15th JANUARY 2026

 I wrapped up warm and went out to feed the birds a few days ago but the freezing cold got me and by the time I went indoor I was feeling really ill so gardening was the last thing on my mind.  

BUT it felt quite warm today so I wrapped up warm again and ventured out with the intention of working on a section next to the house. Needless to say I got distracted by a different area altogether!  

The paved area at the far end of the garden was completely inaccessible when we moved here in 2018. Andy had to hack through the five feet tall nettles then we assumed we had a plot of bare earth to work on.... we did but it was only a few inches deep.  It was a lovely surprise to plant my spade in the ground and discover these slabs.  Leaves from the overgrown laurel hedge and the neighbour's trees cover this patio every autumn but no one had cleared them for years ... hence the nettles ... and the leaves had composted down to soil.  We have tidied the space up but not really utilised it so today I began planning the alterations.

First job was to clear the leaves ...

Sounds quite easy but it took me 3 hours!

The place is still covered in moss!

Next I have to fix the fence and plant a couple of rambling roses to stop the rabbits coming in.

Then the existing shrubs and honeysuckle need a trim.

I planted a couple of box last year and they are now large enough to trim into ball shapes.

There are a couple of empty planting holes which will be brightened up with a variegated  or a flowering shrub and I need to transplant a few foxgloves, lupins, iris  or verbena into the border.  I planted a few bulbs in there last year but there's no sign of them at the moment ... a couple of pesky nettles have come back though!

Obviously colourful additions are needed in the pots but the main change will be the addition of some solar lights.

There was an electric light in the lych gate but our electrician friend immediately disconnected it as it was a death trap!  It was a normal internal light fitting not a safe external one!

I want something like these to stick in the ground ...

... and simple string lights in the shrubs and trees.  

We have a metal table and chair set that we rarely use but if we cheer the area up we might be inclined to eat out there over summer.  

Who knows!

First snowdrops are beginning to appear.

Love this time of year!

SPARROWHAWK

 

So many birds congregating around the garden feeders was bound to attract a predator so it was no surprise to see the Sparrowhawk swoop in.

It was fast but went away hungry as one of our small guests saw it coming and gave out an alarm call.

The garden emptied immediately leaving the Spar to sit on the fence looking round for an opportunity elsewhere.

SNOW!

 The garden is full of birds today.... 

The bird feeders have been covered with hungry beaks cramming food in to produce enough energy to stay warm.  

47 blackbirds and fieldfares are fighting over the windfall apples! 

The cat is out there stalking them with no chance of success!

It looks very nice but I hate the stuff if we have to go anywhere.

The neighbours don't seem happy either!

Unless it melts away the lane will soon turn into an ice rink ....

so I am going nowhere!

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