End of Year Review : 2013 Pt.1

End of Year Review : 2013 Part.1

January to June. January started fairly mild but wet, then on the 18th a heavy downpour of snow changed everything. Any sort of gardening activity was put on hold, only snow shoveling took place. Some night-time temperatures were recorded at -10°c and I had to bash a few shrubs to remove the heavy covering of snow in order to prevent branches from being snapped.

Snow.!

I managed to make a few trips up the garden to check on a few overwintering items in the greenhouse, but the month is spent mostly studying seed catalogues and trying to keep warm and dry.

Keeps Snowing.

January made way to February, the weather warmed up, the snow melted and it looked like the year was really going to get going. I got my washing out for the first time of the year on Feb 17th.!

Washing out.

But then the weather turned nasty and very cold

Iced up…

Night time temperatures average below freezing, and so do many daytime temperatures. the rest of Feb remains bitterly cold and quite icy. March arrives quickly, and it’s still very cold, rainfall level is below what I usually get for here, and the garden is drying nicely after the downpours of  2012, but it’s still freezing most nights.

Crocus Appear.

My pots of Crocus start to appear, Primulas start to show through the soil, I pot up my Dahlia tubers and get lots of weeding done, it’s very cold, but very dry underfoot…. but then….

Dreaded snow returns….

The snow hangs around for days, seedlings I have coming up in the greenhouse get chilled, and bedding plant plug plants I’ve ordered arrive early and have to be positioned across windowsills throughout the house…. Into April….

Waiting for warmer weather….

The late, cold spring finally gives way to warmer weather, and the plants in the garden really start to motor, I start seed sowing in earnest.

I bought a new Hellebore.!

I planted some new plants, such as the above Harvington Hellebore. We have Easter during April, and I sow lots of seeds of Annuals and Perennials. I also have a lovely day out to Kew Gardens, which I blog about extensively.

Baby Plants.

I’ve also got some cuttings rooted of Erysimum bowles mauve and Penstemon’s. May arrives with glorious weather.. I take a trip to the Malvern Spring Gardening Show, which I also blog about, I get some stunning flowers in the garden..

Primulas.

Nice weather, a decent amount of rainfall means my plants are growing well, I get some lovely blossom on my Crab Apple…

Crab Apple Blossom…

I also visited a few plant fairs, purchases were made…

Lots of lovely temptations.

The Month of June arrives… Halfway through the year.. I pay a disappointing visit to Gardeners World Live at the NEC in Birmingham. Even though I’m disappointed by the lack of usual plant stalls, I still make a few purchases, but have reservations as to whether I’ll ever go back..

Abutilon ‘Patrick-Synge’

This Abutilon is a plant i wish I had purchased, so It’s highly likely I’ll have to return to Gardeners World in 2014 to buy it.! 😉

The next 6 months….

Happy New Year.

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