Educated

The garden seats are put away and will not reappear until April. It's just not warm enough to sit outside comfortably. But it is definitely warm enough in the glasshouse whenever there's direct sunshine. Today was one of those days. I read my Kindle for a while and enjoyed the warmth. I'm reading Educated, by Tara Westover.

Seeds Overflowing

It's a lovely spring day here in Abbeyside and temperatures are up a bit from last week. The glasshouse is filling up steadily. That's nine trays germinated, with three more in the propagator. There are about twenty more packets to be sown so this shelf and others will be overflowing by mid-March. 

I'd better get cracking to make the cold frame. This is a sort of transition house before the little plants go outside in May.

Flurry of Snow

Hard frost. Light flurry of snow lodged overnight. Thawing rapidly at midday. The seeds inside are cozy.

This is my favourite from about twenty taken this morning. A light overnight fall of snow turned to ice before dawn. Here, a Skimmia leaf holds on to its icy load, but it is about to slip.
Last year, I lost a few plants during the snow of March. The Beast from the East dumped about a foot of snow and some plants died. Plants do not manage well when the weight of snow is too much. A bit like you or I trying to put up with cold weather while having a double-decker bus on our head.
I spent a short while this morning removing the compacted ice from the Skimmia. It's also important to remove snow from the glasshouse roof. In my case, the smooth back of the rake is ideal for the job. Later the rising temperatures brought things back to normal.
Snow, sleet and a heavy frost is forecast again tonight, and some vigilance will be needed. I'm off inside now to light the stove and warm my tootsies.
What's it like where you are?

Short Days Challenge

This week I focus on a challenge I joined lately. It's called Short Days Challenge. I briefly introduced it just last week. The idea is to note the little things in the winter garden and to publish one item every day between November and February on Instagram using the #shortdayschallenge hashtag. Now, I take a look back for this Throwback Thursday at the daily winter little things I noted.

Friday, December 7th: Today's winter garden: Another journey starting. I loved cacti and succulents many years ago. Having visited Deep Route Gardening in Cork during the week, I returned with enough plants to kick-start my interest once again.

Thanks to Deep Route Gardening in Cork 

Saturday, December 8th: Today's winter garden: I purchased a replacement thermometer for the glasshouse. The previous one fell into a barrel of rainwater about 15 years ago. This machine measures maximum and minimum and the humidity and well.

Temperature & humidity data log

Sunday, December 9th: Today's winter garden: almost identical colour and petal form on two great winter plants: wallflowers and violas. Continuing #shortdayschallenge as I briefly log winter here in Waterford, Ireland. Time to focus on the little things.

Wallflower and viola

Monday, December 10th: Warm mid-morning sunshine. Small flowering plants at this time really stand out. These are smashers!

December sunshine 

Tuesday, December 11th: I put out a query as follows... "Can anyone I'd this plant please? It was bought as a trailing annual and has thrived to such an extent that it has rooted wherever it can. In fact, I'm now wondering will it survive the winter as three nights of frost seems to have had no effect on it."

Glechoma hederacea variegata (Ground ivy) 

Speedily, the information came back from several sources:

plantbump
I  think it's a variegated #groundivy 👀🌿

petalsbyparaig
@plantbump Many thanks. Indeed it is! The same info came through via #gardentags. Glechoma hederacea variegata.

Wednesday, December 12th: Today's winter garden: It's good to take a photograph from near ground level. Just another angle on things. Parhaps this is the everyday view of this section of the garden seen by our two Yorkies, Molly & Becks?

Ground photo. Nandina in foreground 

Thursday, December 13th: Today's winter garden: Plants thrive in small spaces. Top left: nasturtium in a sheltered cul-de-sac. Top right: Geranium rozanne is now dormant but resurrection will happen. Bottom left: leaf shelter for the homeless creatures of the garden, and finally, another cranesbill rooted between wall and patio. Continuing #shortdayschallenge as I briefly log winter here in Waterford, Ireland. Time to focus on the little things.

Nasturtium, dormant geranium, leaf-shelter & a second geranium 

Would you like to join in? Simply use the hashtag #shortdayschallenge either on your blog, Facebook or Instagram to connect with many others noticing the little winter things that bring delight to these short days. Have you a favourite winter item in your garden, be it plant, structure or ornament?

Páraig (also known as Pat) is the author of Petals by Paraig. He loves his Yorkies and winter and low-angled photographs. He also loves post-winter resurrection, warmer temperature in the glasshouse and Garden Tags software but not exclusively. Shoot Gardening is his software of choice.

Growing From Seed

Throwback to 2005.  I loved the therapy of growing from seed very early in the year using the propagators.

Plans afoot for next spring.