Jo's February News and Views
Hello Everyone
After the record temperatures we've seen this week, it's hard to remember that on the first day of February we had snow! Not very much here at Myddelton but enough to send me out with my camera. It was already beginning to thaw and I always love to see how far the trees spread out protecting the ground beneath its branches, photos 1 to 5.
Two weeks later we have experienced amazing temperatures for this time of year. It's not natural and I expect there will be consequences but the joy of waking up each morning to blue sky and sunshine has lifted our spirits I'm sure. The Front lawn never fails to delight me, photo 6 and the camelia has burst into flower giving the insects a tasty treat, photos 7 and 8.
Moving on to Tom Tiddlers ground you are greeted with a sea of colour. The whole area is covered with snowdrops and crocuses, photo 9. Around the corner in the Asylum, it's the same story, photo 10. This area was looking so pretty in the afternoon sunshine.
My next stop was the Glasshouses. I try to pop in every time I visit the garden as there is always something new to see. At the moment the following are all in flower. The Nematanthus gregarius variegatum, photo 11, the common name for this plant is the 'goldfish plant'. Apparently, the flowers resemble a goldfish! The Hardenbergia violaca, photo 12, one of the common names for this plant is 'happy wanderer' which I think is lovely and it certainly does love to wander in the glasshouse. Finally, the Vriesea carinata, photo 13, the common names for this lovely plant include 'flaming sword' and 'painted feather' both of which suit it.
Leaving the Glasshouses and walking through the Kitchen Garden to the Orchard I am greeted with another spectacular sight, photo 14. The crocuses now seem to be outnumbering the snowdrops, both vying for attention from the visitors walking by. Moving on for a wander around the Rock Garden I stopped to enjoy the first narcissi basking in the sunshine, photo 15. Also, enjoying the sunshine are the snowdrops, photo 16 and the Leucojum or 'summer snowflakes' photo 17. I managed to find one of each nestled by one of the rocks, photo 18.
Finally, someone else enjoying this splendid weather was this Great Tit, photo 9. Singing with gusto for all to hear.
Hope you have enjoyed this meander through the garden with me.
Best Wishes
