December 2020

This December has so far been very mild here in Our Garden@19 with only one frost.

The cannas and dahlias are all lifted…..

….safely stored in the garden shed with fleece covering for the cold nights.

The tender plants are divided between the two greenhouses…

Two small areas have been planted with Tulips also Foxgloves, Wallflowers and Forget-me-nots, along with several pots in the hope that we will be able to join the village church open gardens in early May.

One of the many ‘Estate’ maintenance jobs for this winter was to replace the trellis fence between the White and Green garden and the Blue Borders…

It edges the path where the badgers enter the garden, I was concerned, due to its poor condition, they would push through into this area of the garden instead of following their usual path via the ground bird feeder.

With help from my brother, we managed to replace it in one day with Rebar steel mesh normally used in reinforced concrete, without doing too much damage to the climbing Iceberg rose.

In The Oriental Garden the Magnolia ‘Stella’ fury buds are forming.

One of my aims within the garden is to try and have something in flower or of interest in the garden throughout the year, this month it is the Hamamelis Moll  Pallida (Witch Hazel).

Below is the last garden tour video for 2020, here’s hoping for a better 2021. Please turn your sound on select full screen, play and enjoy.

December Rain.

In the Garden, December 2018

T’is the season to be merry, of turkey, tinsel and snow with visits to Santa’s Grotto.

I cannot promise you any of the above, we can though visit Our Garden@19 following a rain shower, looking for some winter cheer and colour. In the Oriental Garden the Witch Hazel is in flower, although it is not looking too cheerful due to its habit of retaining all the old leaves.

Hamamelis Moll Pallida (Witch Hazel)
Phyllostachys Spectablis

The golden bamboo always adds a cheerful glow in the corner.

Two of the Cornus are brightening up the back of this border, reminding me that the fence panels could do with re-staining!

Cornus Alba ‘Westonbirt’ syn C. alba ‘Sibirica’ Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire

In the White and Green garden the Viburnum f ‘candidissimum’ is in flower, this wonderful shrub flowers all through the winter…

…the Mohonia has grown through the trellis to add a splash of yellow to this ‘carefully’ colour co-ordinated garden…

Mahonia Bealii

…the standard holly is an attractive centre piece here.

Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Margenata’ Standard

In the Blue Border the ornamental grasses provide an interesting straw coloured contrast to the Thuja occ. ‘Smaragd’…

…where the Rose ‘Charlotte’ has a rain drop covered bud surviving.

Rose ‘Charlotte’ Std.

The bark of the Prunus is always very attractive this time of year.

Prunus serrula

The winter jasmine and the clematis are providing a splash of yellow, with the clematis climbing through the wisteria.

Jasminum nudiflorum
Clematis cirrhosa balearica

The skimmia’s are also a welcome sight with ‘Rubella’ very popular with the flower arrangers at Christmas.

Skimmia Hermaphrodite
Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’

‘The Holly and The Ivy’, with a cloud pruned conifer by the entrance to the Oriental Garden…

Ilex × meserveae ‘Blue Angel’

… with moss appropriately growing in the crux of an acer tree.

Hydrangea flower heads, in December, make wonderful flower arrangements and photographs.

The title of December Rain is best illustrated with this picture of pine needles with jewel like rain drops, especially the close-up one below.

Reflections on the year!

I hope you have good reflections of 2018. Sadly we had to say goodbye to our faithful companion Murphy.

On a happier note our youngest daughter, Mary is joining her partner James on the 22nd in their first home together. It will all seem a little quiet around here. The Hanley Swan NGS open gardens had another successful year, with totals raised since we started four years ago reaching £8,500. Looking forward to the new year, we have a new garden opening with us along with ‘plans’ for our garden.

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from all of us at Our Garden@19: brimfields.com