Catherine

Five Favourites | February 2026

Published on February 20, 2026February 20, 2026 by Catherine10 Comments

I’m joining Cathy from Words & Herbs with her monthly Five Favourites!

While the garden has been fighting against our very cold, wet and windy winter, I’ve been busy with other things. I thought the garden might be ready to make its entrance on the regular meme I take part in – “Six on Saturday” hosted by Jim at Garden Ruminations. But the garden isn’t ready and at the moment I’m not quite ready either.

I’ve realised that I’m going to struggle to find 6 worthy subjects each week, and together with the others tasks I’m currently committed to, I thought that maybe I could better fit in with Cathy’s Five Favourites. Perhaps as spring and summer progress I’ll be able to participate in both.

Snowdrops. First up, plain and simple, are the snowdrops. Little clumps here and there, not yet spreading themselves around. But that should come in time. I hope.

Through the winter months garden has been dark, twiggy and moody. It’s still raining, but we’re now getting a few days sunshine here and there – and it’s prompting a few plants back onto the stage.

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Colour Therapy

Published on November 1, 2025November 29, 2025 by Catherine23 Comments

This is the time of year when the garden begins to look underwhelming. I needed a bit of colour therapy, but instead of heading to the garden centre to buy a few in-bloom plants, I lifted the camera bag and headed into the greenhouse with half-an-idea rattling about in my head.

Nothing was pre-planned, all I knew was that I wanted bulbs to reflect the coming spring, and leaves to reflect the season now. As it was Halloween-time I had pumpkins and squashes for the doorstep and I used a few of the smaller ones. The background was made up of some shortened, old fence slats propped against the greenhouse glass.

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Final Autumn Photos?

Published on October 18, 2025October 17, 2025 by Catherine28 Comments

It’s very odd that a week without a glimmer of sunshine didn’t bother me at all. There has been heavy cloud cover all week, but it has also been very calm, and although temperatures are dropping, it’s been pleasant outdoors. Midweek I finally managed to fit in time for a walk in the park where I gathered autumn leaves for some photos. Needless to say, the photos haven’t been taken, and spring bulbs are still in their boxes in the garage. It seems life has kept me busy once again.

All that aside, the weather was perfect to capture a few photos, so here’s the pick for Six on Saturday.

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Hips, Berries & More

Published on October 11, 2025October 11, 2025 by Catherine26 Comments

It’s almost mid-October and perennials in the garden are slowly melting away. Several have tucked themselves in for their winter slumber while others are beginning to change their colours and drop their leaves. Garden jobs continue and bulbs are about to be planted in the borders; I expect there will be more to say about that in the coming weeks.

It has been a miserable start to Autumn and there’s no word that describes recent weather better than ‘dreich’. Last weekend’s storm is past history; it howled through the garden and left no damage this time. My sisters and sister-in-law were not so lucky, with damage to gardens and/or their homes. But on Thursday, the clouds rolled away and the sun put in a welcome appearance with forecasters assuring us that we will now have settled, rain-free weather for the next 10 days. Hopefully a change is underway, just in time for mid-Autumn walks in the park with crispy, vibrant coloured leaves beneath our feet. I can dream, can’t I?

But right now it’s time for Six on Saturday!

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Calm, Sunny, Beautiful

Published on September 27, 2025September 26, 2025 by Catherine23 Comments

This final full week of September has been glorious. The sun has shone its heart out and the winds have been calm, barely there. Still, it has been cool enough for only a lightweight jacket in the mornings, and just warm enough to throw it aside in the afternoons. You might think that I have taken advantage of this week of joyful weather to work like a Trojan in the garden, but you would be wrong. I’ve done little more than check in on a few cuttings, pull a few weeds, and remove most of the Cosmos. I have though, been doing other things.

The Cosmos plants would have continued for a few more weeks, but they were starting to look a little scrappy, and I needed their space for spring bulbs that were delivered yesterday. They’ve been wonderful this year, but it was time to say goodbye.

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