The Winter Garden

So after quite a long absence (almost 3 months!) I'm back. I can't believe the last post I did I mentioned that I'd got a new job and promised that I'd be back to tell you more about it and then I've only just returned now, that is what they call in the trade a cliffhanger my friends! I must admit that it's been a funny few months. I started my new job at Nest.co.uk as a Sales Support Assistant at the start of November and I'm really enjoying it but have been so busy that time has just flown by. I've been in a funny old mood at times too, focusing on all the things that I don't have and want, rather than all the truly amazing things that I do have. I've barely done any gardening and I've not been blogging much either, two things I usually love immensely. Yesterday though I went back into the garden for a few hours in an attempt to tidy it up, there's still a lot to do but to be fair with gardening isn't there always. Here's how the garden currently looks after a bit of a tidy up, a bit grim and bare but I'm getting there with preparations for Spring.

Looking around my garden at this time of year I realise that I really do need more plants with Winter interest, I know I said the same last Winter but I've still not sorted it! Does anyone have any recommendations?

grange farm cottage in the snow

It's been snowing here at Grange Farm Cottage and I thought I'd share with you some pictures of the garden. The garden was looking extremely bare and drab but snow does that wonderful thing of making everything look beautiful and somewhat magical. I've been taking great pleasure in walking around the garden, hearing that satisfying crunch as I leave my footprints in the freshly fallen snow.

  

winter garden blues

This is my first Winter as a gardener and I feel like I was wholly unprepared for it. The garden is lacking a strong structure and I definitely need to invest in some more evergreens for next year so that the garden will look less bare during this bleak time. My two front borders, which I look out on from every room of my house, are particularly stark and depressing.

The two front borders, looking bare this Winter

A peek in to my neighbour's garden below shows how a few shrubs and a nice pot, which give the garden height, really help the garden to retain its bones and keep it looking good during Winter.

A view into my neighbour's garden

It's not all bad news though, there are a few plants in my garden that are particularly shining this Winter. The lack of competition only helps these beauties stand out all the more.

Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea' in front of Cornus alba 'Sibirica'

 Winter Jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum

The first buds of Mahonia × media 'Winter Sun'