January 2019 - A new beginning

A very happy New Year in 2019 

to you all.

Thanks to all my followers.

Please keep reading. 

Peto Garden, Wiltshire

Well here we are again, 

at the start 
of another year. 



But we always like to look 

back to what we did.



2018 
You will recall that this summer 

was fabulously hot.

The best thing for me was 

feeling happy 

and caring for lots of even 
happier plants most of the time.

In the summer I had the 

privilege of visiting
 a gem of a garden 

in Wiltshire. 


I would like to share 

this place with you. 


Peto Gardens is quite an achievement 
as it is in a valley 
and it is built up on layers
 of terraces and amazing vistas.  

Peto Gardens from the
 middle looking downwards

It makes you feel like you are 

transported to somewhere
 no-one else knows about. 

Sadly it was not a nice 

summer day to take pictures
 but hopefully you can get 

a good idea of 

what it looks like. 

One of the fabulous
vistas at Peto Gardens

Plants that flower in January 

So back to our New Year and 

what you can grow
 happily even in a cold climate.

Helleborus niger 

Let me share with you one 

of my favourite flowers. 

It is so dainty and beautiful.

Better still it is really easy 

to care for. 

Spring flowering
hellebores





It was the 28th of March 2018
when I visited the beautiful 
landscaped Swiss Garden
 in Bedfordshire.


It was spring time and the rain
was pouring down! 


So looking at plants in the rain with
 a huge umbrella was a bit of a challenge.

Trying to photograph these
beauties was a bit tricky.







Plant of the week
5th January 2019


Hellebores are winter flowering
 plants. I grow them in pots.


They look lovely in a cluster,
in a woodland setting.

My advise to you is go to a good
garden centre and pick the
best looking flowering
plants.


Check the leaves for bugs
and make sure they look
healthy and green.

Bring it home and enjoy
it every day. 

 These hellebores are so
varied in colour. 

Fabulous deepest purple.

Contrasting hellebores
and daffodils 

Care for hellebores
Hellebores will be happy 

in pots but do be aware 

of seasonal bugs. 

I get them on mine and remove

 them with my fingers.

Keep them watered 

or they will dry out.



Please keep following me.
Apologies for my absence 

but I promise

 I will be updating soon.

It's Monday 7th January 2019 

and the start of a new week. 

Time to take in what is around you. 

Sometimes we are too busy 
not looking around us and
 seeing what beauty there

 is in nature. 



Trees are such an important 

part of nature so try to stop for 

a minute and look up at them.

Bamboo makes a statement




I love the way bamboo creates
such a cool effect to any beautifully
crafted garden.

Black bamboos are something 

special as they feel

 a bit mysterious with their 

black stems.

It's elegance is something that 
is very eye-catching.

See the way the glass
reflects the light here.


A small building in the middle
 of this fabulous Garden.

January flowers 

 Brightens up your 

dark January day.

Clematis 'Jungle Bells'


This year this plant is somewhat 

confused after the long hot summer 

which actually scorched the whole
plant. 


As a result it flowered early and it has
 very few flowers now.



A real winter beauty here below.

Christmas box with
the sweetest scent



Late flowering this year
so hopefully
 it will be out soon. 



So at long last the flowers 
are coming out. 


Such a fabulous
scent they have.

Should be flowering 

at the end of the year, 

in December. 

Still at the end of January 

it has a few flowers.

It really packs a punch 

this beauty with
the most fabulous scent. 

Snowdrops bring
us cheer


We all need something
to lif tour moods in January.

  

There's nothing better 

than a clump of dainty 

snowdrops to 

lift our spirits this month. 

Snowdrops are bulbs 

so it's too late 
to plant them in January, 

but if you have 

none why not enjoy looking 

at them in a wood near you. 

Clematis care
in January



Be mindful of your delicate
plants at this time of the year. 

When the white stuff 

falls from the skies it 

lands heavily on our poor 

plants, treat them carefully.

Brush it off gently and 

make sure you don't damage 

the leaves and flowers 
right now. 


If you can protect them with 

horticultural fleece 
that will be really good.