and I am itching to get started.

These Chaenomeles japonica fruits are hanging on before they finally wither and drop off. In my garden, nothing seems to eat them. I have tried putting them out on the lawn for blackbirds, pigeons and other fruit eating birds but they are always ignored. Strange when you consider they are perfectly edible and apparently make good quince jelly.

Lots of fat buds on the Photinia fraserii ‘Red Robin’ bushes promising a good flush of red tips in April

The purple Honesty has almost shed all it’s mother of pearl seed discs, just leaving their ghostly outline. I am hoping for a good show next year if they decide to germinate. It is one of those plants that only seems happy if it decides where to grow itself. This one arrived by chance from the adjoining hedgerow where it revels in the poor soil and total lack of maintenance.

Even too cold for the snowdrops this morning and I don’t blame them. It was -5°C at 8am.. They will perk up once the sun warms them.

Such a beautiful clear blue sky silhouetting the birches. They had their annual trim this week to keep them looking good.

The prunings make good plant supports too!

Have a great weekend

David

Six on Saturday

We are having a spell of frosty nights here in the Cotswolds and I am determined not to lose the emerging Wisteria flowers this year so out came the fleece on Wednesday and so far, so good. However, the forecast is saying -4 degs C tonight so fingers crossed!

The Amelanchier lamarckii (Snowy Mespilus) is flowering and looks glorious on a sunny morning like this. Rather like magnolias, you have to enjoy their brief flowering period when it happens because it is fleeting.

Our 30m long hedge of Photinia x fraserii ‘Red Robin’ showing off its new red tips. It provides a useful wildlife corridor for Dunnocks and Blackbirds who scuttle around in the leaf litter beneath and stay safe from prying eyes!

I believe these are Narcissi ‘Ice Follies’ but I am not sure. They are certainly the largest headed daffodil in the garden and must have been here when we bought the bungalow in 2009 because we didn’t plant them. A happy accident with the Anemone blanda.

Never been keen on Kerria japonica. Scruffy, straggly things with yellow pom pom flowers and always seem to spread in the wrong places. This lot started at least 5m further up the border 10 years ago when I stupidly planted a freebie from a friend. I think their days are numbered!

Got to dash, I am off to our Cotswold Cottage Gardening Group meeting in the village today with some spare plants to sell and give to friends. To me, that’s the joy of gardening, sharing plants, ideas and experiences with other gardeners. I find them the nicest people of all.

Have a great weekend

David