We have had a mixed week of weather, lots of rain but I have been able to get out into the garden on a couple of days to continue the big tidy up. I am way behind where I usually am at this time of year as I haven’t a gardener at the moment and am having to do everything myself. The gardener that I thought I had found a few weeks ago, sent me an email a couple of weeks before Christmas telling me that “due to unforseen circumstances, he couldn’t work for me any more” and this was before I had mentioned the chopping down of all my Cornus, I never got a chance to talk that through with him! Since then I have been struggling with raking all the leaves and cutting back where necessary. In the meantime flowers are still popping open so these are my six for this week……
No 1
I was wondering who was eating all my rosehips. I now know who it is, they are making such a mess on the paving. I would normally have cut the roses back by now, but because I’m behind with my jobs, the squirrels have been having a feast!
No 2
More primroses are opening up in the border by the drive.
No 3
The chaenomeles by the back door gets better and better each day.
No 4.
This is the view of Iris unguicularis from inside the dining room, so many flowers, the best year ever!
No 5.
Primula sibthorpii on the rockery, looking a bit nibbled, but at least it is flowering.
No 6.
Galanthus Little John certainly stands out, you can’t miss him. It is a large snowdrop, I can even see him in the woodland from the house. Yes, I will get round to cutting back the hellebore leaves and raking up all the oak leaves sometime soon I hope!
G. Little John is a lovely snowdrop and has beautiful inner markings of crossed swords, much taller than other snowdrops.
Those are my six for this week. Many thanks to Jim at Garden Ruminations for hosting, do pay him a visit to see what is happening in gardens around the world.
All lovely, I haven’t spotted any Snowdrops yet.
Thanks Rosie, I’ve got quite a few that are flowering now, but lots more to come for later!
What a shame about your gardener, or lack of gardener, Pauline 🙄You seemed to have got settled with someone before, didn’t you? I hope it doesn’t get you down, having all these outstanding garden tasks.
Little John certainly looks striking – after a couple of years without buying snowdrops I think I might treat myself this year and he is on my wish list! As always, your chaenomeles must really stand out at this time of year
I was settled with someone Cathy, for 3 yrs, but then he stormed off in a temper when I dared to quietly point out that he hadn’t pruned my wisteria properly! This latest one only lasted 5 weeks. I felt there was no point in trying to find someone around Christmas and New Year, so will now have to start looking for someone again as I know I can’t manage it all by myself.Snowdrops are coming on nicely, more opening each day and yes, Little John is a good one!
That iris is so pretty Pauline as is Little John. Sorry to hear about your gardener I hope you find another one before Spring gets under way……preferably one who know how to prune wisteria and cornus lol!
The iris is amazing this year Denise, so many lovely flowers. I think my next gardener can just be one that does the grass and hedges, the rest will be up to me!
Oh good luck with finding a replacement gardener Pauline – I hope that you don’t have a long wait. ‘Little John’ obviously takes no notice of his name. I have ‘Robin Hood’ who is another tall chap.
My G. Robin Hood are only about half the size of Little John Anna, and usually Little John is finishing by the time Robin Hood is flowering, I wish they flowered at the same time!
What of lot of blooms you have coming out already. I thought chaenomeles was a bit later normally. Is it early this year? How fortunate to be able to admire those irises from inside with all this rain!
No Allison, my chaenomeles by the back door always flowers during the winter until about April. The previous people planted it by the path round the house and I found I needed to cut it back regularly, almost as a hedge. I have found that this makes it form flowering spurs which quite often start flowering in November, but not this time, this time it was late!