Cards and presents are written , wrapped and posted so once more I can concentrate on the garden and my wander round this morning showed me a very wet and soggy garden, but with lots of little snowdrop snouts and noses peeping up above all the leaves that still need clearing away. Usually I clear away the leaves in the garden first and then tackle the leaves in the woodland after New Year, but this year everything seems to be starting earlier than usual, so I will have to be very careful when working in the woodland.
G. Faringdon Double was my first snowdrop to appear at the end of November, I have deliberately not bought any snowdrops that are supposed to flower in the autumn as I feel they really belong in the winter, but this one seems determined to get earlier and earlier each year!
Faringdon Double is spreading nicely, I think I will soon be able to spread the clumps out to form a drift.
Diggory is showing that it won’t be long before it joins its friends a few feet away.
I think Lapwing will win the race with Diggory, it usually does.
Hobson’s Choice is another than will soon be open, will it be open by Christmas I wonder?
Sorry, a bit out of focus, but Little John at the other end of the woodland seems to want to join in.
I must get these planted before they open up, I have a horrible feeling that they have been in their pots for almost 2 yrs now because I didn’t buy any new ones last winter! Poor things! I see an ant must have planted a cyclamen seed in one of the pots, how kind.
I was sure that I had moved Mrs McNamara into the woodland last year, but not seeing her anywhere on my wander, I went to the bed by the front door to check. There she was, flowering away under the winter jasmine, I really will move her as soon as she finishes flowering this time, I promise, as I’m sure she will appreciate the soil there much more than by the front door.
I will finish with my first hellebore to flower, it really has appreciated the extra light since a shrub was removed.
It has such a beautiful flower and best of all I can enjoy it from where I am sitting now, with out having to get cold and wet!
I still have a lot of work to do to get my snowdrop borders ready for the main flowering, hopefully I will get some done today as the forecast is for sunshine, I’ll just have a coffee first!
I have made the hard decision to stay at home for Christmas this year as there is still so much of the virus around in areas where my children and grandchildren are, I decided it really wasn’t worth risking it, far better to miss this one with them and hopefully have plenty more in the future. I have been doing lots of baking which is now in the freezer, my turkey crown is ordered so I will have lots of Christmassy food to enjoy and we will all facetime each other at present opening time, so I’m sure it will be fine. I might even have time to go and count my snowdrops on the Big Day!
It’s lovely to see your snowdrops are all well under way Pauline. I hope you got your sunshine. We haven’t seen the sun here so far in December. Indeed, a hard decision not to be with your family this Christmas but, as you say, not worth the risk. It sounds like you will be having a lovely Christmas anyway. I wish you a Merry Christmas Pauline!
We didn’t get much sunshine Denise, I was in and out because of the showers but managed to get quite a bit done. Staying at home was a hard decision to make , but I have hardly been anywhere or seen anyone since March, it would be silly to change now before I get a vaccine. I hope you have a safe and happy Christmas Denise x
Your snowdrops look so happy in their woodland setting – such a joy to see them coming through, isn’t it? Hope you enjoy your quiet Christmas Pauline – I am sure you have made the right decision. Have you not seen any of your family since early in the year?
They do look happy don’t they Cathy, but I’ve never had so many showing this early before! I’m sure Christmas will be ok, obviously I would rather be with my family but my friends and I of a certain age are being very careful down here! I haven’t seen my grandsons since last Christmas, my daughter has been down twice, for a couple of hours each time and both times we have had to wrap up warm and sit in the garden, 6 ft apart. My son came and stayed in the summer for a week when he did lots of jobs for me. I have “seen” everyone regularly on facetime which is lovely of course, but I need a hug!!!
Your snowdrops are lovely, as is that sweet hellebore, they are all coming up early aren’t they. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely Christmas anyway, as you say it’s best to hang on for a vaccine, not long now until you get a hug.xxx
Thanks Dina, the hellebore is looking exceptionaly pretty at the moment, still the only one flowering so far, but more snowdrops are popping up all the time. Hugs can’t come too soon! x
The snowdrops are amazing as ever, Pauline. I really love your hellebore–what a beauty. I keep searching for flowers on mine but so far they’re content to wait.
Thank you Susie, a few more are now opening up with the mild weather that we’ve been having, so we should have quite a lot of flowers by Christmas. Hellebore flower buds are ready and waiting, this is the only brave/silly one willing to risk it!
Hi Pauline, it was good to hear from you! Your snowdrops and hellebores are always a wonderful sight. I am looking forward to seeing them in full bloom! Best wishes and happy gardening to you in 2021, and hoping for an end to the pandemic!