In Britain we’re lapped by seas that maintain a vestige of summer season’s heat, slowly cooling throughout autumn’s longer nights however protecting the land barely hotter for that brief time. Step by step, as the times lengthen once more after the solstice (5 minutes extra daylight by the New Yr!), temperatures will drop with the worst climate to come back in January and February … which is why we do not plant out something besides the hardiest of veg till March on the earliest.
On the precise Solstice day, I felt some trepidation at heading into winter – like most, I desire crisp clear skies to gray murky ones – however there was additionally a way of urgency. There’s so much to do, ideally achieved earlier than the biting chilly limits my time within the backyard. I wish to clear fallen leaves, make a leaf mulch bin, tidy up soggy crops (Eucomis, the pineapple lily rising in my herb backyard, doesn’t die gracefully), transfer crops, prune tender and prime fruit and, sure, get the final bulbs in.
After all I depart sedum heads for a bit longer, and agapanthus stems as they give the impression of being so fairly, like stars on the top of a wand. That is very fickle of me as I’ve reduce agapanthus stems in all of the consumer gardens I work in – which is the proper factor to do … however my backyard, my guidelines (to borrow a phrase from Alison at The BlackBerry Backyard).
In winter gardening does not cease. Nevertheless it may decelerate whereas we plan for subsequent yr and dream of heat summer season skies, buzzing bees and considerable harvests.
