2nd January 2014 in my garden

Hi Scotsgran ...
a lovely variety of plants...
the cyclamen is looking especially delightful :o)

It is indeed colourful, and looks beautiful. My primulas have been flowering for months - lovely, aren't they?

Hi Scotsgran You are so lucky to have a big garden. and you have some colour to :0)

A few pretties Scotsgran - the Cyclamen especially. I do love the cotoneaster along your low wall - looks interesting year round.

It all looks lovely, Scotsgran, even this time of year ! Is your garden as big as it looks ?

Your garden looks like winter never arrived, long may it last.As for mine a swamp would best describe it good job I have the glass houses.

Thank you Tt. I was watching the gardeners programme you recommended and they were so enthusiastic about shrubs that I had to share mine with members. I planted the cyclamen on 3rd October and am surprised they are doing so well. Mel looking through my photographs I find primulas are constantly in flower. When one takes a rest a different one sends up flowers. Cmsue, I do try to stop buying plants because the urge to dig up unattractive lawns is a great temptation. Saving neglected plants is a passion with me and my kids have been heard to say "it could be worse, she might want to rescue animals", which is a bit unfair as they have all brought strays in and insisted we keep them. We are lucky to have a big garden and I do think it is all that keeps us here. Scottish I think I would be devastated if anything happened to the cotoneaster. All the berries on the ground have been knocked off by the blackbirds. They are messy eaters. Once a berry lands on the ground they will have nothing to do with it. The cotoneaster has hard skinned berries unlike the yew tree which has squishy berries, impossible to sweep up. Rose we have a bit over one third of an acre. This is just the front garden. I do think the lovely colours and textures are just as important in the winter when we need something to take us outside in the fresh air. I hope you are all well and not suffering from the flooding we see on TV.

Bjs our comments crossed. it is hard to believe that we have not had the bad weather affect us to the same extent as members further south. We have had a lot of rain but the winds seem to help to dry it up. Your glass houses must be a treat at this time of year. What do you think of that brave Corydalis. I have a seed pod on my Galanthus reginae olgae. I am swithering whether to leave it alone, feed it or knock it off. What do you think?

The corydalis is incredible, and so is the hydrangea.
But my prizes go to the viburnum and the little woodland walk.

Thank you Steragram. The viburnum is one I planted in the 1980's. It is an insignificant plant until it starts flowering then we are treated to the beautiful scent which is far stronger than the size of the flowers would indicate. Bjs, the hills around us are white this morning, I'm not sure if it is just a heavy frost or if there has been a light snowfall.

I agree with you, Scotsgran ! I love all evergreens .

Sheila
Not much colour in the glass houses lots of buds looking for sunshine to bring them on. few snowdrops couple of Primula & Cyclamen.

It was very frosty in Edinburgh today. I was at RBGE picking seed in the distribution round of the seed exchange. The puddles were covered in ice.