Rosa chinensis...

A Clearing...

I've been looking forward to this, a warmish , dry, clear day. A day to get out and have a good clearing  of all last years planting. I love this bit, I was armed with  secateurs, garden scissors, hedged trimmers, heavy duty loppers. I find I  mostly end up hacking with a stiff rack and pulling things up.  

 Done, done, done… I always like it at this point. I wonder if I should stick to low planting ? Grasses and ground cover …have to think about that ...

Gardening no, but…

Marmalade making was the order of the day , actually two days . The pith and pips  had an over night soak in a little muslin bag in the pot last night.
Today they have been bubbling away for hours and hours , while I  tested with spoonfuls on chilled plates  in the fridge.
I used Nigel Slatter's recipe : Nigel Slater's marmalade recipes | Life and style but with Texas red grapefruit , lemons and heirloom navel oranges.
I think the forecast is for rain all week so I'll have to hunt out more jars …

January Gardeners Bloom day ...

I checked last years January bloom day ; and I have more blooms this year !
Though maybe a bit behind . Hamamelis 'Jelena' is just now starting to unfurl. 

Hamamelis 'Primavera' ...first bloom 

The two Arctoataphylos' St Helens and 'Austin Griffths' are full of blooms ...I've only just noticed   !

Which is which ? I can't remember .

And this little troop of Cyclamen coum has been blooming since last month under the huge Juniper tree out front. I  wonder if I should divide them this year?
And for many more January blooms visit: Carol May Dreams Gardens.

January in the garden...

The clear sky and morning light  had me rushing out with my camera on Sunday morning. When  was  the last time  that has happened  ? Not for awhile., not since the weather went grey and bleak . And I got settled into indoor activities   ...,  quilt making, baking, reading garden books ( Elizabeth Lawrence) with a few Ian Rankin novels in-between.

I did snap the same scene after our snow day a week ago. 

The A's…

I was almost going to give seed sowing a miss this year. But then with being stuck indoors ,with all this winter weather , I've changed my mind. It only took the first seed catalog to show up ! Which as it happens, is my favorite for unusual plants : J.L.Hudson . I found this seed catalog a few years ago , it was mentioned in 'Onward and upward in the garden ' by Katherine S. White. I went through and checked  all the "Seedsmen and nurserymen" mentioned, to  see if any are still around…not many , since the garden pieces were written from 1975-79.

I didn't get any further than the A's , except Silybum , somehow. I think this will be it for me this year …maybe.