Colder weather and a cold for me. I thought I should get on and find my six before the energy levels dropped off so I braved the rain and snapped away. Now the sun has come out and everything looks different, But too late, here are my brown offerings.
One
Not all is brown. Here is sunrise over the garden earlier in the week. The neighbouring trees silhouetted against the pink sky gave a dramatic start to the day. There have been one or two more light frosts but so far it has been a mild start to the winter here.
Two
The temperatures have dropped though and the plants are changing their green colours for brown as the cold takes effect. I had plenty of this plant in the garden when we arrived three years ago and I have dug out several large clumps. Can any fern lovers identify it? Or is it bracken?
Three
Some of the anemone leaves have fully turned brown which contrast well with those that are still green. I’ve been working round the garden removing the brown geraniums and soggy delphiniums and it is a delight to see that weeds are doing so well at this time of the year. They just cannot be defeated!
Four
The north border that was planted this summer is still looking a little sparse. I’m hoping the melica grasses will bulk up next year and I have more astrantia seedlings to move in to the gaps. I have yet to order them but I plan to add in a vast quantity of snowdrops. I’m thinking a bulk buy of 300 might do it. That will be fun for February.
Five
The second wave of hellebores have opened up. Common or garden white ones. Sadly I lost three of these over the summer. One end of this border is much sunnier than the other and those at the sunny end suffered from my negligent watering regime. I am regretting that now.
Six
The choisya is having a go at its second flowering. It’s towards the western end of the north border so receives a little of the winter sunshine. Perhaps today’s sun will encourage a few more buds to open.
I’m hoping tomorrow will be a dry day. I am probably going to forgo the garden today for a day of sniffling and sneezing inside. But then that sunshine could be just the thing I need. More garden updates will be found at The Propagator’s site. More news from the Prop and from the garden family worldwide.
n20gardener 
Stunning sunrise. The fern could be bracken as it’s deciduous. If it spreads lots like a weed highly likely.
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I think it is bracken and although it has done a good job taking up some space in the garden I am now getting round to that corner and there is going to be a clear out! It doesn’t seem to have spread since we’ve been here but that are several clumps of it around.
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Isn’t ‘braken’ a generic term for any fern that behaves such? I know that the fern that I know of as braken here is very different from brakens in other region, and very different from yours.
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Number two looks like one of the male ferns, Dryopteris species. There are five species and my native fern book admits they are very tricky to identify. I think D. filix-mas and D. affinis are the usual ones
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I just cannot decide if it is bracken or fern. I was so firmly coming down on the side of bracken having previously thought is might be some sort of dryopteris. I did read that bracken is hard to dig out and has runners. I’ve dug out some larger clumps of this and it wasn’t too difficult and I didn’t see any runnersso maybe it is a fern. Aargh!
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Brakens are ferns. I believe that the real brakens are of the genus Pteridium, although, I also believe that it is a generic term for ferns that behave similarly.
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Oh, I so hope you are feeling better soon. Winter bugs are horrid and linger for so long. I have abandoned my garden at the moment. We seem to be experiencing endless storms and the wind are far too challenging to be outside for any length of time. Still no hellebore flowers though the last time I looked.
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The cold has disappeared and in the end wasn’t too bad. I hate the things! I hope the storms haven’t caused any damage. The wet weather is a very good excuse for staying inside. I know I have a a few things to do still but they will have to wait until some sunny day in January!
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Hello L. The colours of this sunrise are superb! You were lucky to be able to photograph and highlight them well.
My hellebores are just beginning to show the flower buds so I still have time. About choisya, I found 2 low stems which were rooted by layering. Immediately seen, immediately moved and replanted for next year.
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I have managed to layer my dwarf azalea following your advice last year. I haven’t separated it yet. I must get round to that. I really do like hellebores and must add more to the garden.
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I can’t imagine planting 300 snowdrops! I’m sure it will take such a long time, but also the results will be magnificent in the spring!
Your sunrise photo is spectacular.
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I have ordered them now so I will have to do it. The first time I ordered snowdrops they arrived on a very sleety day but I was worried that the weather would get worse so I got out there and planted them – my fingers were frozen. I’m hoping for better weather this time.
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From what I remember of chopping back bracken many years ago it had a central stem from which the leaves sort of branched off. That sunrise shot is beautiful.
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That does sound like mine. I need to have a look at the ferns in a nursery somewhere. I’d hate to be digging out a perfectly good fern – although I have already thinned our a few that were overcrowding other plants.
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The choisya in the green areas around here’ve been blooming for weeks, which I thought was just so weird, but maybe not, since yours are doing the same. Your hellebores are also doing quite well. Perhaps they’ll spread for you this year, to replace the ones lost. Hope you’re feeling better soon.
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It does seem that choisyas quite happily flower again at this time of year. Glad to report that all is well on the cold front, and I didn’t get that horrible cough that was doing the rounds.
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Get well soon! I’ve been fighting off a cold for weeks now, I bet it wins just as I stop work for xmas. Good luck with the snowdrops.
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Well again, christmas is imminent and the snowdrops have been ordered – I must be mad.
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Beautiful sunrise picture. Your Choisya is looking very healthy. I must look at mine in daylight to see if there are any flower buds.
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Thank you. The last week has been such a gloomy week here, it will be so good to have the days begin to lengthen again. Post Christmas we will all be thinking of seeds and spring which is a good thought to have.
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