That's more like it ....

Winter honeysuckle

At last, some colder weather. There have been one or two light frosts, and brighter weather with less rain and wind.  It's nice to see the sun from time to time!  The plants that were flowering are looking a little less enthusiastic this week, but the winter-flowering shrubs are still looking good and Lonicera x purpusii (the winter honeysuckle) provided a scented display for cutting.  Today I chickened out and stayed inside; although it was beautifully bright there was a cuttingly cold wind.


Most of the tenderish plants in the summer pots have now been potted up and brought into the greenhouse, where they are tucked under the staging with the heater for company and a few sheets of bubblewrap to make a rough tent around them.  The white-flowered osteospermum has filled out well and has been split into three, and the Phormium 'Tricolor' has also bulked up well.  Most of the bulbs have now found a home (but not all! and I'm running out of suitable places for them).

A fatball container has been put out for the birds to help see them through the cold spell.  It took the robin all of 5 minutes to find it, and it has been a big success with the tits and sparrows also.  The dunnocks have been enjoying the bits that get dropped.  The bullfinches haven't been back as far as I've seen; presumably they've exhausted the oregano seeds and moved on elsewhere.