Sunday 16 January 2011

January is the cruelest month...

I'm finally emerging from the post Christmas malaise that descended upon our rather exhausted household. The decorations are packed away for another year, the cards that never got posted have been guiltily put out of sight and the fridge has been emptied and restocked with things that at least look like they've seen a vitamin!

And at last the snow has gone!


Finally the view is green again!

Like everyone else we were taken by surprise by the amount and the longevity of the snow. We hadn't finished winding up our outdoor jobs and projects for the year so under the snow they've sat - for seven weeks altogether. The last couple of weeks have been all about assessing the snow damage and getting up and running again. So far we've not done badly, the raspberry cage has collapsed, several favourite plants have definitely bitten the dust, but compared to friends with burst pipes we've been lucky so far.

Fortunately for me I have my head gardener to plan the season ahead, even if she does take more tea breaks than she spends digging, she assures me shes thinking very seriously about what to plant this year...


We braved the plot together and after much sighing and oh dearing we've decided upon our gardening resolutions for this year...

mine were - no more big brassicas - we've fed the caterpillar population enough thank you very much! and this year we are going to get better at taking cuttings and collecting seed.

mini freerangers were - she's going to plant her broad bean seed in pots and keep them in the house as last year she lost them all to a hungry vole population and she wants to see more roses - every where!

So after that exhausting brainstorming session we had another cuppa and decided to leave the clearing up for another day!

Happy 2011 everyone, thank you to those of you who kicked me out of my rut and got me back in the garden, I'm definitely back and feeling like freeranging - hang on, is that the thud of a Marshall's seed catalogue I hear on the doormat, Wahay, here we go again!

5 comments:

  1. Good to ee you back hun! Happy New Year!

    Oh hilarious word verification - vegiplop! hahahaha! Ease off the peas!

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  2. Happy new year. I think Mini Freeranger has got the right idea, both with starting off her beans in pots and with the tea breaks.

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  3. HNY to you too!... well done for getting on with it... we also have sooooo much to do but I guess it will come round eventually... all the best x

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  4. Oh, its so good to see you back. That little lady looks as though she's got everything organised for you... x

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  5. Thanks everyone - As for vegiplops!...reminds me of my families reaction to Jerusalem Artichokes - the less said the better!

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