A thorough frost yesterday morning, the first of the year in these balmy parts, and the plants were beautifully rimed in ice. Sunshine too – a perfectly bright chill morning cycling to work, through the avenues behind Ham House. I should have had my camera with me – so much more versatility but the iPod did a good job – and better to have these pictures at all than none.
Another kind of morning today – freezing rains that you really would think would turn to sleet. Not pretty. So glad I got so much done yesterday.
The two bananas at home were trimmed back and wrapped up over the weekend, so they will be fine in their fleece jackets. The begonias were blasted (save for the two blowsy characters I bought at Hampton Court Flower Show last year – these were fleeced but need to be taken into the shed. The Canna, still teetering on the cusp of giving me its first flower, is untroubled. Those Isabella lilies are untroubled by the chill, clever things.
Better hunt out my thick socks and thermal leggings. Woolly hat. Mittens. Lighter-fuelled hand warmer. Thermos for hot chocolate (Cointreau?) …
I’m giving a talk next week (my but that has come round quickly) to local members of the Society of Garden Designers – on plant and garden photography. I’d better get off now and put some thought into what I’m going to say ….
The Teddington Gardener 