The end of another year…

…and what a strange year it’s been. Who would have guessed this time last year that we would be enduring a global pandemic like nothing any of us has ever known. We are getting used to checking what we are allowed to do before we jump in our cars and head off to do something as basic as the week’s food shopping. As we reach the front door it’s no longer just a case of checking pocket or bag for keys, money and phone, also in the check list is face mask, plastic gloves and hand sanitiser.

For those of us lucky enough to garden some things don’t change. The seasons come and go and our favourite plants will grow and flower at pretty much the same time each year. I spend the majority of my time gardening in a normal year so that hasn’t changed. I’m not sure though that the garden has actually looked any better for my constant attention. Although maybe the vegetable garden has benefited and we’ve certainly enjoyed more home grown vegetables than usual. I’ve already planted garlic, onions and shallots for next year and ordered my seed and seed potatoes. I’m determined to grow as much food as I possibly can next year.

There’s plenty to do in the garden even on the darkest days of winter, and I made a good start in the sunshine yesterday cutting back growth on many perennials in the borders. A good day’s work cutting back and shredding, with the shreddings being used as a weed suppressing mulch on a new shrub border. We woke this morning though to a couple of inches of snow which looked very pretty to start with, but it wasn’t long before our footprints and those of the dogs started to make it all look a little messy. We spent a while knocking snow off the box topiary, and off various shrubs whose branches were weighed down to the ground with the weight. With more snow forecast it’s maybe a good time to stay in by the fireside and make plans for revitalising some of the planting in a couple of the borders.