Oh! Look! Look!

The snowdrops I planted are coming up! How exciting!

Thought I'd better take a picture as soon as I spotted them - according to the weather forecast they will be buried under snow soon.

Good as new!

Put up a new arch today and managed to tie on some of the existing foliage. Now just need to find time to tidy up the beds and rake up the leaves!

The arch inspired the lovely Save the Date cards that have just gone out - so I'm glad it was possible to replace it.

Too early

The mild Winter has encouraged this camelia to bloom too soon. I hope this week's frosts don't give it too much of a shock.

But it is lovely to see something so beautiful amidst the soggy leaves and dead flower heads. Maybe Spring is just around the corner.

Fallen Arch

Oops! Yesterday's storms brought down the passionflower arch. The arches with less dense foliage survived, but the amount of growth on the front arch was just too much for the 70mph winds that hit Surrey on Tuesday morning and most of the joints are bent beyond repair.

Now we need to decide whether to buy a replacment arch to match the other three, even though, to be honest, they are too flimsy for the job, or to go for something more substantial that will look different. Decisions, decisions.

Tulips from Amsterdam ...

(... well Utrecht actually, but never let the truth get in the way of a good title).

What a great present from my brother-in-law, who is working in the Netherlands at the moment and transported all his Christmas presents over here in a rucksack on his bike!

Planted 50 of said tulips in the front bed today. Here's hoping they stay safe from squirrels and deer!

Happy New Year!

New Year Resolution #2 is to start writing this blog again.

(Everyone who knows me will know what New Year Resolution #1 is!)