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HYACINTHS

Doesn't everyone love the smell of a hyacinth? I do, and my favourites are of the blue variety.



Back in September, after buying a few plants from a catalogue, I acquired a free bag of bulbs, and back in October I placed three on the top of old jam-jars, filled almost to the rim with water.

From this ...



... to this.

I lost one to rot, but the remaining two are now in flower, and smell bloomin' lovely.

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SNOWDROPS

I'd like to think, that long ago,
There fell to earth, some flakes of snow
Which loved this cold, grey world of ours
So much, they stayed as snowdrop flowers.

Mary Vivian

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... yellow Mahonia fills the air with a sweet scent of Honeysuckle.

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LEAVES

Then in the Winter they come flying down
Light as a breath, and crisp, and brown ...

I know I probably shouldn't, but I leave fallen leaves amongst the borders.

I know it's a hiding place for slugs, but it makes a great backdrop for up and coming snowdrops and hellebores, and creeping ivy.

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PRIMROSES AND BARGAIN BUYS

It's already the middle of February and this is the first post on my blog for 2010!

What with recovering from an operation in September (all heavy duties in the garden off limits), constantly tired with working my day job, and our five week trip to Australia with Christmas inbetween, my garden at present is no Eden, be sure of that!



To put to rights, I've made a start in buying these lovely primroses after a quick visit to a local Wyevale garden centre yesterday. They are now planted up, and should do a very good job of brightening up a dull space around the front.

I had just enough time to pick up a large Tubtrug, half price at £3.99. They come in really useful for all sorts of jobs around the garden. For mixing compost, carrying water, cutting and deadheading, potting up, as planters, the list of uses is endless.

Failing miserably to make a swift exit before doing any more damage to my purse, I spotted and consequently bought a pair of woollen Thinsulate gloves, also half price at £2.99. I do find wearing gloves in the garden restrictive but these are fingerless, and today they came in really handy for keeping my hands all toasty and warm.

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CHRISTMAS WISHES

... to one and all, who visit This is my Patch.

Happy new year too, and hope to see you all again in 2010.

Louise x

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WEATHER

Each of us makes his own weather, determines the colour of the skies in the emotional universe which he inhabits - Fulton J Sheen
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... the afternoon light shining through the skeletal remains of oriental poppyheads.
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FORM AND TEXTURE IN NATURE

Texture - a structure of interwoven fibres or other elements.

A Speckled Wood butterfly.

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water - important for any individual living thing.



berries - important to encourage birds and wildlife into the garden.


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Flowers, leaves and berries of the Hypericum.

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ALLIUM SCHUBERTII

Shows a spectacular firework burst of flowers in June,



and dramatic seedheads later in the year.

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NASTURTIUM

The nasturtiums are continuing to romp away happily, doing me a great favour this year by covering up two heaps of compost I plan to move in the Spring. These are the climbing variety, and their growth spreads further than most varieties of Nasturtium. Originally seeds potted up by me, they continue to self-seed in situ every year.

It looks like these plants have survived being decimated by the Small/Large White butterfly, but will be knocked back by our first frosts.

Wikipedia says, Nasturtium comes from the Latin nasus tortus, meaning twisted nose, in reference to the effect on the nasal passages of eating the plants.

It's amazing the funny facts you learn when you have a blog!

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... just how blue, Salvia looks at this time of year.

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COMMON TOAD

The other morning after a heavy downpour I didn't see it, but I certainly heard a toad in the damp undergrowth.

The photo above was taken back in July when I inadvertently disturbed this rather grumpy looking warty one, which was nestling right in the middle of the Giant Scabious which I was giving a cutback.

I can't help but think its skin reminds me of a well-toasted pitta bread!

Toads spend much of the year on dry land, so I hope it managed to find another safe place to shelter in the garden, with a rich foodsource, ie slugs, insects and worms.

Did you see the tumbling Venezuelan Pebble Toad on the BBC programme Life. Click here if you didn't, but we warned the clip also contains a toad-eating tarantula!

It's amazing, and really quite amusing, and remarkably no toad was hurt in the making of the film!

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THE COLOURS OF AUTUMN

In the main, the colours of Autumn are red and brown.

Here are some photos on the red/brown theme which I took yesterday.



I believe this to be a Harvestman? Looks like a spider, but not a spider at all.

Only if you like spiders, click here to see some great photos.



A Garden Snail mulch, a tip picked up from Michelle at Veg Plotting.

My garden is full of snails, so I have no problem in collecting vacated shells.



A seedhead of Iris Pseudocorus, the yellow flag iris.



I love these!

I usually bags a few whenever we go for walks along the beach. Only ones with holes!



Evergreen and deciduous leaves.

I've noticed wasps foraging amongst these.



More pebbles, mementos from holidays and days out.



Bird seed.

Don't forget today is RSPB Feed The Birds Day, tomorrow is as well. Infact, why not feed them every day!

The birds in my garden enjoy fatballs and mixed seed, but on the whole ignore peanuts!


I know for some of us the clocks go back tonight, but if you've the time, you could read my other post from yesterday.

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RAIN CLOUDS, A BLUE SKY, AND A RAINBOW

A morning of heavy downpours, and an afternoon of sunshine. A mixed bag kind of day for gardeners.



A Yew tree which sits at the top of the garden.

From this spot, if you look North, you can see the South Downs. Unfortunately if you look South, you cannot see the sea for rooftops!



With water droplets and sunlight, a rainbow forms.

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COMMA

The beautiful Comma butterfly, with its crinkle edges, is often spotted at this time of year building up fat supplies on nectar.

One plant they favour is nettle, of which I leave in a wild patch, in a mainly undisturbed part of the garden.

Verbena Bonariensis, a plant I love for encouraging all species of butterfly, and the Hummingbird Hawkmoth. A plant I loathe when it comes to pulling up hundreds of self-seedlings, in early Summer!

The Comma will hibernate upside down, camouflaged on a tree trunk, or amongst decaying leaves.

Click on Butterfly Conservation, to visit their informative website, teamed with great photos.

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... a Painted Lady butterfly enjoying Verbena B nectar.

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... leaves on the Amelanchier tree, turning to bronze in Autumnal sunshine.

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SEEDHEADS

I collect seedheads in dry weather, as they ripen.

The Honesty seeds above were from my Dad's garden. The way the seeds form in their own little paper bags fascinates me.



This years Lupin seeds, from plants given to me by my Uncle.



Seeds are for sharing. Remember my cerise pink Hollyhock, from an earlier post? Plants, especially annuals, seed prolifically and it's produced hundreds of seeds.

If you live in the UK and would like some, please e-mail me your name and address, or leave a comment on this post, and I shall post some off to you.

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... pink Dahlias in October sunshine.

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... a ginger-haired Bee, on Purple Toadflax.

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GARDEN ORNAMENTS AND A GIVEAWAY WINNER

Having inherited garden ornaments, I share my patch with ...



a one-eyed, chewed-eared cat



and a rather cowardly lion.



A little stargazer



and a beautiful water carrier.

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A merry-looking piper

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and a Greek god!

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... and the winner of my 200th post garden/flower themed mystery giveaway is Re!

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