Is it really December? Six on Saturday 1 December 2018

It’s the first day of Winter today according to the meteorological calendar. The older I get the quicker the time flies by and the more rubbish my memory becomes; this is one of the reasons I started a blog – to record what was happening around us, in the garden, days out and what adventures we got up to.  It’s certainly done that, I’ve rediscovered my love of photography.  It also gives me a chance to see how the garden changes from day to day and year to year.  But, I really do sound like a broken record mentioning often what odd weather we’ve had this year – it’s been very, very mild, temperatures often 10-15 degrees – and not getting anywhere freezing overnight.  Here beside the Bridgewater Canal, in Monton, in Salford, quite a few of my plants still haven’t realised it’s December. Usually, the garden in December would be looking rather leafless, bare sticks and trees, the odd evergreen plant and a basket or two of winter violas and pansies – with frost and cold, wet soil.  Instead, there a couple of plants flowering that really shouldn’t be…

1.Margarite – Argyranthemum Frutescens

yellow margarite

I have three of these plants in pots, in the front garden, and they are still flowering – they’re proper sun lovers.  I love daisy style flowers, so I have many different plants – dahlias (Bishop styles), Leucanthemum, these and cute alpines.

2. Rose Campion (Lychnis Coronaria)

campion shocking pink

This campion arrived in a pot from my mum about five years ago – it’s been split a few times but was happily flowering for most of the summer, then it had a rest for October and most of November.  Then it started flowering again last week – campion flowers have been on the blog before:

• In a Vase on Monday – lavatera, campion, margarite – 20 July 2015

3. Petunia Surfinia Purple Vein

petunia surfinia – purple vein

This is one of my favourite petunias; we have it in pots and baskets every summer – it flowered profusely all this Summer especially as it was so hot.  It should be well over by now but a couple of plants are still flowering, as their right by the brick wall.

• Breathe #breatheseptember2018 -petunias in a Vase on Monday – 1 September 2018
• In a Vase on Monday – white, purple, aquamarine and john rylands too – 18 August 2015

4. Salvia ‘Amistad’

Salvia Amistad by the arbour

There are still flowers on this salvia but it’s definitely slowing down – it appeared in ‘A six on Saturday’ in late September 2018. I’m hoping I can overwinter it OK.

• fuchsias, salvia, hydrangeas, potentilla – Six on Saturday -22 September 2018

5. Fuchsia ‘Pink Spangles’

Fuchsia ‘Pink Spangles’ – half hardy

This is one of my half hardy fuchsias – it’s still flowering well it’s in a pot near the wall so that I think helps the plant. I think it’s ‘Pink Spangles’ as, unfortunately, the label is lost. It was a gift from a friend a couple of years ago.  It will be going to live in the porch, for the rest of the Winter.

6. Viburnum

Viburnum winter flowering

This is one of two standard viburnum trees that came as a wedding gift to us last year;  they were in full bloom for our wedding in September 2017. Since then – they’ve flowered at very random times – I think the very cold weather in March and boiling heat in June/July has confused the plants. They’ve been re-potted so I hope they survive the winter OK.
I don’t know the variety, as M and S didn’t admit it.  I’ll take some bud photos next time it’s sunny to help me identify it – it has a beautiful scent.  I think it’s definitely a winter flowering viburnum – I’m going to keep an eye on how long they flower for this Winter.

*****

As usual, I am joining the Propagator who takes six photos around his garden or the locality and writes about them.  This week (1 December 2018) he has raspberry canes (I love raspberries too), bay trees (ours need pruning), lots of new plants and some pretty cyclamen.  His photos reminded me that we ‘need’ to order some plants for next year.

Gardening bloggers from around the world join in too. Reading these posts gives me ideas about what I can grow in our garden.

you can follow my #SixonSaturday posts or click on the menu.

Winter plans – is it really December?

Part of gardening is about thinking of the future – so I’m planting bulbs, including tulips, usually the ground is rock hard and cold, instead, it’s damp and soggy.  I’ve put the dahlias in the garage for the Winter, it’s too wet for them. And we’re looking at the David Austin rose website… this could get expensive 😉

Winter is definitely not my favourite time of year (Spring is the season for me) but there are many good things about this time of year.  I am a big believer in the values of Hygge; the state of mind, being in the moment and being cosy.  I struggle in Winter because my osteoarthritis aches more than the summer, so the pain makes me more tired than usual.   I wrote about Hygge earlier in November, with some very ‘summery’ flowers in a Vase too.

• Winter is coming -‘Making winter’  A Review – In a Vase on Monday 19-November 2018

I’ve got the blankets out, found the Winter candles, the outdoor lights are up and hung our Advent calendar, which is rather unusual and doesn’t contain chocolate ;-).  Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this quote which sums what I think about Winter.

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for a home.” — Edith Sitwell, English Poet (1887-1968).

It is really December?  Christmas is coming

I guess I’d better get on with planning for Christmas… all around me the ‘villages’ of Salford have been turning on their Christmas lights, on Saturday, Father Christmas travelled along the Bridgewater Canal to Worsley Green.  Here in Monton, there was a fair by the canal and Father Christmas visited too.

#ChristmasatDunhamMassey

On Thursday, I was at ‘Christmas at Dunham Massey’, an incredible light and music show in the woods and around the garden.  Here’s a sneak peek – it was amazing.

If you’re local do go along – you can book online here

Dunham Massey, near Altrincham, is owned by the National Trust.   Note: I was invited to attend the preview with National Trust staff free of charge in return for social media and blog coverage. I’ll be writing a more detailed post this week.  

Christmas at Dunham Massey – silver birch disco lights

There were plenty of reindeer in the woods;

Visiting Dunham Massey, definitely got me in the mood for Christmas.  I think need I get on with our arrangements and plans 🙂

*****

Have you been gardening this weekend? Any plants flowering when they shouldn’t? 

Is it full on Christmas arrangements for you? 

Have you been to a Christmas light show like at Dunham Massey? 

Do you enjoy Winter?  What have you been doing to prepare for Winter?  

Carpe Diem,

love Bec xx xx xx