It would be very easy to take a despondent tone at this time of year. Cold, drab days and a certain browness to the garden can cause the gardening sap to sink. The garden has other ideas though and regardless of the gardener the plants just get on with it. This week’s six shows signs of progress as well as the need for some jobs to be started.
One
First, one of my occasional moans about the local wildlife. It’s usually the fox but it could be the fat Persian cat that wobbles through every now and then, either way something has taken a branch out of the beautifully rounded daphne, leaving me with a hole in the middle.
Two
Then a job to be done. I got ahead with the pruning of the grape vine because the pergola is becoming unsteady and the plan was to deal with it over winter. Oh how time flies! This week I noticed that one leg of the pergola has collapsed down a few inches. This is a ‘must do soon’ job. But I shall need to find someone to install a new pergola. No doubt there will be a sucking in of the breath as I am told about the long waiting list I will have to join.
Three
But this is a positive post and it is most definitely cheering to see signs of new growth. The bergenia is in bud.
Four
I hope I am not alone in having one, possibly two, plants that generally get mistreated, left to their own devices, ignored. This is a very old cordyline. Left in a pot for well over twenty years. Poor thing. It doesn’t get protected overwinter, as you can see by the brown leaf ends, and occasionally it leaves a sign to say ‘Don’t forget me’. This year a leader has died away but two new shoots are coming through. Tough love seems to be working.
Five
More signs of growth and a call to action. The new growth on the phlox has started. This is always my cue to deal with the remaining browness of the garden. The temperatures seem to be slowly on the rise which is another encouragement.
Six
Snowdrops and hellebores continue to fill out. I spotted some leaves from the tête-à-tête daffodils and the odd tulip leaf is making an appearance. The primroses bear the promise of spring beautifully: cheerfulness abounds.
Don’t forget to take a peak at all the other SOS gardens. The Propagator holds the keys to the garden gates. All welcome!
n20gardener 
Yes, you are quite right, we must be positive! Soon we will be complaining about having to water our pots and frazzled seedlings. Love the first signs of growth on herbaceous perennials, they have survived and live to fight another day! The fat persian sounds adorable, as does the fox, you must be considered yourself honoured. Have a great week. x
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I watered the pots yesterday! 😂😂
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For the pergola, can’t you saw off the part of the rotten wood leg? and put a concrete block or bricks while waiting to change the leg?
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That is a suggestion I have made but it’s falling on deaf ears! But plans are afoot!
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Well done on striking a cheerful note, not always easy given the weather but the plants do give much needed encouragement. 20 years in a pot, that’s impressive, well done Cordyline – any reason you don’t plant it out? Hope you find someone for the pergola without having to endure the sharp intake of breath!
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Oh the cordyline does so deserve to be planted out but I have always found it too Mediterranean in look for my herbaceous garden and so keep it on the patio with some agapanthus. It would do so much better in the ground! I hang my head in shame 😒
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Cool! Bergenia crassifolia (instead of Bergenia cordifolia)! Ours is all the Bergenia crassifolia too, and has likely been here for many decades. It all looks the same to me, but some prefer the Bergenia cordifolia, as if Bergenia crassifolia is too old fashioned. Isn’t it all old fashioned? That is what I like about it.
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Very much considered old fashioned here. I think mine has been around for decades too. I’ve taken to being kind to it!
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We have been dividing some of ours because it is so reliable here, and no one minds that it is old fashioned.
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You are not alone, I have a Christmas flowering cactus which is used and abused each year, but forgives me enough to continue flowering.
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We need a few independent types in the garden!
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Picture 5 has a snowdrop! Yaaaahhhhh!
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Mine are still closed, almost there…when they have opened up I will feature again!
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Such a shame about the Daphne – not a plant I have ever succeeded with. Hope you get the pergola sorted.
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