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Snow and Silkies
Snow is distinctly early this year, carpeting the country in a great blanket of white. I am a big fan of the stuff, I love waking in the mornings to discover a crisp and untouched sheet of blank canvas covering the land. As the day progresses plants slowly unfurl their encrusted leaves as snow gently melts and drips off to form icy pools. The scamperings of tiny and normally unseen animals are showed up by their tiny snowy footprints, whilst the birds flock to the feeders in search of warming sustenance and the chance to drink from a pond which hasn’t iced completely over.
Ophiopogon Shines Against the Snow
I’ve been slightly unprepared for the snow…even though it was continuously forecast. I ran out of cloches and so many of my plants are currently covered with bits of cardboard propped up in a distinctly swift and haphazard way. I’d meant to dig up the verbena as I lost them all last year, whilst some of my annual seedlings that I started early for next year will sadly not make it that far. My osteospermums have been covered and I’ve taken a few cuttings for extra precaution, and most of the garden is hidden under white. However, some plants have come into their own, especially my recently acquired ophiopogon, whose jet black leaves shine like coals against their backdrop and do the exact job that I wanted them for, to contrast fantastically with their surroundings.
Georgia and Elle Inspect the Garden
Meanwhile, the clucky six are not at all bothered by the extreme drop in temperature. Sheltered from the wind, and with the vast majority of snow collecting on the run’s roof, I think they might even be happy with a few days relief from slightly soggy surroundings. The Silkies in particular are gorgeous against the snow, working their way through the garden together uncovering little bits of green here and there as they go. However, it’s vital to keep an eye on their feathery feet to ensure that clumps don’t form which could lead to infections and toe problems, but with both happy to sit on my lap and keep warm, inspecting them isn’t a problem. Meanwhile Little Red isn’t so little anymore and has turned into quite the boisterous teenager. She now greets me in the morning by flying up to perch on my hand – more to see what tasty morsels she can grab before the others move in than to say hello I’m sure. I have a feeling she’ll be the hen that’ll be happily exploring the house next summer when the girls are let out to explore the garden in the beating sun.
For now the crisp white shadow continues to enthrall me and, being lucky enough to work from home, I can enjoy it without having to venture out into the snowy wilderness. And with a cat curled at my toes, the chooks continuing to lay, and a few glints of fantastic plants, I’m a happy gardener this December.
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