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Waiting Impatiently for Spring
30 January 2023 I am not usually envious of other people, but recent visits to my local village have been turning me green. Here on the coast the winds are rarely benevolent and we are still having frosts and days when the wind chill can reduce the temperature dramatically. My camellias continue to hang back […]
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At Least the Rain has Stopped!
16 January 2023 The last leaf in the garden against the backdrop of winter heather. It is hard to imagine how this has remained on the tree throughout all the gales but the colour is a bright spot on a dull day. The heather in all of its glory. I still have to look carefully […]
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Nemeses
This is the night time activity on the wall behind the house where all of my Hosta sit in pots in the shade. The snails are already shredding some of them and I presume that this one is on his way home for the evening after a satisfactory feast. I have tried everything to deter […]
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From Furry Slippers to a Bad Hair Day
My Mount Aso willow is still providing me with a lot of cheer on these windy days. The furry slipper catkin changed to a very dignified deep wine/pink and then it opened up to this grey, orange and yellow creation. However, it remains a furry slipper at heart and in its last throes looked like […]
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Small Miracles
This plant may not look like much, but is a testament to its resilience in the face of human neglect. I have always loved box hedging and the smell instantly transports me back to childhood. In one of my gardens in Scotland, I managed to produce a full hedge from the cuttings of one plant. […]
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April Blossoms
12 April 2021 Dunmanus bay Great excitement today as I had to go to the dentist. This would not be my normal response to such a trip. In fact, I have never looked forward to a visit before. However, today it meant that I was able to take a trip to Bantry town after months […]
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Seashore Garden
31 January 2021 The dull wet days continue and the garden is still waterlogged and almost unworkable. Regardless of the weather, the dogs still need exercise and most days we pay a visit to the small cove below the house. Seaweed has always been an important nutrient for the garden and each winter the storms […]
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Storms and more storms
25 January 2020 I am always slightly reluctant to feed the birds each winter as I don’t want them to become dependent on humans for food. I have been trying to build up hedgerows around the perimeter of the garden to provide both food and shelter for them all year round. However, there is not […]
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Fighting Furry Fiends
Monday 20 January This morning I carried out my daily ritual of walking around the garden to search for the hidden gems that remind me that winter will soon be over. This is in spite of the fact that I was bundled in a warm coat, gloves and hat and had to keep moving to […]