Garden is ready for Jack Frost!

You've been very busy, Shirley, and will be able to sit back and relax now! The garden is looking pristine. I have put the heater into the g'house, and like you, moved a number of pots nearer the house wall. It looks a soggy mess at the moment but it's had all it's getting from me for this year. We shall have to rethink the 'lawn' - Mr Mole is back again and driving the cats and husband mad.. Your lawn looks very good. I'm envious!

Yes, I agree re the nice lawn& that is a lovely Christmas cactus. Nice to get the work all done too.

You've got things under control I see, Shirley! 👍Hopefully your plants will come through the winter unscathed!

I did mine some weeks ago. I had a brief look this morning, after the first proper frost of the autumn, & everything looks OK! 👍

Ange, the lawn was cut last Tuesday by OH and edged by yours truly! It had been re-seeded in a few patchy areas and had grown quite tall. So sorry to hear that Mole has returned ... :o(

Josie, the Christmas Cactus actually lives on the loo windowsill as there's no heat in the smallest room which suits it. I moved it to another room for the photo!

David, fingers crossed all of your (and mine) plants come through the Winter.

well you are well prepared Shirley. I moved some pots into the greenhouse today though we have had 2 or 3 frosts now. -2 overnight last night and the shady part of the garden stayed 'white over' all day.

Looking very nice Shirley , It takes a lot of sorting out the garden . Moving things are best from Oct-Feb depending on milder days . Never most in frost , I usually keep what I move by digging hole twice as big as root ball, nice soft soil and really drowing it on milder day with also my own made kitchen veg and whatever in composter, it soon gets going again .

Your garden looks very nice, and tidy

I agree with Paul, plus now is a good time to move the rose when the frost has gone.
You put a sachet of Root Grow round the damp roots when you move it as this will help it to grow more roots and will settle in the garden quicker.
My Ladie Boothby which you gave me is still climbing up a trellis and archway and as it is sheltered there, am inclined to leave it out.
You are far more sensible and prepared, not like me!

I'm glad you've got your preparations under way Shirley, I hope the weather doesn't get too cold. It's a shame the frost kills off the colourful flowers but hopefully your plants will survive and give a good show next year :)

I think it's best not to move your rose in this cold weather. Maybe you could do it when the temperature gets milder.

Ooh how tidy and ready for winter your garden looks Shirley. You have been really busy. We had snow flakes this morning! I do hope this cold snap doesn't stay around now. Your hotlips salvia is lovely and the Christmas cactus looks so festive..:)

Amazing to see so much colour Shirley … yes, I do hope all your lovely plants will survive this bitter period. I’ve put fleece over everything in the greenhouse, and little cloches over the Gaura. Fingers crossed!

Eileen, I have to say that the cold weather is definitely not my favourite!

Klahanie, I just like to keep the garden neat and tidy, always have done ... :o)

Paul, I wish now that I had moved that Rose a month ago! It will be re-sited ... one day!

Rose, I made a note to buy Root Grow at the GC and then promptly forgot all about it. You may want to give Lady Boothby a mulch to keep her growing!

Hywel, it's really been cold all day today, and I wouldn't have gone out unless I really had to ... :o(

Janey, snowflakes, yuk! Snow is best kept to Christmas cards as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for liking the plants.

Thanks Shirley , I will!

:o) x

"Snow is best kept to Christmas cards as far as I'm concerned."

Hywel & I agree with you on that score! 👍

David, this morning we have heavy rain so the frost has gone, hooray!

That's good news then! We haven't had any here but just 3 nights of frost. I was sure they had killed my Cyclamen but I see today they are perfectly OK in spite of the foliage turning almost black!

nice to get everything done before weather turns for the worst, trying to get mine all done before op on Friday, but perpetual rain doesn't help, think only things left to do now is cut back bit of old foliage then put mulch on the borders, I have a salvia hot lips in the garden, they do get a bit stringy but I just chop it right back then, always seems to return ok

Yes, chilly here too Shirley. My Fatsia did get frosted but seems to have bounced back in the rain. Stay cosy, the Pittosporum will get its trim, eventually. X

Davey, thanks for looking in! This morning the lid to the recycling bin was frozen solid but we now have glorious sunshine to thaw it all. I agree about the rain, it's a wonder I don't have webbed feet!

Karen, that's good news on your Fatsia. They do seem to be tough plants! I think Tony may not be here until next year as the weather is against him constantly ... :o(

Frosty again last night but a beautiful sunny but cold day here! I checked again on my Cyclamen & I saw they were alright!

You may find it hard to believe but I still have a small tomato plant on the balcony that has resisted 4 nights of below zero temps! 👏 I took a photo this morning.

David, that's amazing to have a tomato plant still alive in those temperatures! We recorded a balmy twelve degrees today ... :o)

I'm equally as surprised as you! I didn't do anything to protect it, it's just a little underneath the big balcony table. It's spent the last two months there without being moved. I don't know how much longer it will survive but it has already survived 3 nights of frost in one week!

So sorry I missed this blog, Shirley!
Work and more work...
You've been very busy and organised too!
Amazing to see daffodils shooting now! Did your chap come and prune your pittosporum?
You still have such vibrant colours in your garden!!!
Your Christmas cactus is looking attractive, perfect to see on a dull day.

Kate, you certainly have no need to apologise for missing this ... you are a busy working lady after all!
Not only are there some Daffodils emerging, this morning I spotted some Crocus too.
Tony has yet to turn up ... the Pittosporum was almost bending in the strong winds the other day ... grr!