The last End of Month Review of the decade! How can this be?? It feels like the 2010s have flown by.
Anyhoo, in the garden all is wet. Very wet. It has rained for much of December and to make up for the days it has not rained it has rained all the harder when it has.
The Knot Garden looks like it is still growing well. After having concerns it might have Box-moth it looks like it is growing freshly and cleanly.
In the driveway the mahonia I planted a couple of years ago is growing well but does not appear to have flower buds, which concerns me a little.
and the Cornus officianalis is budding up well. This shrub always flowers early and is a real joy.
The Quince Hedge has some flowers and buds already.
and the hanging basket is not quite living up to its promise yet but I live in hope.
In the back garden the Long Shoot looks quite brown, but you can see the structure given by the sedum heads looking like dark punctuation marks and these make me happy.
The Edgeworthia has lots of buds forming.
Just behind the Edgeworthis is the Hamamelis Arnolds Promise that is in full flower.
and I am yet to remove the stems of Clematis Bill McKenzie as the seed heads are just too good to remove. I am not someone who tidies the garden for winter (as is obvious), I like to see the structure and of course it also benefits hibernating wildlife and insects.
The winter flowering cherry is starting to flower, a little later than usual I think.
Snowdrops are emerging in the Wild Garden.
and the orange hamamelis is just showing its first shreds. This hamamelis has been slow to get going so I am pleased to see it making an effort this year.
In the Exotic Border there is still lots of green. The echium is enjoying the mildness so far. I will fleece it when the frosts arrive. There is also the rather wonderful Heuchera 'Autumn Bride' that I bought from a visit to Parham House and Gardens the year before last. This is a great plant, it flowers well and enjoys being in this rather shady part of the border.
In the Wild Garden the contorted hazel, one of the first plants to be placed in the garden after many years in a pot in my previous garden, is now just a total joy. It is getting quite large and I love the tangle of it.
I like this view from near the top of the garden, down past the Woodland Border and in to the Wild Garden, with the turquoise chair marking the edge of the Accidental Shrubbery.
If I run (ok walk) to the other end of the garden then I can look back over the Pond Border, through the Prairie Borders, to the Beech Pillars and Wild Garden beyond. It does all look a bit soggy and cold, but it is winter so I should expect nothing less.
The Beech Pillars have taken several years to develop properly but now are a great foil for the Prairie Borders and mark the edge of the Wild Garden from this direction.
If I make my way to the weedy, neglected looking veg beds, there is broccoli.
The greenhouse is quite full but I have not fleeced it up yet as it is still quite mild.
and I end as is traditional on the pond which is looking very full.
Thanks as ever to Helen, The Patient Gardener, for creating this meme.
