In a Bottle on Monday – violas, primula and pelagoniums in the snow

The weather has been very wild, wet and windy here in Salford for the last few weeks. It’s been very mild so it has rained and rained and rained. The weird weather has confused all the flowers.   The River Irwell flooded on Boxing Day, in Kersley and Lower Broughton elsewhere in Salford (only a couple of miles from me) wrecking Christmas for hundreds; the cleanup and repairs are still going on.   Hebden Bridge, home to quirky, independent businesses were flooded yet again, Todmorden just down the river in Calderdale. Cumbria and York, even though more flood defences have been built. Good friends of mine in Scotland were flooded out in mid-December when the River Forth burst its banks in Stirling – their house is a real mess.   Thousands of homes, businesses, schools, churches and other public buildings wreaked.    I really feel for everyone affected and I’ve been doing my bit to help.  Climate change is happening for sure.

Pelagoniums, primula and viola 17 January 2016

It’s been incredibly mild here since the autumn – between 9 and 15C most of the time. Only one even vaguely frosty morning.   Finally, we had some snow over Saturday night into Sunday morning – the first of the winter – only an inch or so. It lasted into the afternoon before it melted.  Many of my friends who live in the hills around Manchester had quite a bit of snow – lots of happy kids sledging and building snowmen.  As it’s been so mild many flowers in my garden have continued to flower way longer than they should have (and appeared in vases too) – dahlias into November, fuchsias into December and many of my bedding plants are still flowering a little.

In Many Bottles on a Monday – Pelagoniums, primula and viola

This week, for my ‘In a Vase on Monday’, I went for a hunt around the garden – and I found some tiny flowers lurking.  It was very sunny so I took these pictures on Sunday morning.  I bought the wicker and bottles in B&Q of all places.

The pink pelargoniums at each end of the display have been flowering in the porch since November.  As have the light pink, striped one in the middle is in a hanging basket in the porch too = both have appeared ‘In a Vase on Monday’ before on Hogmanay.

• In a Vase on Monday – love and rosemary for remembrance

The dark purple viola has flowers that look like velvet.  It’s growing happily in a pot by the back door.  I was pleased to find the little purple and yellow primula is in the front garden.

pelargoniums, violas and primulas in the Winter sunshine – 17 January 2016

My honeysuckle is flowering, but with no scent as far as I can tell, it started flowering again in November.  I forgot to take a photo of it and I think the snow might be too much for the flowers.   My neighbour’s camellia has about 15 blooms on it. It looks lovely but shouldn’t be flowering until about March.  My camellias have many buds too.

viola, pelargonium and primula – 17 January 2016

Cathy who hosts ‘In a Vase on Monday’ asked other bloggers about the weather where we live.  She’s had snow in the Midlands too – and this week she has paperwhite narcissi which she’s grown in her greenhouse.

They look wonderful and remind me that Spring is around the corner which is definitely lifting my mood.

Hurrah.

Life is better in the garden

yoda in the snow – Life IS better in the Garden 17 January 2016

Life is most definitely better in the garden – I’m a soft southerner so I need to wrap up warm for time in the garden – but it does brighten my day – the snow’s arrival was definitely a #100happyday moment – we went for a walk around Monton on Sunday afternoon, as the snow was rapidly melting.  I wonder if we’ll see some more snow this ‘Winter’?

What has made you happy today?

Carpe diem

love Bec xxx

See my #100happydays photos here