The majority of mornings have been frosty and the days that followed were cold. Last week was not a week that led to gardening of any sort other than the wishful thinking sort. Wishful thinking can lead to trouble: new schemes imagined, grand plans take root and the siren voices of online shopping call. I resisted immediate action. Let’s just wait another month. Although it feels like a quiet time it is the lull before the storm. There is clear evidence of growth and the last of the cutting back will have to be completed throughout February. Here’s six for this week.
One
My skimmia ‘Kew Green’ is looking less than healthy and I think I know why. It is planted towards the edge of a walled border and I think some of the walling extends inwards into the border. I think the roots on the front side of the skimmia have reached the buried bricks and don’t have enough soil to grow out into. I am going to move it towards the back of the border and see if that solves the problem.
Two
Unfortunately the empty egg box makes another appearance. Due to problems with suppliers – and I think we know what that means by now – my order for ‘Anya’, my second choice seed potato cannot be fulfilled. I have now chosen ‘Jazzy’. It’s twice the price so it had better be twice as good.
Three
The greenhouse is home to the overwintering pelargoniums and the lemon tree. This week the lowest temperature was -2.1 degrees centigrade and I didn’t even think to fleece the pellies. The lemon tree has a double wrap of 17gsm fleece. A cursory glance indicates that lemons and pellies survived.
Four
Asplenium scolopendrium, or Hart’s tongue fern. I’ve added three of these to the inhospitable back border. They’ve been in place for about a year and seem to coping well. The very back corner of the border is given over to a small log pile. It’s in the rain shadow of a fence and I don’t think much will grow there, except perhaps euphorbia robbiae which is incredibly tolerant, and of course invasive. The mulch is Strulch.
Five
Hellebores and snowdrops continue to entertain. Pretty Ellen Red, the double version, has opened up.
Six
And the 300 or so snowdrops planted throughout the north facing border two years ago, which didn’t do too well the first year, are looking a little more promising this year.
As always, thanks to the Propagator for keeping this show on the road and enjoy your gardening week
n20gardener 
I’m still waiting to see my first snowdrop. And thank you for the photo of Asplenium scolopendrium, or Hart’s tongue fern. I have two of these in my garden but I didn’t know their name.
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I do like the fern and the hellebore is stunning.
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I planted Ellen Red, not sure if it is a double one, but it is only in bud at the moment. In fact it has been in bud for a long time! Hart’s tongues are fabulous, evergreen and reliable but also lovely. And we need things to be lovely as well. Stay warm, like your lemon, which looks very cosy. 🙂
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Just getting a little bit in need of warmer weather! But it’s coming.
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Jazzy is a good choice, I grew them last year and had a great harvest. The potatoes are not very big but firm, very well in cooking. And above all they keep well.
About the fleece, in France, they only sell 30g/m2 or 40g ones and depending on the plants I put one or two fleeces. You did well to double yours. Stunning hellebore Ellen Red!
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Good to hear that Jazzy should be good. I just hope they do finally arrive. The fleece I used is from Agralan envirofleece. It’s good quality.
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I obviously need to plant more snowdrops! Hart’s tongue ferns are like weeds down here. I have to pull them out all the time! I could probably make a fortune selling them and also forget me nots, but I suspect there isn’t much of a market around here!
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Put them on YouTube? 😉
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Oops I meant EBay! But a YouTube video on ferns could be good too 😆
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Ha, ha. One man’s weed…. I’d be happy to have a few more, they have quite a tough corner to pretty up!
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Sorry to hear about your potato supply tribulations, at least Jazzy gets the thumbs up from Fred. I have just planted some Euphoria robbiae (see my glade post for more about that) and am a bit worried re just how invasive it will be. You have a nice roomy greenhouse *jealous*!
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You’ll have seen my response to the Euphorbia 🙂 🙂 !!
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That is rather cool for a young lemon tree. (I translated it to Fahrenheit.) New growth could have been damaged, which is why such trees should not be pruned late.
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It’s a gamble every year!
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I have had this type of die-off in skimmias previously but have never come on a satisfactory explanation. It has happened several times and I simply gave up on the plant, dug it out and tried something different.
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Such a beautiful Hellebore. Mine seem to be rather slow this year and there don’t seem to be many flowers promised either 😔 Fingers crossed that the Skimmia move solves the problem.
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My hellebores are the same. Loads of flowers last year, but no sign of many this. Maybe they will surprise me. Also something is nibbling the buds and my irises! 😲
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