"Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter...........

 ........ lies a miracle ... a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl.  And the anticipation nurtures our dream." -  Barbara Winkler

Making the most of another good weather day last Monday and getting the wildlife garden tidied. I've left the net over the pond for now and will remove in a month or so, before the frogs and toads become active. This prevents too many leaves blowing into the pond.

Wildlife garden - Mahonia x media 'Charity', Polystichium setiferum 'Plumosum Densum', Acorus gramineus 'Ogon', Equisetum hymale, Heuchera 'Blackberry Jam', Ilex aquifolium, Hedera helix 'Buttercup', Origanum vulgare

I'm heartened to see plants have done well through the very cold spell we had before christmas, even those I thought might be badly affected are looking good. Interestingly Mahonia 'Charity' is looking abit sad having shed most of its leaves. It will produce more leaves but the cold has given it a shock. I've topped up the bark on path and beds and brushed the bottle edge, all looking smart for spring.

The Wildlife garden before tidying

The wildlife pond before tiding

After tidying

All done 

Abutilon 'Ashford Red' –

I first came across this plant in my second place of work in my horti career at The Murrel just outside Aberdour. The Abutilon was grown in the greenhouse in the walled garden, on a south facing wall where it got lots of sun and warmth. Planted in the ground there it reached to the ceiling, probably about 10 feet and the same wide. At some point during my time there I took cuttings and took one home. This is the plant I have in a pot in my greenhouse now. I do have to keep it fairly well pruned as its in a pot and in my greenhouse which is not 10 feet tall! Back in one very severe winter I did think I’d lots it but it grew a new shoot from the bottom. It’s a bit of a wonky shape now, but its old friend.

A tall shrub best in a pot here where it can be moved indoors for winter unless you have a large heated conservatory or greenhouse where you can plant it in the ground and train it against a wall. I have seen some survive outdoors all year in a very sheltered spot in Scotland, mainly in the west where they benefit from the warmth of the gulf stream. Producing large red bell-shaped flowers in summer and often all year round this tall plant is deciduous but I find mine keeps some leaves through winter in the heated greenhouse and more often than not has flowers through the year. H 3m, S 3m.

Today in amongst the showers of rain and sleet the native garden had its make over. Great to see the natives establishing themselves in the "woodland" and hedgerow border, some a bit too much lol. The snow drops will soon be flowering and the primroses have had babies! A top dressing of our own compost and a new layer of bark on the path and we are looking good for the coming months.

Saxifraga 'Spotted Dog', Sedum spathulifolium Atropurpureum Group, Sedum spathulifolium 'Cape Blanco', Fragaria vesca, Polypodium vulgare, Ajuga reptans, Sedum acre, Primula vulgaris, Rosa rugosa, Rosa spinosissima (Burnet Rose)

The native garden before tidying

and after

The bug hotel after a wee tidy up

The green roof is knitting together, sedums and saxifrage doing their thing

New bark on the path

First snow drops flowering in the nursery gardens: Galanthus elwesii

On it last Wednesday! I got the stream garden AND the big entrance border tidied and just before the heavy rain came on at the end of the day. Plenty barrows of our compost onto the borders, good thing its going down hill. Some more erosion on the stream banks, but I have a plan to combat that when I’ve got time later in the month, year? Lol. The previously empty compost bin is filling up already but it will settle quite quickly. I’m always amazed at how empty the big entrance border looks once its tidied up, when you think how full it is in high summer.

Luzula sylvatica 'Hohe Tatra', Vinca minor 'Argenteovariegata', Pinus mugo Pumilio Group, Tiarella polyphylla 'Filigran', Teucrium chamaedrys, Geranium dalmaticum, Acaena microphylla, Hydrangea petiolaris, Bergenia cordifolia 'Purpurea', Hedera colchica 'Sulphur Heart'

The stream garden before tidying

and after

Bergenia and Luzula in the afternoon sun

The large entrance border before

after

Maisie's lunchtime tour of the nursery

33 slabs lifted last Saturday morning, only day off in two weeks and I'm gardening but these are going to the nursery tomorrow so needs must. I also dug out the invasive vinca thats growing along the front of the house wall. I pruned the rose which is staying and dug out all the spanish bluebell bulbs. This area will be dug over and be the mirror border to the one on the other side. I need to add a lot of compost to replenish the soil and then I can plant, woo hoo, the exciting part after all the hard work I also potted up my new snow drops, walked the mad mutt and got a first coat on the wee hall at the back door and cleaned the house. On Sunday we get those slabs to the nursery and start laying them.........

Digging out vinca, damn stuff

The first two rooms we've renovated have had very pale restful colour schemes now we are moving it up a notch

All in a days work, 27 slabs moved from home in two runs to the nursery and up to the sales area last Sunday. Then half laid in the afternoon. Helped along by great coffee and cake from Whitmuir cafe. Much thanks to David and Dan for making this much needed job happen.

Stunning sunset on Sunday from the nursery, really highlights the Miscanthus

Day 2 and the job is done. A very level, dry, clean floor to our potting / wee shop area. What a difference from the uneven, muddy landscape covered ground it was. I wanted to get this job for so long it doesnt seem real its now done. Cant wait to use the area and not be tripping over. New shelves and gravel right up to the front. We've put in a much needed drain, fixed the rotten wood around the base of the walls and sorted benched and the counter. Huge thanks to Dan and David for their massive help to get this done

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