Winter has finally arrived...

Winter has finally arrived at Duck Pools. Hallelujah! I was beginning to think that winter and spring had all rolled into one! There are a couple of Hamamelis in the garden, 'Arnold Promise' has been and gone but this 'Pallida' is now in full glory. Against the blue trellis, i think it looks stunning. The Hamamelis are young plants at the moment but will eventually make big specimens which i will keep in check by 'pinch pruning'.

The Jeffersonia dubia in the garden has about 6" growth on it already due to the mild weather. It's quite a hardy little soul so it should be ok with the frosts we're now promised. Jeffersonia is a delightful little woodlander from Cparts of China and Korea which likes to be shaded after its flowered in the spring. To that end i grow it at the base of a clump of Rudbeckia x fulgida 'Goldsturm' in a large ceramic bowl planter. When the J.dubia has done its thing, the rudbeckia foliage takes over. I've found it to be a very good combination.

Although everybody's tweeting about this particular plant at the moment, i'm also going to mention it. Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna, intrduced in 1908 by Wilson, has become a very fashionable winter plant and quite rightly so. It originates from W. China and is therefore very hardy. It will cope with severe frost and will sit under a blanket of snow for weeks and still be ready to release its heavenly fragrance when the snow retreats. Distinguished from S. confusa by its narrow leaves and taller, slender growth. Black berries often follow the flowers and last until the next years blossom here in the garden. It can and does sucker but little effort is needed to pull/dig some out to give as a gift. In fact this particular plant puts a smile on my face as it was a gift from a wonderful friend who, in her 90's, still makes an effort to get out in the garden to tend her beloved flowers.

Whatever you're doing this week, please take care in the snow and ice. Make time to go out in the garden even if its just to wander. Many winning ideas have been the result of a 'wander in the garden'. Above all, ake time to sit down and dream.Dream of what you can and will achieve in the garden this year. The possibilities are endless...