Boxing Day

The wind has gone down for the moment although it is the calm before another storm. Today was cold and bright. I planted out the tulip bulbs and some alliums. I also retrieved the gorse plant before planting the rose that Hedgewatch have given me.I will need to remember to water it while it settles in.

Christmas Day

It was very windy again yesterday and I spent some time trying to get the broom behind the pond to stay in the ground. I have a suspicion that I will be replacing this plant. Today was calmer so Ben and I enjoyed a little birdwatching and just being in the Magic Garden.

Christmas Eve Eve

Its been continually windy here and the Magic Garden is looking a bit unloved.Today I moved the red dogwood further back against the back fence and also planted the Sarcococca ruscifolia Dragon Gate plants I treated myself to for the Solstice. I put some of last year’s leaf mould round them so hopefully they will settle in well. I pruned the dogwood a little to improve its shape.

I picked a Solstice bouquet of olive, bay, holly, teasel, thistles, ivy & a winter rose & added dry allium heads. Ben checked on his catnip at the back before coming charging back in!

More time passing

We seem to have gone from snow and cold to endless wet and wind with another storm passing through. Meantime Christmas is creeping up on me and so I have put two wee trees outside the front door.

Another Week Gone

Been a bit busy lately! Had planned to plant the bulbs out but the weather had other ideas and this weekend we’ve had snow. I’ve been kept busy filling the bird feeders and keeping the water unfrozen. I was surprised to find the rose is still trying to bloom!

Sunday again

Been a busy week with an unplanned trip to north Wales but today was dry and cold and gave me an opportunity to do a bit of a clean up in the front garden. In principle, I believe in leaving leaves on soil and allowing the worms to do their work with them but the load on my front border is too great and tends to choke the plants so I have done a thin out of the load and at the same time propped up the buddleja and lavatera which both are trying to grow horizontally rather than vertically. At the same time I cleared the public path by my house into the garden waste bin and my own driveway into the leaf litter bins I established earlier this autumn. Ben felt it was a bit chilly to be outside!

Sunday a fortnight later

I have had time away from home so the Magic Garden has been a bit neglected. Today though I got out the secateurs and cut back the rose along the back fence. Ben watched from the arbour seat and also checked out the summerhouse for its box possibilities.

I am delighted to have chaffinches in the garden - this is a first for the garden for all that I knew they were around locally. The number of birds in the Magic Garden are gradually increasing and the feeders are regularly being emptied by them.

Sunday

We had the novelty of the sun coming out briefly today. I took the opportunity to plant out a bag of mixed alliums. I don’t think they will be very tall or big as the bulbs were quite small but I’ve scattered them through the west & south quadrants of the Magic part.

There is a lot of bloom still going in the Magic Garden including second flushes of flowers. I was pleased Ben joined me in the autumn sunshine.

Saturday

November has got off to a wet start but we did have a break from the incessant rain today so I persuaded Ben to have a few moments outside. I brushed up leaves from the front garden and added them to the leaf litter bin. Last year’s is coming on nicely. The garden is looking a bit miserable now as the damp has taken the shine off it all..

Saturday

Autumn has arrived in the Magic Garden. We’ve had a lot of rain and darkness this last week and the leaves are coming down. The blueberries’ leaves have turned a lovely colour and there is still scattered bloom throughout the garden if getting a bit battered by the weather.

Saturday

Bit of a long gap since I last posted. We have had Storm Babet since with so much rain and wind this week and it is the time of year where it starts feeling dark all the time. There is though still plenty of bloom in the Magic Garden. Ben is still enjoying the catnips.

Thursday

Its been dry but distinctly cool today as autumn at long last seems to have arrived. Ben came out and inspected the catnip on the patio while I was admiring my crops. I fear my courgette will not progress now to a full grown fruit.

Sunday

Its been wet again and windy but Ben and I had some time in the Magic Garden after I’d been for a run & a muddy walk. The blackberries are nearly over now and even the rowan berries are becoming depleted by the blackbirds.