February Garden, post bad snow.

Not much to show this month. The Witch Hazel is coming out at last though

I passed Viburnum bodnantense by - its flowers are looking very sad and if it was thinking of coming back, the weather forcast for this week will change its mind!

Instead, I took a picture of these golden leaves as an example of what can be done to cheer you with foliage. Around the garden there are many different greens, golds, silver and many shades of brown. They form a background in summer but are the core of a winter garden.

Hiding away were these promises of Spring to come.

and next door this Lonicera nitida is looking very sad as I had to cut it hard back. It had been allowed to encroach on the path anyway and then the weight of the snow brought it right over, so now it does not look pretty! It will come again though and I may yet reduce its height as well.

While on the sadder things, here is a picture of one of the many brown patches on the lawn. It is probably a fungus which develops if snow lies on grass for too long. It can be seen on other lawns as well as ours and the greens of golf courses are badly affected. A young man who lives in the village and is a trainee at a local course is going to get advice from his boss for us. I think that fertiliser when the grass starts to grow and a fungicide next October may be the treatment. When I hear, I shall put the advice on the Gardening Club Forum of Purple Coo.

And now two happier pictures to cheer you as you leave

Visit to Bolam Lake

This morning, G and I decided that we wanted to walk somewhere different, so we went off to Bolam Lake. This used to be part of the grounds of Bolam Hall but now belongs to Northumberland County Council and is available for all to enjoy. Usually there are plenty of people walking, picnicing or even canoeing on the lake, but it was really lovely today because we nearly had the place to ourselves and there were no noisy children, so we could hear the birds uninterrupted!

Bolam Hall was built about 1800, on the site of the village of Bolam, which disappeared after the Great Plague. The lake was made by the then owners and many interesting trees were planted, some of which are still to be seen.

Having parked in a road-side car park, we walked round the end of the lake and along most of the other side, towards the Visitor Centre. We passed this view of the lake.

Unfortunately, the swans, various varieties of duck and the seagulls were feeding too far away, off the end of the island. Even when I went right in on the photo, they could not be seen, but there were a great crowd of them, all making use of an area that was ice-free. A little further along we came to this leaning tree.

I loved the line and filigree nature of it, only spoilt by the detritis that was set in the ice underneath it.

When we got to the Visitor Centre we looked at the plan of the site and decided to follow a tack round through the trees and rond the edge of the site, which passes an iron age fort. I am glad that we did because on the way we passed this monster.

All through the woods, and particularly near the lake, where there are a number of rhododendrons, there was much damage caused by the weight of the snow. A lot of work had already been done, especially where paths had been blocked, but there is much more to do. I expect that this monster had reached this state before the snow, probably by degrees over the last few years, with a gale taking it to its current stage. I wonder how many years it has seen.

Sadly, we failed to find the iron age fort but we completed our walk back at our car park and returned home feeling much refreshed for the hour in the fresh air.

Snow in the Garden

I am going to take you on a tour of the garden. Not a very complete one because the snow is so thick, but pictures taken from the paths I have kept open walking on them. First we have a shot in the utility/veg garden. I had cleared the top of the compost bin so that I could empty stuff into it.The Geenhouse has its duvet of snow and the icicles formed by the sun on it in the afternoon.

Here we have the end of the path that leads to the Consevatory. Too much snow to crawl along it on hands and knees!

I do not find the seat very inviting, do you? But the scene is pretty.

To the left of the last picture, this is a plant of Senecio greyii, that looks even more enormous under its coat of snow. The Holly that we decapitated is looking rather sad.

What happens if this falls on my head as I walk under?

The same path from the other end.

Anyone for cucumber sandwiches?

The herbaceous borders.

This shrub looks nicely wrapped up!

And to finish, here is Roly's memorial seat, and the oak planted to celebrate the Millenium.

More snow pictures and icicles

Here are some icicles for starters. The first one is taken through the glass of our bathroom window.The second is some more of the same - from outside this time.

This is the biggest collection that I found walking round the village.

To end here are three snowy pictures. The first is a view looking north over a tiny quarry where they got the stone to do the roads, back in the 1920's

This Chapel has been bought and is being converted into a holiday home. They came to connect up the water pipe on the green yesterday. I can think of better conditions for a job like that!

I put my car out here the day before yesterday as it is beside the road. There was even more snow on it today.

This scene has been on my blog before, but the snow is just getting deeper and deeper, which makes it look different. I have to make my way out to the washhouse every morning, knocking snow off the shrubs that are hanging right down. The bird food lives there, so the trip is a must.

Another walk

Pictures of icicles on my greenhouse

Today we went together up to the third turbine. Here are some more pictures

G walking up into the bitter westerly wind

This is one of the bleakest views around here - to the Lake Distict hills. The sheep do not seem to mind

And we would like to know if you are going to thaw out our water troughs

A Wintery Walk

There has been a little more snow here since these pictures were taken in the garden. They are in lieu of flower pictures for Christmas/beginning of January.

Today, I went for a walk. First up to the Church, then on around the place to take pictures of the countryside. I think that they speak for themselves. I have included the Red Setter because he was the one truly lively thing that I saw!! The horses were marginally pleased to see me, but I had no food. Otherwise, apart from a few birds and the tractor, it was a dead but very beautiful scene.

Christmas 09

For the last few Christmases, I have taken pictures of flowers out for Christmas. This year there was nothing. There may have been the odd Helibore under the snow but as for roses - they were brown or so bedraggled as to not be worth taking. The Winter Jasmine was also brown, but with buds to bring hope. Since then the snow has increased and we are almost, though not quite, snowed in. I shall be back with pictures of flowers as soon as possible and will probably add a snowy picture to this blog. Happy New Year to anyone reading this and farewell friend to one of my followers, Woozle, who is now at peace.