This Month

This Month March 2023 - Friday, 03 Mar 2023

Dare I tell you what I have been up to, I could just say that I now have a Snowdrop Walk! I visited three different Snowdrop gardens in three week and could not resist buying a few at each. I do already have thousands of Galanthus but only three varieties until now. These 13 new ones are all planted along either side of one path, I have become enamoured with them although will not be referring to myself as a galanthophile.
Although I have had a lot of snowdrop time lately it is not the only new additions to the garden, 500 Winter Aconites later and the garden should look even more colourful through the early year. One of the areas I am mass planting them is by the veranda which already has some which are spreading well there but would benefit from more especially as it’s the main view from the house. I planted quite a lot in the Fernery where there is already a medley of spring bulbs in flower before the fern fronds unfurl. The rest are in small or larger patches in the shrubberies, 500 seem a lot but once planting began they suddenly seemed very few and didn’t go that far. I was happy when I opened the box they arrived in to find some free Snowdrops of a variety I did not already have.
 I have also been planting new shrubs including the rare Viburnum calvum from China, I had never heard of it before I saw one in a local nursery. When I tried to look it up on the internet I couldn’t find many sources describing it, the two I did find had contradictory information about what size to expect it to grow to. I am planting a lot of new shrubs in the Little Patch but I will need an awful lot more before it is filled to my satisfaction.
We have just taken out a dead damson tree that was in the hedge next to the tracks into the garden, this is in my eyeline from a part of the house and it now looks totally different. I have planted a Sorbus in its place to give a bit of height and interest.
I am pleased to be getting through the winter work to be almost into my spring jobs in spite of having a few days out. My biggest concern about spring is if there is not enough rain as it has been far too dry here so far this year. It really is a big worry how the climate is changing and effecting our life even here in Herefordshire which would normally be a place of adequate water supply.
We have started bringing up the piles of wood from around the garden but a short rain shower stopped play, it only takes a few drops to make it difficult to bring the tractor up without making a mess. The rest will have to wait a little while, I thought we had removed all the logs from the paths until I was out planting the Aconites and discovered another big pile to move.
I didn’t get all the extra jobs done that I had hoped to over winter as other things got in the way whether that was work, the odd day out or that it was too cold for me to be outside, maybe I will still get them done soon.
There is so much to see around the garden, the snowdrops are still looking good but going over now so I must split and move some. The first Rhododendrons are flowering, the Hellebores are fantastic, early shrubs in flower, Crocuses, Daffodils and many more plants bursting into life every day.


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