Okay we had an exodus into the garden. All of us! Wearing pjs and all. Logs have been split and stacked and leaves have been pulled off the gravel. It’s the day before Hogmanay and the weather is warm but forecast is for a colder spell. I trimmed the buddleia and uncovered the dead leaves. It’s probably too early if we get a February flurry of snow but I’m just going to live with somethings growing and others failing.

I even bought some seeds from my local Woolworths replacement which was restocking the garden things. I helped myself to lunch drinks. I bought cornflower seeds and other random flowers bought for the colours.

I still get inspired wandering about the garden or picking up random things and trying to tidy them. The wind is still randomly picking things up and depositing them elsewhere and then giving me ideas for new planting areas. The buddleia, for example, is regularly pruned (we really can’t kill it) but when it almost doubled in the summer we discussed digging it up but I still like the fact it gives a shielding effect while it flowers.

I don’t get affected too badly by pollen or plant dust if I can chop them at this time of year. Similarly I get quite wheezy from the yellow buds on the tree I really want to remove by our bedroom so it might be best done this side of March. Our neighbour doesn’t like it much either so it won’t be missed. I have quite a bit of holiday left so let’s hope the cold stays away…