Tuesday- Walk Day

Yesterday for our walk we visited Myddleton House. The snowdrops, crocuses and snowflakes(?) were out. I'm not sure if this picture is of a snowflake but am guessing it is.





EA Bowles created the garden at Myddleton House and raised many unusual plants there. You can find various plants still for sale that he was responsible for breeding.


I love this bit that is carpeted with snowdrops this time of year. In the summer it has a blue carpet of geraniums alive with insects.


Bowles introduced many different varieties of snow drops here - the ones that stopped me had large flowers edged in green.




A pheasant joined us for our walk for a while - sorry no photo.








Then we went to Forty Hall for lunch. Perfect day!

I think this would make a lovely design for material for a skirt. Any takers?

Garden notes

Just the other day I was thinking that I can't post any more pictures of my garden as they will all be repeats. You see I started this blog this time last year when I broke my arm. (It was very useful at a frustrating time.) But then we went out into the garden and one of our many clematis, the winter flowering one had flowered for the first time since we planted it years ago. I ignored any suggestions that it should be pulled out and it has flowered!! I love the unpredictability about growing plants. The picture's a bit blurred but the clematis has lovely pink freckles.

My hellebore had lots of gorgeous pink buds waiting to open and shyly hang their heads.

My lovely mother in law brings us these massive containers of olive oil. Turned one into a pot which I crammed with anemones.

Colour already in the garden from the gorgeous camelia.

The winter jasmine only had a few yellow flowers and it turns out I'd missed it in full flower a few weeks before. Such a shame- I have no excuse as I am home every day.

I was so excited to see the snowdrops back again. So delicate - I love the way they tremble when you approach. (They probably tremble all the time.)

snow, prints and vegetables

So lovely to make it to the allotment yesterday. kids weren't keen to go but once we got in there they loved it. the snow on the pavements and roads near us had turned to grey slush so they (and us) were so excited to see the allotment still blanketed in white snow. round the trees the snow was pockmarked with zillions of dots and then the kids found some alien and animal footprints. Here are the pictures from the allotment:-

I've still got leeks (in foreground) they are brilliant coz the cold doesn't bother them at all and you can just harvest a couple as and when you need them through the winter to early spring. Behind them the dark green plants that look like they've got tens of mad waving hands are Black Tuscany kale. Unfortunately I have found out i prefer curly kale so will grow that next year instead. Fortunately my neighbours guinea pigs like it and again just break off some leaves as and when required.




This picture looked a lot better in my memory than it did when i downloaded it. Anyway it's one of my brussel sprout plants given to me as seedlings by another plot holder. With brussels you harvest them from the bottom up breaking off leaves as you go. As you can see we are near the top now so not many left but still nice to have some veg off plot.

I love brussels even the shop ones and these taste much better.





Some rosehips.








Think these are monkjack(?) deer prints but not sure. Drop me a line if you know what left these tracks.






Couldn't see how the broad beans were doing as they were buried and didn't want to damage them looking for them. Garlic stalks were sticking up on plot number two -forgot to take photo. Snow had left onion stalks buried.

snowdrops, winter jasmine and dreaming of seed sowing

Had a good dance to Daft Punk in my kitchen. Set me up for the day. Wrapped up and ventured into the garden and here are pictures of my finds.





Carmelia buds
red nosed
And eager for spring



snowdrops hidden
till cover blown
by intrepid sun






Last rays of winter jasmine thanks for your brightness
in the dark winter







You can start sowing tomato seeds if you are going to grow them indoors- for outdoor tomatoes I'd wait till mid to late March before sowing. I did tumbling tomates year before last and was impressed. Last year Red Alert did well but italian plum ones did not do that well as not enough sun but the ones i did get made lovely sauce. Tomorrow will share pictures of snowy allotment as finally made it today with my family!!!!Hoorah!