The Garden

Today is National Poetry Day.

Blackbird hops into the bucket,
Something tasty for breakfast,
A treat perhaps?
Yesterday's grapes will do nicely.

Seedlings happy to escape
From the glasshouse by day
Scorching in there already,
Returning at sunset.

I'll walk softly now,
Have a long search
For something new today,
Never fails!

The summer's coming,
We'll sit and laugh and chat,
There'll be fun and flowers there,
The miracle of life.

That little thing is six weeks old,
It'll be gone by first frost,
The tree beyond is wrinkled,
It's a keeper.

Padraig

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Important Markers

It’s bright beyond 6pm. That’s a very important marker as we move towards longer evenings. Yippee!

In many other ways, it was a perfect day. Just me, myself & I. Firstly, i dtús báire, there was French toast for breakfast at Ormonds Café. There’s nothing quite like it! This was followed by a beard trim, some glasshouse pottering, and a massage. The afternoon was spent in the garden and now it’s time to order a Chinese.

And it’s only the start of the weekend! Enjoy yours, whatever it may bring.

Pádraig.

Late Breakfast

The starlings love apples. In fact, they may prefer them to peanuts.

Late breakfast. https://t.co/Ge88mrHH0x

— Pádraig de Búrca (@GrowWriteRepeat) January 24, 2022

Here’s the challenge… in which container is the apple? There’s only one. It’s a bit like the spot-the-ball competitions of yesteryear.

Pádraig.

Life Balance

Job done! I returned to Clonmel Garden Centre on Wednesday to buy a matching planter for the front garden. Last week, I had bought one that was already planted up. This time I needed to select the plants myself. Turned out to be a bit more expensive, but that was because I added some extra ones for somewhere else. As yet, I don’t know exactly where.

Everything was at a standstill yesterday. There was no time for gardening, as I needed to get new car tyres, paint a ceiling and head off on my bike for a few hours. Another easy ramble on quiet backroads was a tonic.

Earlier today, I got stuck in to the task. Similar to the other one, I’ve included a small Phormium, ivy, Hellebore and a Primrose. The remaining spots have been filled out with Crocuses and Snowdrops. I’ve even been able to squeeze in one of my double-potted daffodils to bloom next month. In my thirty-something years of gardening here, it’s my debut into the world of snowdrops.

This time last year I had no interest whatsoever in the front garden. That’s all changed. I’ve a plan for one small section before summer. I might have to buy plants.

Frosty One

After heavy overnight frost, today turned out to be a lovely day. There was bright sunshine all morning and no wind worth talking about, but very cold for gardening.

I ventured outside just after nine, but only to take a photograph, before quickly retreating inside again. Much later, I did return to finish a bit of pruning and tidy up the last of the leaves. I’m sure insects were cursing me!

This raised rockery was replanted in Autumn of 2020, consisting of…

• Skimmia rubella
• Camellia japonica Spring Festival and
• Viburnum tinus Eve Price.

Likely, it’ll be another year or two before they begin to fill the space. There’s a second Camellia (Lady Campbell) behind the Viburnum, but it’s not in the ground. This will be planted in a large tub later this week.

What are you up to in the garden?

Monday, January 17th 2022.

Pádraig.