Category: Six on Saturday

Snowdrops and Hellebores

Published on by Catherine22 Comments

Six on Saturday

When Storm Jocelyn eased off mid-week I was quick to get into the garden to pull two of my garden chairs out of the shrubs (again) and try to capture a few photographs of snowdrops. The winds had eased, but they were still strong and blustery. I almost gave up. However, the forecast stated with great authority that the rain was only taking a few hours off, and we’d still have blustery, wet conditions for quite some time. It seemed like one of those now-or-never moments.

Snowdrops. I took multiple shots of this little clump of snowdrops in the garden, but not too many of them were successful enough to use. Light was at a premium, and achieving a fast enough shutter speed for wind conditions was difficult. Single result below.

Continue reading “Snowdrops and Hellebores” →

Rest and Renew

Published on by Catherine29 Comments

Six on Saturday

Our gardens, whether large or small, welcome winter as a season of rest and renewal. It’s a time when we can reflect on the plants we have and ponder new additions that will fill the beds and borders with colour and vitality.

We snuggle up in the warmth of our homes, browsing through plant & seed catalogues and making lists, often impractical because of their length and cost. But still, we optimistically plod onward, full of hopes of sunny, warm spring days when the garden bursts into new life.

At a glance, my garden feels and looks desolate, but everywhere, shoots are pushing through the ground, shrubs are sporting new buds and hellebores are beginning to flower. Spring will come. Winter is a time of hope.

Continue reading “Rest and Renew” →

New Year’s Day

Published on by Catherine29 Comments

Six on Saturday

New Year’s Day found me in the greenhouse potting on Erysimums, or wallflowers as otherwise known, that I bought last October as ‘jumbo’ seedlings. They’ve been sitting outside in 10cm pots since then, but by December, their roots were poking through the bottoms. I still hadn’t found a spot for them in the garden, so repotting them was at the top of my to-do list for the new year.

There are four plants each of ‘Fire King, ‘Ruby Gem’ and ‘Vulcan’. It didn’t take too long and I was pleased with my New Year’s Day achievement. With plenty of added drainage in the pots, they were shifted back outside before they got too comfy in the dry greenhouse.

Continue reading “New Year’s Day” →

Christmas Berries, Buds & First Snow

Published on by Catherine20 Comments

Six on Saturday

It’s almost the end of 2023 – it seems to have arrived so quickly! For my final Six on Saturday of 2023, I have five topics and ten photos, and I know that’s a slight deviation from the normal requirements, but I hope our host, Jim won’t object!

Frosted Cotoneaster Horizontalis

The one plant in my garden that takes on the most Christmassy appearance is the Cotoneaster. Those bright red berries and tiny leaves coated in white wouldn’t look out of place as a decoration on top of a Christmas cake, but the frost would melt away as soon as it reached the kitchen, wouldn’t it!  I’ll leave it where it is. 😁

Continue reading “Christmas Berries, Buds & First Snow” →

Frost

Published on by Catherine22 Comments

Winter frost creates an atmosphere of calm that I love – despite the bitter cold that accompanies it. I love the muted colours that appear in the garden and on farmland beyond our fence.

The pale green of frosted grass sets the scene and the frost works its magic by coating the remains of autumn foliage, softening them to lightly coloured golds, browns and greens. The stillness of the early morning mist obscures any distracting objects in the landscape beyond, but within the hour the sun will break through to touch the plants and the mist will lift. The air is cold enough to believe that this frost will not thaw much, and by night another layer will be added to it, or perhaps a blanket of snow will follow.

Here are a few softly-coated, frosted leaves that one early December morning brought to tempt me out with the camera.

Continue reading “Frost” →