Gardener's Diary
January - Day 43 of Winter
Another rainy, cold week with glimmers of sunshine which make it feel like winter is on it’s way out of the door.
I prefer the frost to the rain. It’s a pleasure to scrape the ice from my windscreen, I love the sensation of the crunchy frozen lawns beneath my boots and my breath making clouds in the air. I find that the weather always warms up by late morning and a client bringing a steaming cup of tea or toasted slice of banana bread feels even more like a treat than usual.
There are many highlights in the gardens at the moment. The foliage of bulbs has started to appear, breaking through the frozen earth, bringing a hopefulness for spring. The hellebores have flower buds ready to open or are already in flower. Edgeworthia chrysantha have alien-like white flowers handing on leafless stems like Christmas decorations and daphnes are speckled with delicate pink scented flowers.
A new favourite, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca ‘Citrina’ is covered with small, pea like flowers which brings joy to any garden.
I’ve began mulching a little earlier than usual as will begin my maternity leave soon. This year, I’ve left more leaves on the soil’s surface and instead mulched on top, adding a thick layer of well rotted manure to build up the soil layers.
In a few of my gardens, I’ve stored the fallen leaves in recycled soil bags to return to the surface once they’ve began to decompose. Sadly, leaf mould needs a certain amount of space and I don’t always have that liberty in small London gardens.
In gardens with ponds, I’ve been shaking the fallen leaves from nets which I fixed in place late summer. I’m still keeping them in place as want to ensure that no organic matter drops into the pond. Fallen leaves decompose in water, causing eutrophication (algae blooms) which eventually suffocates the oxygenators and harms the ecosystem in the pond.
I’ve also been working on my compost heaps - adding layers of chopped up small stems, leaves, food waste or rotten fallen fruit, cardboard and then repeating this as if a lasagne. I ensure each heap is covered with either recycled soil bags or ideally a tarpaulin to trap heat and control moisture, making a welcoming environment for sweet little decomposers to get to work. The image below is a good demonstration of layering up the compost heap, however, I don’t add a layer of manure as it isn’t essential and not always available.
It’s surprisingly easy to garden during pregnancy. Of course, I’m unable to lift and do find myself working shorter days, however I’m getting on with my usual tasks and cherishing each moment, as soon I’ll be inside with my little baby, no garden gloves in sight.
Gorgeous xxx