Moving forward

Hywel I think you are right January is a good month and there is lots to do - plan for the Spring and Summer months and there is lots happening out there already as your blog shows - love your jasmine - Jane

Happy New Year Hywel and your family , and a great positive boost to us all after reading your blog and looking at your photos ..... plus nice and sunny today and dry...

Looking through the window lol , I can see various jobs that need doing and decision time with a shrub does it go or does it stay !! it did have a reprieve last year but just in the wrong spot now ....

so true about bulbs starting to appear as a lot of the new crocus I planted in the front garden are just peaking out ..

All the seed and plant catalogs have been arriving to tempt me ...

Gg

What a lovely blog Hywel -really conveys the excitement of the coming spring doesn't it? I love your jasmine.
We have lots of daffodil shoots appearing (and the amazingly early daffs in the next village are already in flower - I always want to shout at them "Its too soon, go back and wait a bit!")

A nice cheerful blog for January Hywel.....yes, we can all start looking forward to the spring now. I've ordered my seeds and it won't be many weeks before I can buy my seed potatoes. Happy days.

Hello Hywell you have spurred me on. I have been in the garden in the warmth of the sunshine. I have trimmed back the sprawling growth of rambling rector.
I have also found some bulbs which I didn't get planted so this is my next job.
I'm like you I look forward to the new growth and the planning for the Spring season
Best Wishes
Marjorie

Hello Hywel ..
I thought you were going to say you spent Beryl's money on cacti ... your garden flowers are looking fab !

What color you have in your garden this time of year! Jan and Feb are absolutely dreary in mine. What is your growing zone Hywel?

It was a really good morning to be in the garden today... ;o) So Hubby and I decided that we should have a good bonfire as there was hardly any wind! Pleased to say we managed to clear all the rubbish under the conifer tree where we hide it to keep dry! ;o) I know we have a Mr or Mrs Hedgehog snoozing under a separate pile which we've left well alone... :o) Next weekend weather being good Old Hubby has decided we'll cut back some shrubs trees etc., - So the spot under the conifer will be full again! :D

I do agree with you Hywel, so much to look forward to, went for a walk around the garden, was warm in the sun, but we are expecting a heavy frost tonight, which no doubt will knock a few things back... Fancy you buying some more fuchsias!! there's a surprise!!..lol

Btw Hywel I have jasmine envy....... cannot get ours to flower!!.and lovely photos too...

Happy New Year to You and Beryl, nice to have a peek into your garden, isn't it grand taking a walk around and seeing the colour coming back, gives one a huge boost, also 5pm and only just getting dark, I have gift voucher shouting at me to spend, lol, resisted so far but I am looking, also have two new Obelisks hiding behind my chair, cannot build and put them out yet as they are going to be in place of my decrepit arch, its only my winter clematis that keeps it in place Hywel and I am certainly not cutting that back until after it has flowered, that'll be a fun job when the time is right though...
None of my ferns down the garden have died back at all, just proves how mild its been again because they always used to disappear, I just keep hoping it doesn't do a turnaround on us, not too late is it really, or is that me being pessimistic ???????

I have listened to thousands of sermons but never knew
there is a plant called a Rambling Rector !

I just looked the Rambling Rector up. What a rose! I have a fence running the back of my garden one half of which I have trained honeysuckle to cover it. The other half I will cover with Rambling Rector. The combination of aromas should be out of this world. Thanks Hywel.

Thanks for reading my blog :)

I'm glad so many of you have been able to get into your gardens ... I enjoyed reading about the things you've done and hope to do :o)

Hello TT, I kept some money back for a few cacti lol ) x

Loosestrife I'm afraid I don't know anything about zones. I live in a hilly area near Carmarthen in Wales. I've never heard of zones here.
However, we do face west, towards the Atlantic Ocean, and get relatively mild winters with lots of rain.

Petaltracey how lovely to have Hedgehogs hibernating in your garden. I had one once, in the garage, but she/he disappeared one day - must have gone looking for food :)

Dottydaisy yes we're in for a frost tonight also, but these flowers in my garden are in sheltered spots so I think they'll be all right.

Have fun spending your vousher Sue (L) I wonder what you'll buy ?? No guesses at what I'd spend it on lol ...
I do think we have plenty of winter left, but I seem to remember some time ago the forecasters predicted a cold first half and mild second half to the winter. I hope they're right for once :D

Happy New Year 2017 to you & Beryl & may you enjoy your gardening activities more this year! :-))

Loved seeing all the flowering that are bravely blooming in your garden, my balcony is empty of flowers this year as I didn't buy any Pansies or Violas this year. For the last 4 or 5 years they have been very bad & died before their spring display.

Nevertheless I've plenty of plants flowering inside the flat, like Amaryllis, Busy Lizzies, a couple of Poinsettias.

There are little signs of the Daffs at present this year - not like last year when I had buds that opened at the end of the month! The Crocuses have been showing signs of life for several weeks now. These are all in the troughs of the balcony & I'm looking forward to a great display in the spring.

There are growing zone maps of the UK ( a recently completed project based on the USA model of plant hardiness zones). The caveat upon the UK map is that it is in a more northern latitude with different lengths of daylight and climate changes greatly effected by ocean currents, and longer winter conditions, still, I find it interesting in comparing my growing conditions to yours. My growing zone is in the 6-7 range which includes the area of the mid Atlantic coast of Southern New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland states. Your equivalent growing zone is 9a which puts you on the USA map in the southern states of North Carolina and Georgia so I can see why many of your outdoor plants are able to bloom. In no way would I take the UK map to much to heart but I find it interesting nonetheless.

I am utterly depressed about our weather here on Vancouver Island I do not remember it being so cold for so long. Everything is frozen solid and I am worried about my tender plants (some in pots).
Your delightful images cheered me up somewhat Hywel.

Wow Hywel, everything is looking wonderfully fresh. We need to seek out the best each month has to offer or we would just wish our lives away. Lovely blog at the start of another new year.

I found this blog very cheering. I am going into the garden now to see what treasures are appearing in my garden. Mostly green I think, Hywel.

Thank you all for your comments :)

Balcony I'm glad you have some things in the house. I couldn't live without plants lol I hope your balcony will look colourful in the spring.

Thanks for the information Loosestife. I think it would be somewhere between 8b and 9 here because we are a few miles inland and have lots of hills all around. Occasionally it can get down to about -7 or - 8 C (although thankfully that only happens rarely)
It was -2 C early this morning (I put a thermometer on top of the car roof to see what it was lol) but in my garden there are some very sheltered spots where it doesn't go down so low.

I hope the weather improves for you soon Klahanie. I also get to feel unwell in cold weather.

Lovely blog, Hywel. Bitterly cold here at the moment and the garden looks quite devoid of colour. We are getting to the age where we need help in the garden but most "gardeners" are not, if you'll excuse the phrasing.
Actually Other Half has been persuaded to have some manual help and at the moment he is very busy keeping the greenhouse fuchsias warm. A little bird has taken up residence in one of the greenhouses and I don't blame it!

Altroemerias have been put to bed and the Acers are next for a make-over. "Gardener" is booked to do that.

Poinsettias are doing well. We usually keep them going until June. At least they add some colour.

Belated Happy New Year. I admire your courage going out in the rain, but it made the colours zing. I can see the whole garden from our windows, so waited for a sunny day to have a closer look.

lovely blog and as I was reading it I could feel excitement at the thought of spring around the corner. i'm not surprised you went for fuchsias :p

I also have several bulbs poking through, a true sign of things to come.

Thank you Hywel , enjoyed that ! Very uplifting .

Eirlys I hope your 'gardener' will do a satisfactory job. I would be nervous letting anyone do anything to my garden.

I quite enjoy rain Siris lol unlike most people. I like going for a walk in it :D
I hate cold weather. It makes me feel ill.

Thank you all for your comments :)

All of you plants are amazing. That jasmine must smell nice.

Thank you :)

Oh Hywel, I know what you mean about being "nervous" about letting someone loose in the garden! However needs must in our case though I am fighting what may still be a losing battle with my Other Half. He is a workaholic and created our garden from a field so he is very reluctant to admit a little help would be welcome!

Happy 2017 Hywel and I so agree with you, January can be such an exciting month, so much to look forward to!

I love January too Hywel.. Time to start thinking about seeds and doing it all over again!

Thank you all :)

Hywel, I haven't been on here much since early December. I'm on 'catch-up' now and have enjoyed so seeing the colours in your garden, much more than in mine!

Lovely Blog Hywel.So cheerful and uplifting.My Jasmine has been outstanding this winter too..Also my Japonica Mahonia in a pot underplanted with cyclamen coum and mini tete a tete daffs just coming through. xx

Thank you both. Sorry I haven't answered sooner but I haven't been on here commenting for a while.

Hurray, lovely to have you back Hywel - I hope the nausea problem is eased somewhat.

Oh yes I'll second that, thats two pals popped up today.....

Hello :) x

Hello Hywel ... I found a pot of 3 Fuchsia 'Lady Boothby' cuttings today ... you may remember I offered to take some for you ... when they've grown a bit more I shall send them to you. :o) x

Thank you Shirley. I haven't been on Goy for a while. Send them whenever you can get around to it. You've got enough to do at the moment. If there's any thing I've got that you fancy let me know.

Croeso, Hywel. Good to see you back and hope the nausea was a passing nuisance.

Ok Hywel :o)

Good to see you have returned, Hywel! :-))