Wednesday 25 February 2015

the winter garden

It seems odd to talk about winter when we are bouncing towards spring with a hop, skip and a jump but I’ve really noticed in the past few weeks, all that is flourishing in the garden amongst all the plants that have shut down for the winter months.
Made even more lovely, no doubt, with the few frosty mornings we’ve had of late. 
Last year our garden was bulldozed and blitzed and made lovely, shiny and new, giving us a veritable blank canvas for planting. 
Quite a daunting task to undertake and it is still a work in progress as we wait to see if everything will flourish in harmonious abundance in the borders of our cottage style garden.




For evergreenery, I have planted  Elaeagnus x Ebbingei and Osmanthus x Burkwoodii as screening hedges and backdrops to summer flowering perennials. 
Euphorbia characias subsp. ‘wulfenii’ and Anemanthele Lessoniana [pictured above] are beautifully adding bulk and filling spaces in the flower borders and Polypodium Vulgare and Sarcococca Confusa which has gorgeous scented flowers just appearing are part of a woodland setting planted under a large Prunus tree. 
But my favourite evergreens, thriving in our garden and looking fabulous on frosty winter mornings..... Rosemary, Mexican Orange Blossom, Skimmia Japonica and Eucalyptus Gunnii 
[ all pictured below ]


But it’s not all about greenery in my winter garden. Perennials Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’, Sedum ‘Matrona’ and Verbena Bonariensis left unpruned over the winter season have been so eye-catching and dramatic in their skeletal form. 


Other sculptural beauties, Corylus Avellana ‘Contorta’ with it’s stunning twisted branches and Hydrangea Paniculata ‘Limelight’ which is festooned with gorgeous large faded flower heads are adding interest.


It’s about time to get the secateurs out and give everything bit of a chop. I think a collection of dried hydrangea and seed heads may be making their way into the house for a bit of vase dressing and displaying.
As the weather gets warmer I can see new life emerging, the green shoots of spring bulbs, new growth on dormant plants and blossom buds on the trees. Although I’m a little bewildered by all the gardeneering to be done I’m just a wee bit excited to see the beauty and horticultural delights of 'The Spring Garden’.

[ Almost all of the plants we planted last year were bought online from Crocus ]

5 comments:

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    1. Thank you! I think even the weeds look beautiful with a dusting of frost!

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  2. So pretty Sarah! I'm not the biggest fan of frost (probably from many years of waking up to a frosty house while growing up - icicles from a dripping tap in the bathroom, when what you really want is to have a hot bath before heading to school don't conjure up happy thoughts!) but you have made it look totally beautiful - which is really is. I think I must be getting a bit soft!
    I definitely think you should take some of the "dead" seed heads and dried Hydrangea flowers inside. They are gorgeous too. Just looking at your photos - I can almost smell the crispness in the air. Sydney has had a cold and rainy couple of days, so it's easier to relate to.
    Enjoy the transformation as your garden springs to life again. Can't wait to see more photos of your "new" garden. :)
    Sheree x0x

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    1. P.S. I was reading "The Princess and the Pea" to the boys the other day (at their request) - and it reminded me of the mattresses and quilts you stitched for your little girl ages ago to go with the story. :)

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  3. Hi Sheree! Thanks for your lovely comments. It’s not very crisp here today unfortunately as it’s pouring with rain but I did manage to gather some dried seedheads from the garden yesterday so expect some foliage faffery soon!
    Hard to imagine Sydney cold and rainy, I got horrendously sunburnt my first ever trip there!!!
    Hope the boys enjoyed the story - such a classic x

    ps I’m forever tidying up those ‘mattresses’!!!!

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