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Snowy visitors
I like a flurry of the white stuff, even a bit of a drift of it from time to time. I love how snow transforms the landscape and that strange quiet that accompanies its fall but I had rather got round to thinking that Spring was on its way. I’ve got my list of jobs to tackle at the allotment, storage areas to tidy, a path to lay, compost to be spread but Mother nature has had other ideas and snow is falling here in Wales. I’m sure all across the country there are frustrated gardeners confined indoors frowning as the flakes fall.
Patience is not one of my strong points. A virtue it may be but it’s not one that comes naturally to me. People seem to assume I’ll be a patient person because I’m a gardener, well I must be musn’t I? I have to wait for all those seed things to germinate and for my favourite flowers to bloom and crops to ripen when I could have just bought them at the supermarket, is what some non-gardening acquaintances think. When I think about it, there are so many things to be impatient about as a gardener. There are the plants that seem to take an age to grow. I planted a Trachelospermum asiaticum a couple of years ago only to discover it can take years to get established. We’ll have probably moved before it flowers. The day after sowing seed the ritual of checking the pots for germination will begin. I have yet to discover a seed that has germinated over night but that doesn’t stop me checking.
I have a fairly complicated seed sowing schedule because I grow everything from seed using 2 window sills and 2 cold frames which leads to a frantic and ever so slightly stressful April and May. My patience wears thin as the weather invariably plays havoc with my planting plans and some seeds, such as Didiscus, turn out to be erratic germinators. The exceptionally mild spring last year meant a lot of plants were ready to go in the ground but with the danger of the weather turning cold I had to keep potting everything on. It did get to the point where it looked like the plants were taking over the house.
On the other hand I know plenty of people who wouldn’t even bother with any of it. So maybe I am more patient than I think. Or maybe it is gardening and it’s ability to bring out the best in people. Maybe plants are forcing me to realise that not everything is in my control. So rather than sit and grumble at the grey, leaden sky and snowy scene outside I watched the birds on the feeders and sat down with a cup of tea and some gardening books from the library. There’ll be plenty of time for rushing around in the weeks and months to come and then I’ll be telling everyone I don’t have time to read any books or just watch the birds.
Snowy visitor
Yes, we have snow here too, more than I thought we’d get actually, and it’s still falling now. I suppose it’s only to be expected really, we’ve had such a mild winter so far.
The snow has turned to rain here, thankfully, it does look lovely but really is an inconvenience. We have been spoilt with the weather and it did lull us into thinking it was spring. I too have been making lists of things to do, maybe that is why the weather has changed but I must confess I’ve enjoyed sitting and catching up with gardening magazines and the like today – haven’t done that for ages! I really want to start sowing seeds though, feeling slightly frustrated.
Snowing here in Huddersfield too, will be interesting to see what its like in the morning. I’m the same as you impatient to get started with seed sowing and the like, its very frustrating but I’m trying to make the most of this downtime with garden planning and dreaming!
Everyone seems to have snow but there isn’t any here by the sea. So I guess I’ll just have to be patient a while longer….more time for sorting out photographs and blogging…
We’ve had such a warm winter, I’m already rushing around, feeling like I’m behind! I do think gardeners are generally patient people – and be able to take disappoints in stride!
Snowed very little and is now wet and warm but only four more weeks before some serious seed sowing can begin.
We’re having snow here in Italy too! Not the gentle quiet kind that you (and I like) but strong winds creating deep drifts in places and freezing them almost straight away. We’re blocked in so relying on our own produce both stored and some fresh things that are still in the garden. It will be interesting to see what survives. Christina
Hi Christina,
I had heard on the radio that Italy was suffering especially around the Rome area. Hope the weather improves for you soon. Keep warm, Wellywoman.
We only managed a few snowflakes here in Devon, and today it is back to much warmer weather with the snowdrops and hellebores standing upright again and not collapsed on the floor! I really do think that gardening teaches us patience, if you try to rush things, nature always has the last laugh!
That all sounds terribly familiar! I too get impatient for the sowing season to start and then rush around like a mad thing; I think gardening, and particularly growing things from seed, have taught me more patience but it is still not exactly the first word people would choose to describe me… Enjoy your books and the birds while you can! The crazy season is just around the corner…
No snow here at all over the weekend but a sleet/freezing rain combo which decorated the outer world with icicles. An EGM at the allotment which should have been held on Sunday afternoon was called off. I quite enjoy the fact that the pause button has been pressed – time for planning and dreaming. As Janet says the “crazy season is just round the corner”. We need to gird our loins in readiness. Those birds are appreciating the calm before the storm too,