Well, that must have been the driest Jan/Feb I can remember in London for a long time, having to water the plants in the garden in winter, now there’s an odd thing, more evidence of climatic changes?
Talking of watering, I’ve promised this year to install an irrigation system for the ferns along the shaded side of my 100-foot-long garden, as it takes more than an hour a day in high summer to water the back garden alone, the ferns will appreciate a light morning misting.
As well as not much in the way of the wet stuff, there’s been a noticeable lack of cold weather too. Some, may consider this not such a bad thing, however, it means come spring, there’ll be even more slugs and snails gorging upon your tender plants. Garden bulbs also need the cold, thus retarding them from flowering too early in the season.
It might seem a sensible idea to spend a day planting out all your bulbs, however, this means they’ll all come into bloom at the once. I like to prolong my spring bulb display so, far better to plant them in weekly intervals, from September through to as late as January. Do this and you’ll be rewarded with a continual display of fireworks throughout spring.
As to the photo, she’s called ‘The Mud Maid,’ you’ll find her resting at the beautiful ‘Lost Gardens of Heligan’ in Cornwall, pay her a visit, you will not be disappointed.
