All helping to keep the colour alive even through the winter.

Lovely lovely lovely...well done you! I can't wait to get out there myself. I have been so restless this winter. I am also looking forward to buy more plants, because I transferred a lot from to back garden to the front garden, good excuse to buy more plants me think :))))

Surely we don't need an excuse beyond obsession? ;-))

Thanks Michaella, I know how you feel, it is so frustrating only being able to look at it through the windows, but eh ho we are going the right way now, spring is just around the corner. (I Hope) lol :O)

Certainly do not need an excuse Melchi, I still have some vouchers left over from my October birthday so they are burning a hole in my purse at the minute, but I am waiting waiting waiting. lol.

Lol...no, I agree, obsession...or as I like to call it 'love of growing things' is the only excuse necessary! Went to see lovely orchid gardens here today....and camera ran out of battery...hey-hoh...will have to back again! No hardship at all. Am feeling much better today btw!

Also wanted to say, silver birches make this picture come to life!

I miss having lots to do out in the garden, Barbara ! I think I will have to think were I can create new borders so that I have more to do ! Well done you ! You always keep your garden lovely ! xx

...or volunteer at a national trust garden near you Rose?

...or...thinks...you could start a potted garden. Pots always keep us gardeners so busy! Heucheras? Lol!

It's starting - I managed an hour and a half in the garden today before the rain started again. Kept off the grass and the beds, just worked from the paths

Thanks Karen. I do have one idea, but think hubby would have a fit if I suggested it and thats to remove most of the lawn at the back creating huge borders and just having a grass path from one end to the other ! In fact the more I think about it, the more I like it, but you may hear the screams from here !!! Hahaa!
I do have quite a collection of pots and we have both been adding to them as there are more offers on them in the winter. You've also got me hooked on Heucheras and have been splitting them up to create more.

Go for it Rose, but remember the make the grass path wide enough to get the mower onto. lol. I have cleared all my grass pathways now of leaves and they are very muddy in places but will soon recover once the sunshine starts up. Notice I said WHEN!

ps we have had a lovely sunny day today though, worked my butt off in the garden too. It is amazing how much the sunshine makes you want to get out there.

yes! go for it rose....grass....who needs it? no, I actually like grass as it is such a great foil for flowers! but in a small garden I certainly wouldn't have any. I'd have a nice gravel path and as much colour as I could muster! And it is so environmentally un-friendly too isn't it.....you have to keep feeding it, and it's no use to the bees unless you let the weeds grow....and all that mowing....groan! It do love a courtyard garden! Can't wait to see your new plans coming to fruition...and please don't dob me in to OH...neither for this OR the Heuchera addiction! Lol! X

lol :O)

If weeds make a lawn more environmentally-friendly, mine must be the "greenest" grass around!!!!

Well, Barbara and Karen, I should show my hubby what you said, but I still don't think it would convince him to say goodbye to his precious lawn ! Its just wishful thinking on my part ! xx

Rose! What kind of defeatist speak is this?! Lol....if he loves it that much you may well have a problem...oh, how frustrating is it when OH decides to take an interest in the garden!! You need to get him in to golf...always does the trick...you'll have hours of fun while he's not looking...works for me! ;)

I wish, Karen ! Unfortunately my husband Rick is partially disabled and cannot stand for long periods of time or walk far, but he loves to sit in our conservatory and look at the garden, so I think he might notice the lawn disappearing ! Hahaa!

Lol...you're right..he's bound to! I'm sorry Rose, I had no idea...if he enjoys it, then we'll let him keep it eh? I hope we get another good summer so you can both enjoy it together. Ah.....summer.....if only it lasted a bit longer! We are heading home on Friday, and although I am really looking forward to going home now, I will so miss the sunshine. But soon it will be February...and then we can begin to believe that spring is coming. I think I shall have to have more house plants you know....to give me something to tend to during the winter months.

But....Karen, if there were more borders with more flowers, wouldn't that give him something more interesting to look at ! I'm grasping at straws now ! Hahaa!
You should be really looking forward to going home to that lovely new cottage ! I don't know how you could bare to leave it ! Well....er...sunshine ! Hahaa!
I have taken to having more house plants. Something I have never done ! Thats because of having the conservatory now though ! Safe journey home. xx

If you take a little up at a time, ie. widen the border little by little, he will never notice Rose, lol. (Sorry Rick. ) I agree with you he would find plants far more interesting. Only problem is, keeping the borders tidy. lol Right off out to do another border chopping down and tidying out. At least it is fine and not throwing it down with rain here. We have been so lucky so far this winter, notice I said so far. lol.

Oh, I don't mind keeping the borders tidy Barbara, I just want more ! Hahaa! At Willow Cottage , I was always widening the borders. I started off with 6 foot deep ones and ended up with about 15 foot deep, but the beauty of that garden was that there was a lot of it ! I shall keep pinching a bit here and there, but the border alongside the garage, I think I've almost convinced him to let me widen it, as I have told him that the flowers would be leaning towards the sun and need to be further out ! Which , of course is true ! So, all I need now is some dry weather !

What a lovely large garden. and a super country setting also...

Yes - it is a LOVELY garden. And always so well-maintained! I shall not be posting any photos of my domain just yet!!!

Thank you Dd and Melchi. It isn't always as tidy as this though, only on a good day, a bit like my hair :O) lol

I know the feeling.....lol.

Hair - what hair?

lol:o)