Having a wander round the garden on Christmas Eve, I found a few more snowdrops flowering. The first one I found was by the front door almost hidden under the winter jasmine, either the jasmine must get cut back or I must move the snowdrops to somewhere where I can see them.
Galanthus Mrs. McNamarra. She hasn’t increased as well as the others, I think a move to better soil is in order.
To photograph the flowers in the garden I have been nipping in and out, trying to avoid the torrential rain, so I’m afraid this is a day late.
Starting by the back door, winter pansies are surviving all the rain in their pots.
Lately, I’ve been clearing in the woodland, getting ready for the snowdrop season, in between sweeping up all the autumn leaves, still a few more of those to do. Cutting back any dead bits, weeding any weeds out, generally just tidying up a bit so that the snowdrops aren’t having to compete with the winter’s detritus. When I have finished all this, then a mulch of lovely crumbly leaf mould will be spread round the snowdrops and hellebores as they seem to like it so much.
While it was still November I could see that the snowdrops were well on their way, poking their noses above ground, then suddenly I found a clump in the far left of the woodland that were actually flowering!
Faringdon Double
When I woke up this morning it was still dark outside. While making my breakfast I happened to look out of the kitchen window and thought the grass was looking rather white. Sure enough, half an hour later showed the garden had had its first frost overnight, enough to make me explore with my camera, to find any frosted leaves.
When walking round the garden to take November’s photos for Bloom Day, I found that most of the flowers were over and done with, not many left at all. I’ve been concentrating so much on foliage for the past few weeks, that I hadn’t noticed the decline in the flowers in the garden, I really had to search some of them out.
The winter jasmine by the front door opens more flowers every day and is just getting into its stride.
When I got back from my whirlwind trip to Canada, I found that my own garden was in full party mode, with all colours blazing on three of my trees. The two Acers had reached their full potential and my seedling silver birch by the back door is now a golden fountain.
This is the acer that was already here when we moved in nearly 30 yrs ago, so I don’t know which one it is unfortunately.
This is my last Canadian post and I finish with the last garden we visited at the Royal Botanic Garden in Hamilton, Ontario. The lady on the desk at the information centre (disguised as a witch!) told us that the colours there were fantastic and she was certainly correct, I think we had unknowingly saved the best till last.
As I was walking round, it was wonderful to see so much colour, shape and texture everywhere, definitely my sort of garden.
Our trip to Canada coincided with the end of October and that of course means Hallowe’en. We saw lots of pumpkins by the roadside and in gardens and on the 31st itself we had about 150 children call at the house for their candy and crisps, not all at once I hasten to add!
Getting the decorations in the front garden.
I am now officially a leaf peeper. A “leaf peeper” is someone who travels great distances to see the foliage of trees, usually in the USA. I have just returned from an amazing 5 day whirlwind trip to see my nephew in Canada who was celebrating a “Special Birthday” and managed to time my trip for the best of the fall (autumn) colours. I have returned to some pretty amazing colours in my own garden too, but they will have to wait for a later post.
The very first tree that I saw was this beautiful tree in my nephew’s garden.
Ever so slowly, the colours are changing in the garden. Each day when looking out of the window, sees a slight shift from green to more gold, with a few purples and reds thrown in for good measure. The colours haven’t reached their climax yet, but the change is there, there is no denying it now.
Acer Osakazuki is now half way through it’s change, with just a few leaves showing their wonderful pink/red final colou so farr.
