Not the most exciting week on the calendar garden-wise to be honest! The light has been pretty poor here and I’ve had to make do with a bit of a murky outing with the camera; it was still lovely to have a reason to step outside though.
The homemade fat cake bird feeders we hung up just over a week ago have been a huge hit, out of four only two are left. We’re seeing far more feathered visitors to the garden and now have a regular robin who is stubbornly avoiding the camera…
The pansies are refusing to produce more flowers in my Winter container at the front door but the cyclamen are starting to put on a show. I’ve layered bulbs under the bedding plants and the warm weather has obviously coaxed the iris to shoot for the sky!
The allotment is looking so bare; a few celeriac and parsnips, a row of Spring greens and not much else. We bought the greenhouse quite late in the season and haven’t had time to make the most of it over Winter, next year will be different! Lily sowed some sweet peas last week though and they are keeping the onion sets company.
For the last few years I’ve had grand plans of forcing some Spring bulbs in pretty pots to give as Christmas gifts. Every year I’ve left it too late, until this year. Back in September I sowed miniature irises, tucked them away in the dark shed and crossed my fingers. I brought them out this week and they’re looking very promising! So I’ve been busy with the Christmas ribbon and will be handing them out to family when we visit this weekend. I planted up a spare just in case one failed, but they all grew so we get to keep it – I can’t wait to see if I’ve timed it right for Christmas flowering, watch this space!
I’m joining in with Annie’s #HDYGG series at Mammasaurus.
Ah thank you for joining in!
Can you believe I’ve never made fat balls for the birds? I’ve bookmarked that post to try it out with the kids over Christmas as we have a lot of birds around and about, maybe because we don’t have many cats residing locally.
It’s lovely seeing children getting involved in the garden, never fails to make me smile!
Thanks for sharing and joining in – and finger crossed for the iris flowering!
Ooh let me know how you get on – I thought it would be much trickier (and messier!) than it was but it really was quick and easy and the kids were enthralled. We’re down to one in the garden now, I’ve noticed them being visited much more since the weather turned colder. Time to buy some more lard!
oh my! the cyclamen are just gorgeous!
I can’t imagine a Winter garden without them, they just shine out, particularly on a grey day. I love the way they emerge from the corms too, my kids think they look like little snails!
Your little pots of irises look so pretty and make a great home-made gift. I may have to pinch this idea for next year. #HDYGG
I will definitely be doing them again, they were really well-received. I’m glad I made myself a calendar reminder to check on them in the shed though, I would have completely forgotten about them otherwise!
I keep meaning to sow some sweet peas but never quite make it…. I will though. Hope your bulbs get their timing right 🙂 #hdygg
Thanks, they haven’t really grown this week but still a couple of weeks to go so fingers crossed!