So many times this winter we have had frost forecast, so the fleece has come out in the greenhouse, heater on in the conservatory and the next morning , nothing, everywhere still green. Not that I am complaining mind you, but the Met. Office for the whole country is only 5 miles down the road on the outskirts of Exeter and they seem to have great difficulty in getting our local weather correct, never mind everyone elses ! Last night , once again, frost was forecast and we thought, should we, shouldn’t we, prepare again ? Just as well we did, there was a very slight frost but there weren’t loads of pretty frosted leaves for me to photograph for you I’m afraid.
Havn’t been feeling too good lately, so it is about a week since I ventured out into the garden, the first thing I saw by the front door was my first snowdrop, Farringdon’s Double.
Checking back to last years post about snowdrops, I saw that with all the snow and ice which was covering everywhere, this snowdrop didn’t venture forth until January, so is about 3 weeks earlier this time.
This is a lovely large snowdrop, twice the size of the little wild one, which won’t flower for at least another 3 or 4 weeks. The wild ones are showing their “noses” above ground, but I think will wait a little longer before sending up their flower buds. Next to the snowdrop in this photo is a bud of Jasminum nudiflorum.
On rather wobbly legs, I then made my way into the back and the woodland strip to see if any more snowdrops had come out, no snowdrops but a few cyclamen still flowering away, I’m sure these are hederifolium still flowering since August, fantastic.
Further on, almost in the ditch, was this white cyclamen. Won’t be long before Cyclamen coum joins the party.
A few steps further on was a lonely anemone centred Hellebore looking absolutely gorgeous !
Decided to go back in as the old legs were feeling rather weak, so I thought that I would share my beautiful orchid with you.
Feeling rather pleased with this as I have managed to get it to flower again and am now deciding that they are quite easy to grow and therefore must buy more !!
I’m looking forward to Christmas with a lot of pampering from my daughter and daughter in law, I won’t be doing any cooking, will leave that to all the younger generation, male and female, it will be wonderful ! Will try and squeeze another post in before Christmas for Christina’s Foliage Day, but just in case, I wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas.
Pauline I’m sorry you have been unwell I hope you will be fit again by christmas, glad to read you will be waited on over the holiday how nice, hope you won’t have too many frosty mornings, nice flowers nestling in that lovely leaf litter, take care and keep warm, wishing you a happy Christmas, Frances
Thank you so much Frances for your good wishes, I’m feeling a bit better each day so hopefully will be more like my normal self by Christmas. Hope you have a really happy christmas Frances.
Hi,
Tell me about the forecast issues! Last week we were forecast a clear night and clear, sunny day. Instead we got a dump of snow, totally out of the blue and cause loads of problems for the city. It was crazy. It was already melting by the time I set off to work, but still… traffic was crawling!
Sometimes they just can’t predict it correctly… As much as we wish they could 🙂
I’m looking forward to my cyclamen coum and snowdrops coming up… Hopefully we won’t have too much bad weather before then!
Not long now Liz until all the January flowers start, as long as they don’t all get covered with snow in the meantime! Happy Christmas.
Pampered, waited on ??!! You must have a very lovely daughter and daughter-in-law! In all seriousness, I’m glad to see you have been able to get outside for some fresh air. Pampering preparations begin in earnest tomorrow, see you next week xx
Hi Rachael, of course I have a lovely daughter and daughter in law ! So glad to hear pampering preparations are beginning, really looking forward to next week, feeling better as each day goes by!
Hi Pauline, sorry to hear you are not feeling OK, I hope it’s going to get better for Christmas.
Weathermen are the most displeasing people, the more sophisticated are their instruments the easier they wrong. Poor incapable men. They forecast hard frost and snow here for last sunday… it was 7°C at 8 pm.
We had some frost this morning though (when they said the cold perturbation was over).
I’m looking forward to seeing some of my snowdrops too, but I don’t remember where I’ve placed them, so it’s going to be fun… Yours are fantastic! I love the hellebore too!
It seems weathermen are the same the world over Alberto, they just can’t please us, poor things! Have since found another couple of snowdrops, spring is on its way!! Best Christmas wishes to you, I’m going to enjoy being looked after by the family and yes thank you, I am well enough to enjoy it !
How lovely to be cheered by the snowdrop. I spotted a few pushing through the other day but it will be a while before I see any flowers. It is incredibly mild here and we’ve only had 2 light frosts. The lack of wintry weather does make life easier for everyone but it doesn’t feel very seasonal. I hope you have a lovely Christmas. Best wishes, Wellywoman.
The snowdrop was a lovely surprise Wellywoman, and now a few days later, another, Mrs MacNamara, is now flowering. I have one called 3 Ships as it should flower for Christmas, but no sign of that one yet. We noticed today that one of our Rhododendrons and Japanese Azaleas are trying to flower, not seasonal at all. Have a lovely Christmas, cheers Pauline.
I so hope ;you feel better soon, enjoy the pampering and have a lovely Christmas, dear Pauline. cheers, cm
Improving all the time, thank you Catmint and I will certainly enjoy being looked after by the family.Thanks for all your lovely comments this year Catmint, they mean a lot, hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.
Pauline, your snowdrops are making me absolutely jealous. I had a little chuckle to myself when you stated you found your orchids quite easy to grow and maintain. I would love to have one however have always been intimidated thinking they were a fussy flower.
Snowdrops are everywhere now Tim in the woodland strip, another week and all the small wild ones should be flowering as well as the later hybrids. Like you, I used to think that some orchids were fussy plants, but have found that the Moth Orchid is so easy to look after. Water by flushing through just once a week,and then a good rest for 3 months after flowering. After 3 months start them off again by watering and giving fertiliser once a fortnight, soon there should be a flower stem formed. My white one is still flowering away, soon to be joined by a white and purple one, must definitely buy more!!