Cold and Frosty Mornings

We've had so much damp, wet and windy days this winter that it's such a pleasure to wake up to a cold and frosty morning once in a while. Those type of mornings that promise a glimpse of the sunshine. We've only had a few, but the garden and plants take on a whole new dimension when they are covered in frost and ice. Plants that have faded long ago look alive again - dead flower heads illuminated with a wintery glow - differing shades as the rising sun catches them as it tries to reach up higher in the sky. 

The lawn turns silver overnight, there's suddenly crunchy grass under your feet, not mud and puddles anymore; the garden teams with new interest and textures - icy ponds and bird baths, patterns in the ice, frosty spider webs...

My sea shell collections are tinged with a fresh and delicate powder of ice - almost looking like the sand where they once lay. Even the patterns on the garden tables are heightened by the ice. My favourite is the palm tree - an ornamental structure always there by the pond, but in the morning frost it stands looking grand, decorated by nature in all its winter glory, more rigid and strong.

I love waking to these mornings in winter. 

Shady Little Spanish Balcony

Ever seen a little quiet corner that makes you feel both relaxed and inspired? On holiday in Spain recently, I found just the perfect spot to sit, enjoy and do a little writing. Lined with bamboo plants and up amongst the horse chestnut trees this pretty little Spanish balcony looked out on a beautiful cool courtyard filled with greenery to add some soothing freshness to those hot Spanish summers. 

Conifers, palms and chestnut trees sit comfortably together to form a high canopy and shade above the shrubs below. The chestnut trees were in full flower - I've never seen the flower of a chestnut tree so close up before and didn't realise just how beautiful and intricate they are. Their petals flutter down in the breeze as I write and they gracefully blow inside ... petal snow.

There is a gentle trickle of water down below, as I write  - I spy a terracotta fountain hidden amongst the palms, water cascading down into a pool below. Hidden little pathways surround a sitting area and parasols help the trees shade the day. Ivys, new spring green and whites ... I imagine the heat of the summer and the tranquil and cool this small oasis might give. 

A calming little place to both start and end the day. I'm inspired...

What's a special little place for you? 

A Frosty Morning

We've had a few bitter cold days this week and some frosty mornings. I love the garden on a sunny, frosty morning, you see it in a totally different light, plants take on different tones and hues. Their shapes look rigid and solid coated in the ice. Some look like they've been given a new lease of life once more when really they finished their season back long ago in autumn.

Frosty pot

Wildflower leaves with a coating of ice

Icy pond

Verbena looking brand new

Pampas grass - golden against the sky 

Silver palm tree

Watering hole too iced up for the birds

Robin singing behind the icy crab apple tree

Sea shells waiting for summer

White rooftops

Jack Frost has been in the summer house

Pansies hiding underneath the ice

Seed heads - always worth leaving for winter time when they take on a whole new look in the frost

October and the Walled Garden at Holkham

We were in Norfolk at the beginning of the month and the weather was glorious and sunny and we went for a look around the stunning walled garden at Holkham. The gardens are an ongoing and huge renovation project, which is interesting to see as the years go by. 

We came here once about four years ago and the renovations were in very early stages. Since then an enormous amount of work has taken place and many of the once derelict looking areas have been completely transformed. 

Although it was early autumn there was still plenty of colour and interest. 

The garden dates back to the 1700s and the walls act as a windbreak and reflect the sun to create it's own microclimate in the garden. There are some spectatular Victorian greenhouses, which have been restored with the help of the English Heritage. There are sunken greenhouses too and there are plans to renovate them. 

The garden contains orchard areas, a vineyard, greenhouse areas, an enormous fruit, vegetable and cut flower plot and a most stunning herbaceous square containing a rose garden. 

October is a beautiful time in the garden, the fruit is picked and the herbacous borders and annual plants are finishing, but I always think that this adds to the beauty and change in colour. Fading sunflowers created beautiful structures, the sunflower heads heavy with seeds. The last of the tomatoes were in the greenhouse and it gives you a sense that summer is not quite over and hopefully might stretch on for a few more weeks! 

There were still plenty of roses in bloom in the rose garden and it was a balmy day, so the scents were mingling with the gentle aroma of wood burning somewhere in the distance, this time giving that feeling that we are actually in autumn and conjuring up those thoughts of log fires and cosy, warm nights. 

Autumn thoughts were with me once more in the vegetable garden where squashes and pumpkins

were growing. It made me think of homemade, warming soup and crusty bread! 

I was delighted to see sweet peas, scattered around the garden, growing in displays as though it was high summer. There were in groups of just one colour- shades of pinks, reds and berry colours. Then there were patches of another autumn favourite of mine - sedum - it always brightens up the garden when the rest of the plants are fading back. 

It was a beautiful day, balmy and warm just like it can be in summer with just a slight autumn nip in the air now and again in the breeze. The garden echoed just that - that summer meets autumn feel; that not quite autumn yet and summer hasn't quite finished yet feel!