More snow

There has been more snow since I took this photograph on 19 January. It seems we are stuck with it until the weekend when a thaw is expected. 

This is Hydrangea quercifolia. It is one of my favourite shrubs. It has usually lost its leaves by now but the weather has been so mild that they have stayed on. They do contrast nicely with the snow.

Jasminum nudiflorum is very tough. A good plant to have near the house so that it can be admired from the window.

I made this heart from the red stems of Cornus 'Elegantissima' which grows in my garden. It has been on my shed for several months so it has now faded. I will make another in the spring.

Snow

The first snow of the season. Viburnum fragrans. Scented pink flowers on bare stems in winter, I love it.

In place of flowers

Belinda at Wildacre has left her Christmas jug of twigs on display http://t.co/Yyd2IU4e. This has made think about the birch twigs I used to display my hand sewn tiny hearts at craft fairs. I cut them down and put them in a cream metal jug. I like the contrast and it suits the room too.

I also have bottle of grasses collected from the garden in the kitchen.

For a touch of summer this bowl contains dried flowers and leaves from my garden

Looking back

2012 has been a strange year for a gardener.  Spring was very dry, summer was the second wettest on record. The wet weather has continued throughout the year. This view through my kitchen window has been a common one.

I managed to lose my bag of seeds so only had my new purchases to sow. I kept hoping I would find it but It still hasn't turned up. I really missed the sweet peas. 

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz'

Ageratum 'Red Sea'

 I grew the Calendula and Ageratum pictured above. They were for cutting but I was disappointed with both of them. 

Scabious 'Black Night'

Scabious 'Black Night' was different. Larger flower than the other Scabious I have grown. Lasted well in a vase. I loved it and I will grow lots in 2013.

Flowers in the House

Jane is hosting Flowers in the House today.

I have picked Asters from the garden. The larger blue are Aster frikartii 'Monch'; the small flowers are Aster 'Little Carlow'. The pink were propagated from my Mums garden where they have been growing for at least 37 years.

The cutting garden 2012 - annuals

It has not been a good year for my cutting garden. Personal things have meant a lack of time; Spring was cold and wet; Summer never really got going apart from a few days here and there.I lost my bag of seeds which I still haven't found. The only seeds I sowed were the ones I ordered this year. Here's what happened.....

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz'

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz'

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz' is a hardy annual. The colour is more orange than red and clashed with the pinks and purples of my garden. Lasts 5 days or more in water. I won't grow it again.

Scabious 'Black Night'

 Scabious 'Black Night' is also a hardy annual. I have grown mixed colour scabious for the past couple of years. They always do well and last well in water. Last year a seedling in the brickwork came up as a similar colour to this. I loved it so searched for a single colour seed and came across this one. It has a bigger flower than the previous scabious I've grown. I love it and will grow lots next year.

Ammi majus

Ammi majus is a hardy annual and is very pretty. Prone to flopping down and has to be protected from slugs so I use copper rings.

I also grew Ageratum 'Red Sea'. This is a half hardy annual. The description in the plant catalogue described it as 'dark red buds open to reveal purple red blooms.' This is correct but they are tiny and I haven't been able to photograph them. They haven't grown to the 24-28in. (60-70cm.) either but that's probably because of the the low temperatures. I won't be growing these again.

I'll talk about perennials in my next post.

Flowers in the House

Jane is hosting the first anniversary of Flowers in the House.

I have a jug of Rhodanthe manglesii 'Timeless Rose' grown from seed last summer.

 
They were easy to grow and the slugs weren't interested. Even in the garden the flowers feel papery. I grew them next to the path and cut far more than I expected. I think I had about 8 plants.

I dried them in the garage along with Alchemilla mollis, Poppy and Nigella seed heads and Mint.