Winter blooms ... sparkling after the rain

What a wonderful display of colourful plants, unusual at this time of the year. Your decorative frieze is lovely too, very artistic.

Hi J ...
I'm lucky to have lots of winter interest plants.
Yes, in my gardens too, there are absolutely thousands of neighbours' leaves to clear up ... gets more exhausting for me every year because the domineering birch gets bigger and bigger. People are thoughtless about where they plant trees. Trees are nice, but only in the right places !

Thank you Marjorie ...
The decorative frieze took me quite a while to construct, but it was fun making it. This week, when I went out into my gardens, between the showers, I was surprised just how many plants were flowering or budding.

Thanks for the PM Terra! Glad the blog is back. We need all the blogs we can get right now! We have had days and days of heavy rain and fog. My garden is saturated! And on top of that, my greenhouse heating, gates, freezer, laundry appliances etc are all out due to an electrical issue! So this morning I went and brought all the precious tender things in to the house...no small feat! Anyway....its good to see your winter jewels! The winter jasmine is so delightful isn’t it. And mine is very pretty this year. It takes ages to establish. And your yellow roses...so pretty. It seems to be the yellow ones that last the longest! I had Christmas pickings from ‘The Pilgrim’ in my last garden, and here its Graham Thomas that doesn’t know when to stop! Lovely blog...thankyou! Very cheering. X

Hi Karen ..
I hope your electrical problems get sorted. Lucky that you've been able to rescue your plants. Yes, it is good that there are plenty of shrubs flowering at this time of year, despite the wet weather.

A nice cheerful blog. We need it after all the rain. I get really down when I can't get out (don't much like walking in the rain). Remember Johnnie Cry Raye " Just-a-walking
in the rain, getting soaking wet"?

Thank you Feverfew ...
My intention was to make this a very up-beat blog because so many gardens have been soaked with rain lately. Drainage in my gardens is quite good... but some lower areas around England have appalling flooding, haven't they. Yes, Johnny Ray and so many others have sung rain-theme songs !

Hi Tt, lovely blog once again, I wouldn't know where to start with all things on your frieze, I have smiley faces and others, but nothing like this, so well done, and so much colour for this time of year, quite amazing, Derek.

Terra, thank you for making us smile with your lovely blog 🙂🙂.

A lovely blog for a dreary night, it has lifted the miserable feeling I've had all day TT … It's as if autumn hasn't reached your garden yet, with everything thriving and looking so fresh :) xxx

I enjoy seeing the little cartoons between the text and photos, and the nice big letters are better for my eyes to see ! :)

Thanks Derek ..
Making a frieze takes quite a while but it is fun to do.

Hi Sheila ..
Thank you ... when I walked around my gardens with my camera, I found more flowers than I had expected to see.

Hello Hywel ..
Very pleased that my blog cheered you. Glad that my flowering shrubs and large print fonts are so welcome.
x x x

very pretty and uplifting blog tt thank you.
I have roses forming buds too and hopefully the frosts will stay away until after they have opened.

I must go and see if the winter jasmine is in flower yet. its down the wet side of the house and the garden is very wet and soggy.

Loved your blog Terra and it did make me smile too ! This wet weather really depresses me as I can't get outside to work, so your blog has cheered me up. I loved your frieze! You are one clever lady. I have a few roses still flowering despite the rain but the ground is so water logged as we have clay soil here.
Take care xxx
Just thought I better mention that your last blog has disappeared !

Hi Seaburngirl ..
I'm glad you like my blog .. I worked hard to give it a happy theme ! I hope your roses do well, and that your winter jasmine is flowering despite the damp.

Thanks Rose ..
There's just the one blog, which I republished. Good to know it cheered you.
Sunshine and colder temperatures are forecast, so perhaps at least you'll be able to work outside. I'm pleased you like my frieze .. I sort of made up the design as I went along.
x x x

Lovely Terra.
I bought a Garrya James Roof a couple of years ago after admiring yours over the years, no tassels on mine yet, I live in hope.

Wow! So much colour. My garden is in winter mode.

Hi Dawn ..
I hope your Garrya gets tassels soon. They are amazing to see.
Hello Linda ..
At this stage, my gardens have been damp rather than frosty, so my plants and flowers are thriving.

Thanks Terra for such a cheery, optimistic blog when my own garden is looking a bit down hearted after all the rain! The leaves that have fallen from the trees stayed put where they fell, many stuck onto the muddy grass and were such hard work to clear up!

I too love the little frieze that you added to the photos - just what was needed to give us all a lift!

Lovely blog, Terratoonie. You have some lovely colour and it was really cheering to read. Keeps you going through the wet, damp autumn. Must be really quite uplifting.

Thanks Wildrose ...
Glad you like the frieze I designed.
My gardens are more frosty today, so happy to be indoors seeing it all from the windows !

Hi Kate... thank you ...
Nice to have garden colour at this time of year.

Such a cheery blog, just what we all needed after endless days of rain, so much colour still to be had in your garden, gorgeous.
Like everyone one else loved your art work, I love messing with things like that....time consuming, but such fun....(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
So thanks for your happy vibe, it certainly worked TT.....(๑♡⌓♡๑)

Hi Dotty...
I'm pleased you enjoyed my happy blog, and my artwork. Thank you !
It's always fascinating to see your illustrations made from assorted keyboard characters... very clever !

Not me though TT, they come with my tablet.....lol

Another lovely blog. The lavenders look very strong indeed. Mine are a bit yellow. Too much hot sun I believe. Your roses are very beautiful. Here in Brazil I never saw holly. In England, in Bournemouth, at the college where I went to study, there were two huge holly hedges. I always remember the beauty of the leaves and the red fruits.

When were you at Bournemouth College Aleyna? I was there too - a long time ago! (1958 - 1962)

Thanks Aleyna ...
The lavender is in an exposed position, but it does have good drainage, and seems to like that.
Can you grow holly in pots in Brazil ? I have a very large holly bush in my front garden which started from a tiny seedling about one inch high, probably dropped by a bird, which I discovered some years ago, sprouting in a gap between pavings ... I put it in a pot for about a year, and then into the ground where it has grown to over 10 feet tall.

What a lovely blog Tt, just what we need after all the heavy rain and dark days. It does show just how hardy these late flowers are and what a joy they are to see. I do love the Winter Jasmine, mine too is in flower and such bright stars they are...
I'm sure the little Iris will really do well..:))

Wow Sheila, thats a coincidence. I was there 2010, for a specific program in Chiropractic.

I believe I would be able to grow it on a pot TT. The difficulty here is to find seeds or a cut. The only store that sells it is in São Paulo, 1800km north from here.

A wonderful blog & very cheery as well, TT! :) Your garden always seems to spring surprises!

In spite of my "green finger" I can't seem to get Lavender to grow on my balcony! My wife & my daughter have bought me plants & once my daughter gave me a seed kit with everything needed to grow the seeds but only a few germinated & they soon went West as well! :( It grew well on the allotment as a sort of low hedge but not on the balcony! :( I probably water them too much!

Thanks Janey ...
The Iris is still looking perky, despite colder weather... and, yes, even more flowers on my winter jasmine.

Kind words, Balcony... thank you ..
My experience of lavenders is that they prefer to grow in poor soil which gets water, but is very well-drained. Seems like you killed your lavender with kindness ! But you are brilliant at growing so many other plants. Yes, I can imagine the lavenders growing well on the allotment.

After 3 months your blog has suddenly reappeared! Did you know that the Met Office has officially declared this February as the wettest since records began? This winter has also been the FIFTH wettest since records began?

I have said to my wife, & a few other people, that this winter must have been the wettest for many, many years, especially since we returned to the UK in 2001! I couldn't remember such a wet winter in all my life - well, it seems I was right!