What's your garden like at this time of year?

[joyshirley]

Our first little dahlias are flowering.

 

[rebornfree]

How lovely, js.

I've been wanting to give the garden a final tidy up before Christmas, but getting cards and letters done took priority. However this week I found time to give it a good clear up. Some late flowering plants had died and were looking very messy, and leaves were scattered around. It was dark by the time I finished (about 4.30) but it looked much better, and I enjoyed doing it. I put some pot plants over gaps in the beds, and the more delicate ones are huddled together. I noticed that the snowdrops' leaves are beginning to show. They are in a trough, so I am protecting them amongst the more hardy plants in case the weather gets worse.

 

[joyshirley]

That sounds like a job well done and ready for Christmas, Sue.

We have some apricot roses blooming at the moment. They have a delightful scent.

 

[rebornfree]

I can almost smell them over here! Whenever anyone mentions roses the fragrance comes to mind - beautiful.

 

[pdudgeon]

gardening catalogues should be hitting the mail boxes any day now.
and i think we've only got about 7-8 weeks before we jump the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time again!

 

[musicalpilgrim]

This is our garden when my son was alive. He brought my little granddaughter...she is seven this month...to see the railway. I just wish we had his face in the video, but never mind...

 

[rebornfree]

I'm sorry for your loss musicalpilgrim.

Your granddaughter is lovely and the railway amazing. I see that you have a few small houses there too; what a lovely thing to have in the garden. Thanks for sharing the video clip.

 

[musicalpilgrim]

All the buildings were built out of plastic by my husband, no kits...he cut up the sheets of plastic himself. Styled on buildings at the end of the 19th century in Colorado.

 

[joyshirley]

It's awesome, musicalpilgrim. You are both very talented.

 

[joyshirley]

As for our garden, it is abandoned at the moment. We're away visiting my father for a week or two.

 

[rebornfree]

All the buildings were built out of plastic by my husband, no kits...he cut up the sheets of plastic himself. Styled on buildings at the end of the 19th century in Colorado.

What a creative, enjoyable thing to do.

As for our garden, it is abandoned at the moment. We're away visiting my father for a week or two.

I hope you are having a good time with your father joyshirley, and that your garden isn't getting too overgrown while you are away!

 

[joyshirley]

What a creative, enjoyable thing to do.

I hope you are having a good time with your father joyshirley, and that your garden isn't getting too overgrown while you are away!

Thanks, Sue - yes, we are. I also have a brother and a sister in this area, whom we have caught up with too. There will be weeds in the garden, laughing up at us when we return, no doubt. Some weeds are very pretty, I think, and I am sometimes loath to remove them.

 

[rebornfree]

I agree that some weeds are pretty. How nice that you are seeing your siblings too js.

The garden has been looking tidy since clearing it up before Christmas, simply because nothing is growing very much!.....except that the first snowdrop is out!

 

[joyshirley]

I've always loved the thought of the first snowdrop and the first bluebells. It has always sounded so romantic and so quintessentially English...

 

[rebornfree]

The bluebells are glorious when they carpet whole patches of ground. I agree that the first flowers do sound romantic, and it's interesting to see that they help define Englishness. It's a nice thought, perhaps like Wordsworth and his daffodils?

 

[joyshirley]

Yes, definitely like Wordsworth and his daffodils.

 

[pdudgeon]

around here lots of gardens will be seeing their first snowfall this weekend.

 

[joyshirley]

around here lots of gardens will be seeing their first snowfall this weekend.

Does that create a lot of work for you, pd? Everything here is staying lovely and green as the country is receiving enough rainfall so far this summer.

 

[leytonstones]

We have purple and yellow crocus and daffodils in our garden at the moment. The snowdrops are nearly over. We have cyclamen coming up but I can't wait to get out there and tidy up

 

[MWood]

Mary, Mary quite contrary....