Winter preparation ... lots to do

It's hardly stopped raining for nearly 2 weeks here in South Wales. I did manage to go out briefly and take a picture of my Christmas rose.

I found a green tomato on an outside plant when tidying up yesterday.

I've just heard on forecast that it may be unseasonably mild for the next two days. If so I will attempt a further bit of tidying caused by recent winds and had weather in general. Look forward to it, in fact, as I'm certainly not a cold weather gardener.

There's a bee in my garden. It's been around all of this mild December.

My wife found a big pile of leaves hidden behind a chair in the corner of the garden that I'd thought were safe but she found them so I have to black bag them up today and hide them again for leave mulch .

I came home from my allotment today with a long Spike of Blue Delphinium ... Beautiful ...

We actually had apéro, lunch, dessert and coffee outside- it was gorgeous. No work done- but that's ok.

It's raining here after a bright early morning start so we won't be taking down a wet bean rack (or three) in the rain.

I do trim the hedges (including neighbour's 100 foot x 15 foot nightmare) and gather leaves, but I don't do an autumn tidy up any more.

I leave it until the spring and all the plants do better with their extra 'winter shelter'. I like the look of the seed heads and remaining foliage too.

wow ethelbags, be careful! When we cut ours back in the UK, we always got professionals in! How tall are they???

Another gorgeous Indian Summer day here- after a heavy frost last night. Friends coming for a traditional 'torée' lunch - so been making a big fire as we need plenty of embers to cook the sausages wrapped in cabbage leaves and potatoes!

etheltbags1

I'm taking my keylandii down to about 4ft. I cant/won't pay tradesmen 200 pounds plus per day. I'm doing 1 tree a week, I'm aching and sore but won't give in. It's times like this a man friend would be useful. I have 25 leylanii, so will take time.

Goodness, etheltbags, I won't argue with you ?
Well done!

You can come and do our neighbour's after if you like.

Thanks Casdon.
Trip to DIY to get some fine mesh ✅
I haven’t seen them eat the bulbs, they eat ornamental crab apples on one of the trees instead - but they certainly scratch them up to the surface. Probably to see if they are tulips or daffodils ?

I don’t think squirrels are so keen to eat daffodil bulbs are they TillyTrotter, they always leave them alone in my garden, although they love the tulip bulbs? I do mesh my tulips, I just use pea netting scrunched up and pegged down, and that works.

I need to thin out Salvia’s that are getting woody, prune lavenders by 1/8 of their sizes (says Monty Don), and plant pots of daffodil bulbs.
We have 2 resident squirrels who are scratching about in the garden every day and are intent on digging up any bulbs I plant.
*Advice please - will mesh or chicken wire over prevent them getting the bulbs out?
I have spent a bit of money getting unusual daffs this year - Not for the squirrels ?

I’m behind with the tidy up because I’ve had three weeks away since mid September. I know, lucky me. I usually do a cut back but I’m thinking I’ll leave more dead heads, seeds etc for wildlife then a big tidy in February or March.
Leylandi - I dislike them intensely. They aren’t beautiful and the hedges planted by neighbours threaten to plunge us into darkness.

The pruning saw is the most versatile as it has a flexible blade so you can get at the back part of the tree.

Ethelbags1 we are the same here. My husband does it a bit at a time. Why get a man in when you can buy a Japanese saw from Axminster tools is his motto. Blue handles with the best blades for the smaller branches, up to 4 inches diameter. It does take ages because there is all the sweeping up etc afterwards.

How tall are your Leylandi now ethel ?

I'm taking my keylandii down to about 4ft. I cant/won't pay tradesmen 200 pounds plus per day. I'm doing 1 tree a week, I'm aching and sore but won't give in. It's times like this a man friend would be useful. I have 25 leylanii, so will take time.

Severnsidermy Aubretia is in flower again!!! All my begonias and fushias are still laden with blossom too. I am going to need the pots and baskets soon for the violas i have bought and are currently sitting in the unheated greenhouse waiting to be potted on, the flower world doesn't know if its coming or going at the moment!!

My Magnolia is going insane. So many more beautiful blooms than it had early summer (or ever for that matter). I'm kinda regretting the hit is is undoubtedly about to take but am seriously enjoying it at the moment. Wonderful! I've a few bulbs still to put in and hopefully the next few days of forecasted mildness will help me achieve that. Really fascinating to watch the quirks and tricks of nature.

Sevensider my Star Jasmin is flowering too!

Morning all

I listened to a programme yesterday and they said to do nothing in the garden now, but didn't mention flowers in pots, do they still need watering?

It's strange but with the recent mild weather some of my plants think it's spring. My hydrangeas are putting out new flowers,
and primroses, welsh poppies and wallflowers are all flowering.

I think these plants are in for a shock!

And another gorgeous autumn day- sunny and so bright, and despite frosts last few nights, bees and butterflies are out feeding on the remaining flowers- so will not cut them until they have clearly gone. And hawkmoths as well, like little humming birds, so cute.