First of All a Happy New Year to you all. I took quite a break there and my blog is going to look a little different to all of you as I slow down and pull back but the one thing I’m continuing is sharing the cottage garden.
I keep a log of how the garden is doing so I can adjust and make changes so having this blog is incredibly helpful in planning the coming year’s borders and crop rotations. We can all agree that the weather this January isn’t typical and if anything my bulbs and plants
Cyclamen
Back in October, I was preparing for Spring and in this
Daffodills
Remember how I said my garden is confused? Well, these are
Primrose
Ah, the primrose, the alarm clocks
Winter Heather
Living by the sea I would never be without heather in my garden. It adds shape structure and colour but more importantly it’s in bloom while much of the garden is asleep. This means you can usually find some bees that are also a bit confused hanging around here. I like having washes of this heather edging borders or mixed in with later blooming shrubs.
Viburnum?
I *think* and maybe you can help me here that this is a viburnum. It is a magnificent addition to the garden but I inherited it so I’m guessing at best as I have never had one in any of my gardens growing up or rented accommodation before. I love it’s blooms and it gives 2 flushes in the year with delicate pink tinged flowers that open and have a slight fragrance.
Peach Tree
Remember when I said that my garden was confused and it would have an effect on the harvest? Well enter case number 1 (I’ll continue this next week) but this tree should not be awake for another few weeks. I left her outdoors and now need to bring her into the greenhouse. Yes I forgot and I’m lucky that she is sheltered but the damp weather is goign to cause me a few issues with peach leaf curl.
The problem with her going into bloom so early is pollination and heat. While I can hand pollinate her the problem lies in the fruit setting but also protection in the coming weeks if the weather gets truly bad. Luckily I can move her to the greenhouse or inside to the conservatory but to some of the other fruit trees I have that isn’t an option. They are all breaking bud at the moment, everything here is which leads me to wonder about pruning. I would normally leave this until February but I’m unsure this year. What are your thoughts?
That’s it from the cottage garden this week. Do make sure that you pop over to The Propagator ‘s page to check out more wonderful gardening posts and why not search the #sixonsaturday tag on twitter too to fill your feed with beautiful blooms. There is also a participant guide here if you would like to join in too. Looking forward to catching up with all of your garden posts this week too!
If you liked this post why not share it so others can enjoy it too?
Hello, yes, we are here, waiting for you to post, waiting to see what you are up to. I am new to your blog and get it through email so I am hoping you will continue and not go just to Instagram. I did discover you on Instagram but that’s like a teaser, a picture and a few words. It drove me to seek out your blog for more in depth content so I hope you don’t give it up. I like Instagram for a broad overview or a quick scroll through ( but it just scratches the surface). Honestly, it’s a sign of the shallowness of our times. That said, I will enjoy your blog as long as you will keep writing, knitting, gardening and journaling…by the way, we enjoy all of those facets of you, as we are all more than just Knitters too.
Still planting tulips eh? They’ll be fine, maybe a bit late this year. Feeling good about my 200 crocus too. I have daffs coming up all over, there s normally some up out the front by new years. They won’t flower for a couple of weeks though.
What a gorgeous close-up of your Heather! Yes, it seems like your plants are confused as to when it is time to start their shows — but — I think we all have that happen. LOL I need to add some Primroses to the garden this year. So pretty!
I’m on the east coast of Ireland and these are in the front taking the brunt of the Irish sea and it’s breeze, so I’m a little shocked to be honest. They have a little protection but not much so I’m hanging on to anything that grows there.
Thank you. Everything did stay very green you are right. It normally is a little more, er brown looking around now. Let’s see what it looks like this time next week though 😀
Hand pollination would be our only choice, you’re right. It’s a small tree it won’t be much effort. I popped it in the greenhouse today along with bottles of water as a heat source so, fingers crossed. I’ve also taken in the chillies.
Great pictures! The photo of primrose is really beautiful … I am surprised to see the peach tree that gives you a first flower! Mine is still sleeping …
Fingers crossed that you will keep it (and others to come) Maybe a hand pollination coming? That’s what I would do.
Lovely, lovely photos of your garden! Everything looks green too!
I love the colour of those Cyclamen plants – I’ve only ever tried growing them as houseplants, but I might attempt some outdoors if I can sneak them into the garden without Mum noticing (it’s her garden, I have the allotment).
Hopefully your confused Daffs won’t be too badly affected by the wintry weather they’re forecasting though.
Thank you. I’m hoping the same. I have tulips and bulbs all around my containers too that all seem to be waking up :/ Time will tell.
Lovely pictures. I have lots of bulbs coming up too, but hopefully the cold weather will slow them down.