I feel it only right that I keep on wishing everyone a Happy New Year. It has been a wobbly start but we need to keep our stores of resilience up and good wishes from a friendly faces helps. I have been hiding from the cold and the wet but it is abundantly clear that nipping out to the garden with a pair of secateurs in hand while nosing around for six interesting things will not get the rose pruning completed. The roses are sending out the buds of new shoots so the job must be the focus for next week when I hear it might be a little warmer. I didn’t quite find six things in my garden so I am taking the liberty of topping up from this week’s exercise walk.
One
And the first one is a little cracker! Well, actually a little egret. The parks around us have brooks flowing through them and they have been overflowing in recent weeks. They are pretty much back to normal levels now but seeing the egret was a major surprise for me. I’ve only ever seen them before on visits to coastal Suffolk. It seems that they are increasingly common in the south east of the UK. This egret seemed very settled in a local stream and not at all bothered by runners, walkers, dogs and children passing by. I couldn’t not give it star billing.
Two
While I am on theme of new sightings I am, for good reason, sharing a photo of the persimmon tree again. There are only a few fruit left on the tree as the birds have been feasting for many weeks. As I don’t have anywhere to rush off to in the mornings I now spend some time staring out of the kitchen window observing the latest customers to this fine dining establishment. This week I was rewarded by the arrival of three to four redwings. Sadly I can’t show you them despite stalking them paparazzi style for far too long. But here’s a link to the RSPB site. That little smudge of red under the wing is very lovely.
Three
At the back of the garden, I have been reviewing the blackcurrants. They too are sending out new buds. I inherited these bushes and I suspect they are very old. They do crop fairly well if they are netted in time but the job of netting them securely is a chore. I am going to thin them out. I have about eight so I can happily halve the number and still have a good crop. I do have a back up plan to remove them all and start again with two brand new bushes which should be a doddle to net. I’ll see how this summer goes.
Four
One of the viburnums in the back garden is coming out into its lovely pink flowers. This is a tree sized shrub, once again inherited so I’m not sure of its name.
Five
Hellebores, of course. Niger to be specific. And very welcome too.
Six
Back out into the open spaces around me, I am finishing up with a tree heavy with mistletoe. There are many stories relating to the powers of mistletoe: warding off evil, cures for diseases and provider of vitality and vigour. But we must remember that mistletoe leaves, stems and berries are all poisonous and so it is best enjoyed from afar and its best to settle for the health giving properties of a long walk.
Once again, I wish you all well, SOSers far and wide, Our generous host The Propagator continues to weave our gardening posts into a wonderful thread. Do drop by to see all the links to other posts in this meme. Keep safe and well everyone.
n20gardener 
If you have egrets not far from where you live, it’s probably because the weather must be bad near the sea and the birds like seagulls are returning to the land… Beautiful white hellebores, I’m still waiting for mine
(I read this morning that 1/30 of Londoners are affected by the new mutant COVID virus … and since you live near London so be careful)
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Thanks for your kind thoughts. Yes cases are high here and we are not going out other than for our walks – when we keep well away from other people. It will be a very difficult month..or more. We will be very careful.
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I too have been staring at the birds feeding this week. A bullfinch has started coming more regularly but I’m jealous of your redwing siting – not to mention the lovely egret. So beautiful!
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The redwings were gobbling up the very last of the persimmon today. I don’t know what I can put out that will keep them coming – maybe fat balls.
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What a lovely picture of the egret and well done for capturing it. By the time I have got my phone out, taken off my gloves and switched from video to photo the things have usually flown away. As you say, it obviously wasn’t bothered. I know we are having a hard winter for us (south of the UK) because the field fares have come into the garden again in a flock and they normally only do this when it is snowing.
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WE are all enjoying the birds. Egrets stand out so well in the winter with their white feathers. Well done on growing persimmons.
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Thank you, yes, the birds are one of the few enjoyments available. I have to say the persimmons grow themselves and I am very happy to share them with the birds as they don’t taste so good to me!
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Nice to see the egret. I’ve seen one of the local herons recently a few times around the garden for the first time. They are common locally with a large lake area nearby but never seen them near our house. Redwings are lovely. I’ve planted a few things in hope of attracting them but none yet. We get the fieldfares sometimes on the neighbouring apple trees which are good to see.
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Yes Heron sighted here too. We have a smallish lake not too far away and they can be seen in flight but we have also had one resting in trees at the end of the garden – probably admiring the fish in some neighbours pond! All these things are a good distraction for us all.
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I have seen many egrets on the banks of the Nile in Egypt but never in London, I wonder what they make of the place! Global warming related? Nice hellebores and pot!
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Yes, I think the egrets moving further north is a global warming signifier. It would be stunning to see them en masse.
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Stunning white hellebores! I have developed a taste for persimmons though mine came from the supermarket. Your tree looks very happy.
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Thank you, I suspect the persimmons for the supermarket taste better – shame on me! But I’ve never enjoyed the ones from the tree and happily leave them for the birds every year!
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I’ve never seen an egret, what a treat for you. My H. Niger don’t look like they’re going to flower this year, sadly
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My H.Nigers seem to have been in bud for a while and very low growing, but they seem to have emerged more in the last week. I hope yours are spurred on by the warmth we are forecast for this week.
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Well the egret shot is well done you! I think it is so hard to get a photo of any wildlife, but especially birds!
I too have waited forever to try and get a decent photo of anything and very rarely do! Looking forward to Spring in your garden!
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Thank you. The egret seemed to be very relaxed but of course there where a few fuzzy shots before it wandered a little closer.
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Wishing each other well is very worthwhile and so gratefully received.
Happy New Year and I hope it is a good one for you.
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Thank you, very much hoping you have a good year too.
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Many things in your garden seem poised to make an appearance. Spring is not so very far off!
Beautiful hellebores. Happy new year to you…stay well.
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Thank you, we are working hard on staying safe. Relatives in Australia seem to be having an easier time and there was talk of holidays! I wish you well too.
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Hey, mistletoe is the State Flower of Oklahoma . . . which is sort of weird now that I think of it.
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That does sound weird, but then I don’t know much about Oklahoma! I think of wide open plains.
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Yes, and it looks very flat. There are low spots, but the trees are taller there, so they are not so visible when looking out over the horizon. Trees are shorter in the high spots. I never saw a particularly big tree while I was there. I did not see much mistletoe either.
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The Viburnum is just beautiful. Is it scented?
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