Still no time 'to stand and stare'

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. 

 

 

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.

 

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!