…relishes January days such as this. An unpromising start when the curtains are drawn back to reveal darkness with just a sliver of moon still visible. However it gets better as doors are opened and tawny owls can be heard calling to each other. Within an hour the skies are lightening and as I set off on a dog walk the sun is just starting to rise above the mist that engulfs the surrounding fields.
Another hour passes walking the lanes with the dogs, the mist covering pockets of land along my route but all the time the sun rising and the sky now clear and blue. On my return I grab my camera and set off on another walk, this time around the garden and orchard to see what I can find.
In the orchard there are catkins both in the hedge and on the cobnut bush- should be plenty of nuts in the autumn for the resident squirrels; beautiful coloured bark on dogwoods, contorted willow and Prunus serrula. Two Betula jacquemontii Silver Queen in the corner of the orchard are looking lovely – but who decided that planting them underneath a power line was a good idea? It seemed fine back in Spring 2008 when we put them in, they were just sticks probably barely three feet high. Guess what – they grew, very quickly! The optimistic gardener (me) is not going to panic. We will enjoy them for as long as possible and they may have to come down in the future but quick research shows they could have a maximum height of 20ft which might be fine. However more research indicates a maximum height well in excess of that – I will remain optimistic that they stay on the shorter side! Over in the corner underneath a beautiful weeping willow some daffodils are growing.
Back in the garden there is more to enjoy. Snowdrops are coming into flower along with the first of the hellebores. Prunus autumnalis rosea has its first delicate flowers, enhanced by spiders webs. Shrubs including Magnolia and Camellia have lovely plump buds and Mahonia, Vibunum bodnantense Dawn and Hamamellis have flowers. Last year’s growth has now been cut back in the herbaceous borders and the sharp eyed will notice Peony buds starting to push through the earth. Alongside all this new growth many of the ornamental grasses are still looking good, their seedheads enhanced this morning by drops of moisture.
The bird feeders are full of seeds and peanuts and are visited by flocks of Longtailed tits, Great tits, Blue tits and Goldfinches, along with Robins, Blackbirds, Thrushes, Wrens, Dunnocks, and Chaffinches that are seen in the garden daily. An industrious squirrel was observed yesterday collecting fallen oak leaves and carrying them up an Oak tree and across into a Silver birch in which it appears to be constructing a drey.
It’s so satisfying to see the garden starting slowly back into life and although there are bound to be many more cold grey days to come before Spring there is plenty of room for optimism!
Tales from a Country Garden 
Definitely a half full gardener. Prunus serrula, my number one tree.
LikeLiked by 1 person