December

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The first hard frost of the season was the night of November 30; the first snow fell on 17 December. The shower was brief but heavy and lay for about a week. Here in Birmingham we seem to catch the edge of any weather fronts so we don’t tend to be as affected as other parts of the country.

The snow does make for attractive pictures especially on the seedheads I have left for winter structure.

The winter flowering shrubs have not been flowering well; I presume the colder weather has held them back. I did notice that the winter jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum was starting to come into leaf, this would be three months too early. The flowers which were lovely before the snow have now drooped. Hopefully, they will carry on if the weather becomes milder.

I was putting food out for the birds on the 27th and noticed a bud on a Hellebore orientalis. Buds on a cyclamen too but no photograph of this yet as I only planted it last year.

I have been reading and researching for the woodland project I am working on. I have visited the site a couple of times and noticed that the tree canopy covers most of the site. I intend to grow some annuals to plant this year while I review the amount of light and rain the site gets. I am really looking forward to getting started.

One of the best things about December is the winter solstice on the 21st. The days are getting longer. Great.

Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’