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Waiting for Spring
2 April 2021 The rest of the country is basking in sunshine while this valley is shrouded in a sea mist. Coupled with a biting east wind it is not a day for outdoor gardening and it is the kind of weather when I particularly miss having a greenhouse or polytunnel to work in. For […]
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March Winds
16 March 2021 At last, the rain has stopped and the sun is out. The temperature has jumped ten degrees in a day and the rosemary is flowering again after a short rest. The bumble bees are feeding from the berberis and rosemary and I spotted a rather tattered peacock butterfly making a fleeting appearance. […]
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Water Features
6 March 2021 I was so pleased with the success of my single water lily last year that I did not realise that there was a serious design flaw in my system. In my memory frosts were rare during my childhood in Ireland and West Cork was particularly famous for its mild climate. Perhaps my […]
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Winter’s Relentless Grip
18 February 2021 This winter I have discovered that the ultimate in extreme gardening is no gardening at all. Despite the fact that most nights I am woken by the wind and rain pounding the house I am always optimistic that the next day will be fine. So far, my optimism has been misplaced. In […]
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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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Winter’s Natural Beauty
16 January 2021 Cape Clear on a cold, frosty evening The long cold spell has disappeared to be replaced by thick fog and pouring rain. Walking the dogs now requires that I identify when there will be a break in the downpours. So far, I have not been very good at this as the rain […]
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Creating a Miniature
Woodland Garden5 January 2021 For the first year ever, I am finding it had to find work to do in the garden. This is not for lack of trying. I am thwarted by two factors. The temperature has been below zero every night for some time and daytime temperatures are little better. My hands have registered […]
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Winter Berries
for the Birds26 December 2020 Storm Bella is on the way and I have been providing the birds with double rations of bird food to help them through the next few days. My five-year-old hedgerows are providing some shelter, but many of the small birds seem to live in the acres of gorse and brambles on my […]
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Semi-dry-stone walls
7 December 2020 I don’t know why I am consistently surprised by the weather because I have learned that the one constant here is that nothing is constant. Yesterday I awoke to a hard frost. The temperature reached a heady six degrees in the middle of the day. The robin almost pushed me out of […]
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Fungi
20 November 2020 October was a relatively dry month all things considered and mushrooms were noticeable by their absence. This was disappointing, as I have had a full fairy ring on the driveway for three years in a row. Last year there were two intersecting rings with two different fungi species and I had high […]