Periwinkle's Journal

Azalea Pyramide

Nothing like it!

  Nothing like a plant present!   

This present arrived last night from a dear 91yr-old, who when he was fit was a real garden lover! I am so thrilled to have a green plant and will tend it carefully until I can plant it out in the garden later in the year!  It certainly is cheering me on this VERY foggy day!

Are you there?

Are you there?

Its a struggle to peer through the fog this morning! even thicker since I took this picture from the front doorway. Cant see past the trees now!Bitter cold!

A game of 'Hide and Seek'!

Got ya!

Took the camera out this evening as the sun was going down- I just cant stop trying to capture the beauty of everything these days! But a robin started to catch my attention and so I decided to try to get a picture of him.

Well, he must have been in good form because he decided that he would like to have some fun with me! He'd perch on a branch, look cute, and then, as I was about to press the button, off he'd fly!!

This game of 'Hide and Seek' continued for several minutes before I finally 'got him'!! You wouldn't believe it but I'm sure he had a teasing twinkle in his eye!

I know you wouldn't.......

'I'll dare to go right to the dorstep'!

...forget our feathered friends in this cold weather.      This thrush, along with other birds, is making the most of it before darkness falls.

For You All!

Happy Christmas!

In case I dont get time to write another journal entry, I want to use this one to wish all my Garden.ie Friends a Very Happy Christmas! Thank you all for your friendship during another gardening year. Special wishes to all of those whom I met in person during the year. This site has been a great way of introducing new friends with a love for gardens and gardening.

Have a safe and Happy Christmas everyone!

And you thought they were white?

White?

Obviously, there's white and then there's WHITE!!!!

I have put up a number of pictures in Winter scenes taken today!

A different coat!

Wearing a new coat!

Deep snow here yesterday and to day! I had cleared the path outside the door yesterday evening but there is over an inch of snow on it again this morning! Everything is looking beautiful but very cold out there! Only opened the front door to take this scene that will be very familiar to you all! Sorry to be boring!    It is just wearing a different coat this morning!!!

Jogging the memory!

Magnolia Wilsonnii at Hillsborough Castle

Myrtle got me thinking with her journal entry and I had a look at some of my pictures on that visit to Hillsborough Castle and Garden Show. If you ever get the opportunity to visit the Castle and the Grounds it is well worth doing. Some wonderful trees and shrubs at any time but especially in May/June when Rhodos/Azaleas are in bloom. Just need to check when it is open to visit. 

The cycle of life!

Azalea Mollis

When I read Fran's journal I was reminded of this picture of a diciduous Azalea Mollis which I took yesterday morning! The flower buds for spring showing clearly! Many spring flowering shrubs, such as Magnolias and Camelias also have there flower buds fully formed.  Very exciting!! Makes me really excited when I see them! Cant wait!

Healthy Eating!

A healthy breakfast!

What a joy it was to have a walk around the garden this morning! Yes, a lot of the semi-evergreens, such as arums, agapanthus, jasmine, salvias, abutilon,hardy fuschia etc, are now looking rather sad with drooping, rotting leaves but hopefully will still be ok. I took this picture of Cottoneaster "Coral Beauty" still holding on to much of its berries - but not down near the ground!

Yesterday morning I looked out of the living-room window, from which I have a good view of this shrub, and I noticed something sticking out at the bottom of the shrub. On a closer look I saw that it was the tail of a hen pheasant and there was a second one at the side of the shrub!! They were having a good breakfast on those berries! I didnt dare try taking a picture, as the slightest movement would be noticed and they would be gone.  Just lovely to see them so close to the house.

Predicting?

Will it snow?

Took this picture from the front doorway around 8.30 this morning as the sun was coming up! Half hour later the snow was falling thickly and now at mid-day still continues! Nothing but grey sky to be seen! It had frozen hard during the night and roads like a skating rink. Pot of soup on for lunch- its a day for it! Not able to get to work.

Seeing things differently!

Lavender, with a new look!

I was just thinking today how different things look with a dusting of snow on them! What was a muddy path can look perfect when frozen and covered in snow. Plants that were bare and not very interesting suddenly take on a new identity and look rather magical. No wonder we all like to see snow! at least for a day or two, and if we have a child around to use as an excuse (!) a dusting of snow can turn us all back to being children!!

Enjoy!!

Things are looking up!

Cottoneaster 'Coral Beauty'

We had a bit of a thaw here today! I was able to drive into town for the first time since last Friday! But town had a heavy fall of snow as did many parts of the county. But by the time I got there it had all turned into a slushy mess. Still it was great to be able to drive again and when I got home the water was back on after being off since Monday night! As the saying goes "you never miss the water till the well runs dry"!

Oops! there seems to be a problem with displaying the title of my pictures. This one is Cottoneaster " Coral Beauty"! But site refused to display full name! Last night it wouldnt display title at all! Should have read: "Sheep may safely graze"! Perhaps it refuses to work properly at night!

Specially for Martin!

'Sheep may safely graze'!

Took this picture yesterday evening across the fence in the Lower Garden. Thought they looked so content with their lot in life!

Wonder if this winter will just be too much?

Is it all going to be too much?

I have a cordaline in a large tub on either side of the drive at the end of the hedges. They both survived last winter's frost but I wonder if this year is going to be too much. I was walking past one today and poked the soil at its base with my walking pole and it was frozen hard as a rock!