Winter at last
Well winter has finally arrived here in Wales. We had some wet snow at the weekend and now we’re being chilled by an icy wind blowing in from Siberia and just as we’re onto our last row of wood on the log pile. Will the cold spell last longer than our wood supply?
Glimpses of sunshine yesterday tempted me out for a walk up to the allotment. It was so cold though I abandoned my wellies in favour of my toasty snow boots. Once at the plot I stood there trying to imagine it in the months to come, blossoming and productive. I do have a fairly active imagination but the cold was so penetrating that it was difficult to conjure up images of swelling peas, scented flowers and juicy strawberries. I was just about to leave when I spotted some flowers.
Winter flowers
Back in the summer I had sown some biennial Stocks, the Brompton Mixed variety. With the mild autumn the plants grew well and I planted them at the allotment ready for picking flowers in the spring but by the end of October they had started to flower. The flowers, however didn’t resemble those on the packet. They smelt amazing though so I wasn’t too bothered. I was able to pick a couple of stems every week right up until Christmas which felt strange but then it was very mild. So I was completely surprised yesterday to see the plants still flowering despite recent hard frosts. The plants are covered in flower buds as well so as soon as the weather becomes milder I should have quite a good supply. I am intrigued though as to what they are. Does anyone know what type of stock they might be?
This is what my stock flowers should have looked like
The Sweetpeas I sowed last week are starting to germinate which is very exciting. Once they have all germinated they can go into a coldframe. I prefer to grow my seedlings quite hard. I don’t have the space to mollycoddle them anyway but I want good strong plants and too much warmth will only encourage soft, sappy growth.
Sweet peas germinating
There was a time when I got excited by shopping trips for something sparkly for a night out but now a morning at the garden centre is just as good. On Saturday we called in to see if they had any shallots yet. They did so we picked up a packet and then I remembered I wanted a pressure sprayer so I could easily douse my plants with seaweed or tomato feed.
My new piece of garden equipment
I spent last summer using a tiny hand sprayer that I bought for £1 in Ikea about 12 years ago. It wasn’t the best tool for the job, ok for the odd house-plant, not really suitable for an allotment. It took forever and made my hand hurt, so I thought I should spend some Christmas money on something that would make my life that bit easier this year. Wellyman went off in search of a sprayer whilst I got distracted by seeds (I really don’t need any more seeds!!!). He came back triumphant with a 4 litre pressure sprayer which should be the perfect size. The only problem with gardens and allotments is that they do generate quite an amount of stuff to store. Of course I can’t actually get into my shed ( see my previous post ‘I need a substantially bigger shed‘) which is bursting at the seams at the moment so my downstairs loo is currently acting as shed overflow with an increasing stash of garden paraphenalia building up, including my organic fertiliser order, weed membrane kindly donated by a friend and now my pressure sprayer.
Yes, winter at last, thank goodness, it didn’t seem right being so mild did it?! So far we have just had frost where we are, up on Dartmoor they had snow. Sorry can’t identify your stock for you, how wonderful that they are still flowering, hope they continue for you!
I don’t know whether to wish for winter or for spring. We have had such mild temps, for the most part, this winter many of the plants are beginning to sprout and come up through the soil. I think if winter came now, it all might be fine…but if it waits too much longer we may have some damage. I like to harden my seeds/seedlings as well…I think it works best.
The Siberian winds did’nt quite reach us here in the north-west. The 1st day of Spring was day long sunshine even though it was pretty cold. Must get on with planting seeds.
Can’t actually get into the downstairs loo either??
http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/cant-post-comments-to-other-blogs?replies=3#post-807072
Do me a favour? Try using the Name/URL option to leave a comment? If that works for you I’ll add the WP prompt to my comment box text, and we can spread the word. I see lots of bloggers writing about battling to leave comments!
We do appreciate the time and effort and thought that goes into commenting, and it is bleddie frustrating when the computer flounces off in a huff. WON’T!!
Winter? yes it had to be and am content to think of the aphids and viruses frozen to a crisp. Spent yesterday making fire and burning wood unsuitable for shredding or recycling so warm as toast.
p.s. those look like the single stocks I used to grow which made summer evening so divine. Thanks for the reminder of seasons ahead
We used to grow stocks like these in the past. Don’t know the variety and don’t remember them flowering any later then October! But they do have a lovely scent.
Enjoy your snow. It hasn’t got here yet but it’s very cold.
How lovely to have flowers to bring home from the allotment at this time of year. I love a trip to a garden centre or nursery, I’m always on the lookout for new ones to visit.
It’s been cold here in London made worse by the wind. I often stand on the plot and just ponder but not at present!
It looks like you’re gearing up for a shed spring clean and tidy up. xx
What a nice surprise to find some flowers in bloom! It’s amazing how fast gardening stuff accumulates.. I have gardening stuff all over my downstairs as well.
At least you got as far as your allotment! I seriously considered going for a snowy walk up there yesterday, but it was, quite frankly, just too cold. I wimped. So congratulations for not wimping out, you thoroughly deserve the pretty flowers, which I can be of no help in identifying.
I have to confess to being delighted that we are finally getting something approaching a winter, it just seems very wrong not to have had temperatures below 1C in the greenhouse until last week. I just hope it doesn’t mean that Spring is really late and cold.