The garden in winter

It's the bleak midwinter here in Berwick. We've got none of the nice festive bits like snow or frost and all of the horrible bits, like grey skies and easterly winds and rain. And the garden's looking a little sorry for itself.

After a frantic and Zoom-bound autumn semester, the holidays are finally here, so I found an hour to go out and tidy up a little. Pulled up some hardy weeds and swept lots of leaves over onto the soil to act as a kind of mulch over the colder months. So yes, those piles of leaves are deliberate. And I was followed all the way around by that tame robin.

Nice to see that something is enjoying the last of the windfall apples.

Patches of colour: this dogwood is thriving and looks amazing when we get a shaft of sunlight on it. (Not today, sadly).

Notice anything weird, though? Let's zoom (agh!) in a little...

Surely a little early for what appear to be daffodil shoots? And a little early for this cherry blossom?

We haven't planted anything for a winter harvest but maybe next year... oh, the plans I have for raised beds and the like. Next Christmas's sprouts will be from the garden - that's the plan.

Back in March, when we first went into lockdown, I didn't imagine we'd be facing another one come January, but that's how it's looking. I can honestly say the garden is one of the things that's saved me in this year that no one wanted.

The best hope: that the vaccine will be safe, effective and well-managed (that last one feeling like a forlorn hope, given this current shambles of a government).

In the meantime, as it's Christmas Eve, here's the most festive thing I could find. Peace and goodwill!