January brings all weather, sun, fog, snow, ice and wind

It snowed for the first time this year on Tuesday, typically on a day that I had to be out and about. I watched the snowflakes get bigger and bigger as I hugged my breakfast coffee and the time to leave the house got nearer. The biggest problem in getting to the local town where I was heading is that there are steep hills on every road I can take there. Still I made it and by the time I had to leave Biggar and head to Lanark a couple of hours later the roads were clearer and the snow was no longer falling.

Snow in the back garden at the house

Wednesday ended up being a day at home with snow on the ground and frozen solid with temperatures of -5C, there's really not a lot can be done. We did however get a huge pile more signs printed and laminated for the sales area and stock beds in the nursery which will help customers make choices about which plants to buy.

Making lots of new sales cards for the nursery

Youngest son had his first prelim today, he has 3 this week, higher Geography, maths and advanced higher English. I can't believe my last one is in 6th year and will leave school in summer, fly the nest and it will be the end of an era!

The skies were of two extremes today, foggy and atmospheric this morning and
brilliant blue skies this afternoon.

Bracken and I took ourselves off for a walk up to the nearest village.
It was chilly but good to be out in the sun and I got some great photos of the snow and blue skies.

Scots pine trees covered in frost

Great shadows

Beautifully frosted trees

Bracken enjoyed his walk

Cloud creeping over Tinto

Thursday and back to work, There might be snow on the ground but it was ideal for getting on with weaving the willow fence in the wildlife garden. It was 1C and cloudy all day but I got a lot of weaving done and no sore back! Bonus. Tidying the borders will have to wait until the snow melts but getting on with the willow is also essential, so it's all good snow or no snow. You can read about our willow weaving on this blog here















Thankfully the mizzly drizzle didn't get any worse through the day and I got the Scottish native garden tidied and top dresses with our own compost. There's plenty signs of life despite the snow and frost we've had over the past few days. There was even a bud on one of the Primroses!

Blechnum spicant, Oxalis acetosella, Rosa spinosissima (Burnet Rose), Snow drops

Tidying the Scottish native plant borders, before

Native plant borders, after

Polypodium vulgare, Geranium robertianum, Primula vulgaris, Viola rivinana


Not alot to say about Saturday except it was mainly wet, windy and I didn't get as much done outside as I'd hoped. I did start clearing the border up the left hand side of the track until the rain came on at lunch time. I spent the afternoon potting up some plants from home and finishing off the descriptions for more sales signs in the office, keeping Bracken the heater worshipping nursery dog company.

Heater worship in the nursery office. After all, why go outside to
 work when you have a human for that

Sunday blew in with a chilly wind but sunny and blue skies. The wind chill was -3C but it didn't put of our hardy Willow weaving workshop participants. We had a great couple of hours learning about weaving a willow fence using the one in the wildlife garden. These workshops have been a great success so I'll be doing more next year. Sadly I forgot to take a photo at the end, I think we were so cold.

Another snow day

Tuesday dawned with snw on the ground and more falling. I decided to have a day at home and get on with some paperwork, planning and admin, all very pleasant in a warm house and lots done. So I might not be getting on outside in the nursery but I am conquering the admin list!

Who knows what the rest of the week will bring, certainly the temperatures are to drop again, -5C tomorrow! Brrrrrrrrr.

Keep warm!







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