This week… has…been….bloody cold! To state the obvious! If you’re reading this from anywhere in the UK, the chances are that you’ve had cold, frost and snow pretty much all week long last week – which the garden needs, but its put the breaks on getting outside to do anything substantial this week.
The snow has been lingering around and the freezing temperatures have still had the ground solid, that was – until Monday. Monday and Tuesday saw us leap from around minus 6 right up to 12 or 13 degrees, positively baking hot in comparison! Which did mean that getting the bulbs in was made all the more possible for lots of us, thankfully mine were all in anyway so I’ve not been too worried here. We all know that the frost and snow can cause a little bit of craziness with travel et but we do have to make sure to stop and appreciate the beauty of this time of year too.
Just like last year, I’ve filled some bowls and saucers with water and added bits and pieces from the garden, to freeze overnight to create beautiful icy works of art. My favourite from this year was one that I made with lots of heather and some hellebore flowers, annoyingly I didn’t get a photo before the kids got to them and smashed them on the floor!
Having a quick scoot around in the garden between frosty spells and I’ve noticed that the odd tulip, here and there – has started to pop up! Frightfully early but it’ll all be fine as this frosty spell will slow them down a little, I hope.
I know I’ve banged on about the tulips that I’ve planted but I’m so excited to see them all out in the glory in spring. Did you all see the wonderful tulips fields in last week’s Gardener’s World special on the TV?
Last week I posted a little guessing game as to what on earth I was doing with a load of pots laying face down on an empty border in the garden. The guesses were wild, ranging from people asking if I was forcing rhubarb, hiding more bulbs and even hiding Christmas presents! Needless to say, it was none of those things and instead I was marking out space for plants for next year, trying to figure out how many dahlias I can fit in! Thankfully I think I can get in around 20 – which I never ever thought I’d be doing after falling out with them last year! Just goes to show that in gardening; never say never…
I also posted another little guessing game – about trying to see if you could guess how many bulbs I’ve planted this year in our dinky little garden. The guesses ranged from the absurd ‘millions’ to the much smaller ‘300’ – well it’s time to reveal the answer! The actual amount this year (including a sneaky B&Q trip this week) is 2790, which is more than I ever planned for! There are pots and pots and pots, and not forgetting all of the bulbs in the borders too. Spring should be fantastic!
All that remains is to say a very merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all, wherever you may be.
I hope the festive period brings you time to relax, spend time with family and enjoy yourself if you can.
See you again next week!
View From The Potting Bench 