Jo's February News and Views

Hello Everyone

So Storms Ciara and Dennis have wreaked havoc across the country this month. We have been very fortunate again to have escaped the worst of the weather here in the South East and even though we are fed up with this dismal weather we should take a moment to remember that it could be worse. Looking out of my window into my garden I see that it is indeed getting worse as there is snow mixed in the rain this morning, Thursday 27th Feb, here in Enfield. Hard to believe that I was stood in the garden at Myddelton yesterday taking photos in the sunshine but such is the changeable nature of our weather.

So what did I see at Myddelton this month? As you approach the house there is a stunning Cornus mas, the Cornelian Cherry, photo 1. It's on the right hand side of the drive so the view is actually better as you leave the garden. This tree always brings a fantastic splash (sorry!) of colour every February. There are several in the garden so there is more to come later on. Walking towards the house I stopped to admire the hellebores on the front lawn, photo 2. They looked like jewels in the sunshine.

Then I went straight to the Rock Garden through the wonderful display of daffodils in the Alpine Meadow, photo 3. I wanted to see the Lathraea clandestina, purple toothwort. This little flower is actually a parasite that lives on the roots of the tree, photo 4. The flowers will continue to open over the next couple of months so I will follow it's progress.

Returning to the main part of the garden I stopped to admire more daffodils in the bed by the Wisteria bridge, photo 5. Moving on along the New River Lawn I saw that the area in front of the Pond Terrace was covered in daffodils too, photo 6. This area has been cleared of the old debris and the bulbs and plants that had been covered are now enjoying their freedom.

Further along the New River Lawn the Winter Bed caught my eye, photo 7. The trees and shrubs planted here all have the most striking stems that really look their best through the winter months. Next is the Rose Garden. Here the small beds around the Market Cross have had edging put in and the soil improved. Now the new Ilex crenata 'Dark Green', Japanese holly, is being planted, photo 8. Also here is this pleasing Chaenomeles speciosa nivalis, known as Japanese quince, photo 9. The beds here have been cleared and mulched so the pure white of the flowers really stood out in the gloomy light.

Around the corner growing against the back wall of the Rose Garden is this beautiful Camellia, photo 10. The colour of the flowers is superb, photo 11 It's a real beauty!

Next it was onto the Kitchen Garden. The rhubarb is awakening and this is R. 'Goliath'. Photo 12 was taken on Feb 12th and photo 13 was taken on Feb 26th. Thought you might like to see how quickly it grows once it gets going! Next I walked around to check on the Crocus Collection. There were many of the crocus in flower, photo 14, with more to come I'm sure.

Back up the steps to the New River Lawn I stopped to enjoy this view of the Tulip Terrace, photo 15. It changes with the seasons so there is always something new to see. Last autumn the beds were planted with daffodils which will be flowering soon and will create a stunning display for the spring, photo 16. The area around each bed now has Ilex crenata 'Dark Green', Japanese holly, planted in well prepared soil that has had ericaceous compost added as it prefers a slight acidic soil to get going. This variety is much more vigorous and dense forming so will create a more compact hedge. It is faster growing than the previous variety so won't take long to achieve the desired effect, photo 16.

Walking round to the Asylum I stopped to admire the snowdrops, photo 17. They have formed a white carpet all over this area. There are more snowdrops in Tom Tiddlers ground. Also here is this beautiful old Prunus cerasifera, the Cherry Plum, covered in blossom, photo 18 and another Cornus mas, photo 19. The flowers on the Cornus mas cover every possible inch including these tiny shoots on one of the lower branches, photo 20. Such is the contrariness of our weather that half an hour later the blue sky and sunshine appeared, photo 21.

Finally, the only fauna I found this month was this big cat sneaking up on this little bird up in the tree, photo 22. It may take a little imagination to see this but I hope that it has made you smile.

Hope you have enjoyed this wander around the garden with me.

Best Wishes

Jo