Dorset Garden Diary - Happy New Year

Happy New Year and welcome to 2016. I hope you all had a great time and the hangovers have gone. We had quite a busy social time, and there appears to be a few more pounds of me since my pre-Christmas blog. Never mind, a spot of gardening will soon rectify that.

Weather-wise, here in Dorset the year has started exactly as the old one finished

although it is getting a tad colder. The fish have been quite active over the Christmas and New Year break and have been eating well. At least the warmer weather saves on the heating bills but I think we could do with a bit of a cold spell...anyone remember what snow looks like?? Haven't seen that here for a few years. Him indoors cleaned and oiled the garden tools ready for this year. New Year's Eve started dry (note 'started' dry, heavy rain came in late morning) so we decided to make a start on the new rockery out the front. I dug up the plants I wanted to keep and put them in holding pots out the back for the time being. Him indoors cut and laid the weed-proofing material and weighted it down with some of the rockery stones. In the Spring we will build it up then I can begin the planting. An exciting project to look forward to.

Other than that there hasn't been much opportunity for gardening, but I have taken some pics of various flowerings over the past couple of weeks.

This is the first time this clematis has flowered by the greenhouse:

Arabis by the pond



Daffodils in the top garden

Not only is this viburnum flowering well but on Boxing Day there was a bee on it - unfortunately it didn't linger long enough for it's photo to be taken.

 

I've had this azalea for nearly six years and this is the first time it's flowered before the Spring

 

Him indoors has been wanting to buy me a pair of green wellies for quite a while now. I have resisted as I like the flowery pair that I already have. Anyway, he sort of got his own way at Christmas and bought me this. I think it's a great compromise and I will find something apt to plant in it.

 



He also bought me a sign for my pottering shed...no comment!

 

And finally, have you ever bought a present that seemed like a good idea at the time but then realised that maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all?

 

Him indoors did...such fun!!

 

Well that's it for this week. I hope 2016 is a good year for you all (the year of communication, thanks to Mercury) and a good gardening year for everyone. Back to Sunday evenings from next week so see you then. Have a good week and try and stay dry.

 

Regards,

 

DD