Green Girl Gardener

Well this is novel! I haven’t posted anything on my blog since the end of August! I’d forgotten how to compress my photos and how to connect my keyboard to my iPad. I kind of fell out of love with blogging and that combined with much less time due to general life duties and the end of summer and, hence, lack of prettiness in the garden meant I just haven’t posted for ages. I’m not sure if I’m, in the words of Take That, back for good, but I’m here for now, and we’ll see if I rediscover my blogging enthusiasm.

I think what has drawn me to write, is that I saw from the kitchen window that my newest hellebore has flowers and it prompted me to venture into the garden to check the damage done by the recent cold snap (not as extensive as I’d feared) and I was inspired by the signs of life, and, dare I say it, spring coming!

Hellebores will be my first point.

I should know what variety these are, but alas, I don’t! I think the white one is Christmas but the other two, nope, no idea! The pinky-white one is the newest and it’s the first time I’ve seen it flower – isn’t it pretty? The middle one hasn’t opened it’s pretty flowers yet, but once it does, it flowers for ages, well into summer.

Next up are these erysimum in a pot.

I got these in the sale at some point last summer. There were only five in the carton instead of six, hence the sale price, but the five that were left were perfectly fine so I snapped them up. They look quite happy in this pot. I’m looking forward to seeing what colour flowers they produce.

I couldn’t resist including a photo of my unidentified success. Those who’ve followed me for a while (if you’re still there after such an extended absence!) will know that this cost me pennies a couple of years ago and it had no label, and that it’s gone from strength to strength. I’d have been really upset if the cold had killed it, but it (unlike its owner) is obviously quite happy with arctic conditions. As it’s unidentified, maybe I should give it a name – Elsa seems apt (Frozen, anyone?)

My final three points are full of hope and new beginnings. First up my pink damask is pushing through new shoots. Before I know it, she’ll be a couple of feet tall and threatening to burst forth with her dusky blooms.

In front of Ms. Damask under the watchful eye of Monsieur Red Breast are, joy of joys, the beginnings of daffs! Daffs mean spring, and spring means warmth, light and holidays are just around the corner – what’s not to love?

Finally, lots of miniature sedum cabbages! Aren’t they cute?

I’m so glad nature’s done its thing completely unaided by yours truly. It’s just been too cold to go out there for so long, and now it’s too wet to do anything! There’s a mouldy pepper plant in the green house, a collapsed honeysuckle trellis, a couple of coprosmas that may or may not be dead (I hope not, but it doesn’t look hopeful) and the weeds and sopping wet debris are everywhere, but after pottering around out there today, I’m confident that if the rain ever stops, I’ll be able to get things back in order.

That’s all for now – enjoy the rest of the weekend folks!