News and Views No 12 December 2025

Hello Everyone 

Happy New Year to you all. I hope you enjoyed the festive season. I have to admit that my decorations came down quite quickly after Boxing Day and they are all packed away again until next year! I haven't got much to say about the weather except that it is turning very cold now for a week or so with the threat of snow depending on where you live, so do stay safe and warm. 

The garden has continued to delight me on my visits with the Mistletoe putting on a show in the Tilia x europaea, the Lime tree, outside the courtyard, photos 1 and 2. On the front lawn the Cedar tree looked beautiful in the winter sunshine, photo 3, with a covering of plump pine cones on its branches, photo 4. To the left of the Cedar is a Prunus serrula, a Japanese cherry tree. The bark on the branches gradually peels off and it shows up bright red when it catches the light,  photo 5.  

Whilst at a meeting in the house in December I took a photo of the Old Conservatory through the window, photo 6. It must have given Mr Bowles so much pleasure to work in his conservatory when the weather made it difficult to garden outside. Across the Pond the Liquidambar styraciflua was still holding on to its leaves, photo 7 taken on the 8th. I am fascinated with the behaviour of the tree in relation to the protection given to it by the Holm Oak behind it. As you can see, the leaves above the shelter of the Holm Oak have fallen to the ground. Outside the Old Conservatory the beds have been mulched in preparation for winter and the snowdrops that will bloom here, photo 8. Some have started to show already, photo 9. 

On the Pond Terrace, the Cortaderia selloana, the Pampas Grass, looked lovely with nothing around it to detract from its beauty, photo 10 taken on the 19th. Have you noticed that all the leaves have fallen from the branches of my favourite, the Liquidambar styraciflua in the background?? Now I promise not to mention it again for a while! 

Down in the Rock Garden the ponds look as though they have been there for ever, photo 11. Apparently there is a leak in the liner somewhere that is being investigated so the still water was perfect for the reflections of the trees around it, photo 12. The banks of the Rock Garden will soon be covered in snowdrops as I think 2026 will be a good year for them, photo 13. 

In front of the small wildlife pond is this beautiful Corylus avellana 'Contorta', the Contorted Hazelnut tree, photo 14. It is covered in hundreds of tiny catkins, photo 15. Plenty of nuts for the squirrels next year. Opposite the pond is the mighty Taxus baccata hedge, Yew hedge to you and me. This was renovated about 10 years ago and it has recovered well and looks really good, photos 16 and 17. 

In the Peach House another big job has taken place. There was an infestation of mealy bugs due to a problem with the ventilation so the system has been replaced with a heavy duty winding mechanism for the top windows, photo 18. Also, the whole of the Peach House was scrubbed from top to bottom and all the windows were cleaned so it is ready for use again. Any bugs now can be spotted and dealt with quickly. 

Walking along the New River Lawn there is a fine view of the Kitchen Garden that has been covered up, photo 19. At the end of the Tulip Terrace is the Paulownia tomentosa, the Foxglove tree. It was planted here in early 2014, and has a lovely shape to it now, photo 20. 

In the Rose Garden the Tetrapanex papyrifer, the rice paper plant, was looking good, photo 21. The new shoots and leaves have a covering of fine, pale brown hairs. Also here are the Magnolias, the branches are covered in new shoots so I think we are in for a wonderful show from these trees too in 2026, photo 22. In the Pergola Garden the Chaenomeles speciosa 'Nivalis' was in full flower, photo 23. On the edge of the Wisley Corner there is an evergreen Clematis covering the globe support. It has small urn-shaped creamy-white flowers and I think it is Clematis urophylla 'Winter Beauty', photo 24. Walking out onto the path near the Pond I stopped to enjoy the reflections in the water, photo 25. 

Now for my fauna selection. I was lucky enough to see a Mistle Thrush in the yard behind the house, photo 26. He was singing loudly but he is not as melodic as its counterpart the Song Thrush. Also in the garden on one of my visits I saw a Jay, photo 27. Then I thought I'd share this little beauty from my own garden, photo 28. This Wren visits us regularly and at first I thought it was a mouse because I only catch a glimpse of it as it runs along the back of the borders. However, on a recent visit it treated us to a proper view of it, a delightful little bird. 

I hope you have enjoyed this wander around the garden with me. 

Best Wishes 

Jo