Despite everything slowing down
growth-wise, this is such a busy time in the garden. I no
longer ruthlessly cut back perennials, preferring to leave most plants to die
back naturally, ensuring safe refuge for many over-wintering insects and
leaving most seed heads for the birds, but even so there has been lots of shrubs
needing to be pruned and mountains of leaves to be raked and swept.
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| Epimediums before the frost |
The first frost last weekend
took its toll, fortunately I’d already moved tender geraniums and dahlias into the cold
greenhouse and tucked them in for the winter. I’ve spent most of my spare time
this week planting spring bulbs in the borders – all now half price at B &
Q – especially tulips which mustn’t be planted before November or they may
suffer from wilt.
The Christmas hyacinths are
already under cover in pots in the garage and I still need to plant small
terracotta pots with iris reticulata. I saw some for sale earlier in the year.
They looked so pretty and were so expensive that I made a mental note to pot some up myself.
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| Late-flowering clematis with honeysuckle |
I finally made the decision to
have a small holly tree removed and the space this has opened up is
extraordinary. I’ve had a semi-circle of paving placed under the old apple tree
and, following two useful outings to Egglestone Hall Nursery, quite a few
different perennials are now in place in the left border. Daffodils, narcissi,
tulips and alliums have been planted and there is still room for more
plant-buying expeditions in the spring - can't wait!
