Another day at work. I’ve submitted my bird list for the RSPB Big Birdwatch and was rather disappointed by how few I had this year. I have feeders up through the back of the garden and have quietly added more as the years have gone on.
Sunday
I did quite a bit in the Magic Garden. I tidied up the blue berry patch by the back door and moved the troughs around. I’ve planted French Tropadome garlic cloves in between the kale plants at the back. I also planted 3 pulmonaria under the apple tree - pulmonaria Pink Dawn, Sissinghurst White & Blue Ensign from right to left behind the tree. Ben cat kept an eye on both me and his beloved nip plants.
I am not sure how much I take note of the phase of the moon - it is currently waxing with the next full moon in a week. I think I understand that during this period I should not have planted the garlic as it is a root crop but on the other hand this is the end of January so if it does not grow I think I will blame that rather than the moon. It is though supposed to be a good time to start off plants that are leafy and above ground. I have sowed rudbeckia Rustic Dwarf mix today and will start some stevia too. I will though also be using the ‘sunlight’ lamp to substitute for the lack of light and windowsills available to me.
Saturday
Its been cold and bright here today. Going to the Post Office, I saw a lovely oriental hellebore & decided to treat myself and have added it to the winter patch. It is gorgeous and such a contrast of the simplicity of the white one already there.
Friday
Another day at work and so not in my Magic Garden.
Thursday
I was off work today so had a wee bit of time to spend in the Magic Garden and was delighted to find more snowdrops coming out. Some of these are from home and so extra special. I was also pleased to find that the nearly black hellebores are also coming out now but Ben was just interested in the catnip plant!
Wednesday
No opportunity today to play in the Magic Garden as I left for work in the dark at 7 and eventually got home at nearly 9 pm.
Tuesday
Its been a beautiful sunny day here so even Ben was persuaded out for a while to be in the sun and of course to inspect the various catnip plant sites. I suspect I will have to protect future plantings!
Monday
I went back to work today. Ben was less than impressed and I realised how dark it still is at either end of the day
Sunday
Its still very cold here with the Magic Garden frozen in places. I put the remainder of the daffodil bulbs into the troughs to treat as cut flowers if they grow & flower. The rudbeckia are potted up into wee pots and as soon as the temperature rises a little I will transfer them to the cold frame.
Saturday
Today has been a beautiful if very cold day. It was not a day for planting the remainder of the bulbs as the temperature remained below zero all day
The heuchera are providing colour in both front and back garden but several are looking very sad & I wonder if this is due to the cold. I suspect I will have to replace some of them.
Friday
Each time I decided to go outside today it started spitting with dampness and then sleet or rain. However I had received some free daffodil bulbs yesterday so I have started trying to randomly add more into the Magic Garden
Thursday
Its been cold here again today & it was sleeting this afternoon. Ben thought about going out but pigeon watching from just outside the door was far enough.
Wednesday
Its still sitting around freezing here and mostly rather grey. Ben has been not surprisingly less than keen on being out but did investigated the Magic Garden at dusk while I refilled the feeders and checked the water. The solar lights are working well at the moment and I hope to get some more up soon.
Tuesday
It remains very cold and although the snow is only a sprinkling it nevertheless less is not going anywhere.
The scent from the Christmas Box by the backdoor is wonderful but Ben was determinedly staying indoors today
Monday
It decided abruptly to snow this morning at 8 am - it only left a light covering but was quite effective. Ben checked it out & made sure he could locate the catnip and that the vegetables troughs were ok. The effect was quite pretty and the wee snowdrop from yesterday was in a little bit of snow today.
Sunday
Its been very windy here this weekend and I had to do a bit of restorative maintenance including repotting the wee Christmas tree which had been blown out of its pot and across the garden. I was pleased to find some more snowdrops.
Friday
Its chilly and windy here today. I did a little bit of garden maintenance and tied back the climbing roses pulling the shoots horizontal - I’ve been doing this a couple of years now and it does seem to make for more flowering. Ben attacked the back catnip patch before deciding to watch me from indoors
Thursday
Bit of a non-gardening day today. I wasn’t home early enough to catch the light and taking pictures of Ben in the dark didn’t work either!
Wednesday
Today was a chilly mix of sunshine and showers. Ben spent a few minutes out in the Magic Garden with me and supervised the planting of a Mahonia ‘soft caress’ into his catnip border at the back of the garden. I decided to add this plant some time ago having seen it recommended by Monty Don & knowing it should be shade tolerant but its taken me a while to find one
Tuesday
Its been wet and windy here today so it was a surprise to find a dascia still in flower. Otherwise I’ve been enjoying the seedbeds around the Magic Garden and Ben has been fairly determinedly an indoor cat
