Christmas 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
This time last year we were under a deep blanket of snow with
weeks of temperatures regularly below -15C. Very seasonal and
lovely. Nothing growing anywhere however and spending a fortune on
gas for the polytunnels. Everything in there wrapped up in multi
layers of horticultural fleece. And as for us we were similarly
wrapped up and lethargic in weather in which even a seasoned polar
explorer would think twice about going out!! For the first time we
had no veggies from the garden for Christmas dinner.
Cilgwyn Lodge Christmas Day 2010 at minus
18C
The Brecon Beacons 18 December 2011
What a difference this year. Although there was a good fall of
snow last week in the Brecon Beacons 20 miles from here, we had
none and there has only been one day of frost this month so far
(lowest -3C), wind and rain being the predominant weather feaures.
Some mild temperatures for the most part. Grass still growing and
needing to be mown until the final cut on 9 December.
Note the fine colour on the grass and the
stripes!
What is good for grass however is also good for weeds,
especially bittercress which has come up everywhere like, well
mustard and cress! Whenever the rain relents I am out there weeding
before it sets seed. Proper gardening this late in the year.
I have also taken the opportunity to cut the old foliage from the
hellebores, quite a task given that there are in excess of 200 of
them in the garden and already flower buds are clearly showing on
some plants, and a good few of those in pots in the polytunnles are
already in bloom.
The first hellebore of the season from seed - always a
special moment as it takes at least three years to get a flowering
plant and you never know what it will be like.
Needing to spray them for mildew and blackspot because of the
high humidity. We fully ventilate the tunnels every day that the
weather permits and that includes some of the colder days too. Damp
static air causes more trouble in protected growing areas than a
good flow of air during daylight hours.
A few tender plants are still in bloom in the polytunnels and
brightening the dark days:-
Alogyne hueglii 12,000 miles from its home in
Australia
In lovely colours of Christmas salvia fulgens
still going strong
A major task at this time of year is keeping the 2 woodburners
going, the cooker/boiler in the kitchen which is on 24 hours a day
and the woodburning stove (11kw) in the lounge. We are lucky to
have the verandah around the house to keep the wood dry and have it
so close to the point of use. This year 90% of the logs are well
seasoned ash, the best all round burning burning wood. The verse
"Logs to Burn" sums it up beautifully that - "Ash logs wet or ash
logs dry, A King may warm his slippers by". With a winter's supply
already cut and stacked it is a warm feeling indeed.
Both woodburners at full throttle
Unlike last year and learning from that lesson, apart from
parsnips which are better left in the ground, we have dug all our
other root crops (carrots, beetroot and celeriac) and stored them
in the stone shed, with Bramley apples, potatoes in sacks, onion
strings, shallots in nets and red and white cabbage hanging intact
from the rafters - it's pretty full in there! Still in the garden
are leeks, sprouts, winter cabbage. purple sprouting, turnips and a
few heads of late celery and plenty of herbs including marjoram,
rosemary (all dead this time last year), thyme, sage and
fennel.
Best achievement of all is the Rosada tomatoes in the large
poytunnel. The plants themselves have all but expired but the
tomatoes keep on ripening (some on their 12th truss) and continuing
to taste superb. Honestly I have never tasted a better tomato, an
ideal balance between sweetness and sharpness even so late in the
year. Fresh picked tomatoes at Christmas are an absolute delight.
Showing my age now, I can remember in the late 1960's when fruit
and veg wasn't nearly so available as it is now, I thought that
tomatoes from the Canary Islands over 1.000 miles away were the
height of culinary cool. but here I am 40 years on picking them
from my own plants in mid Wales for the short journey from tunnel
to plate!!
Trusses of Rosada intermingling with the last flowers of
brugmansia sanguineum
The fish in all 3 ponds are doing well this winter and
are still active on warmer days. (At least 12 inches of ice
on the Paddock Pond 12 months ago but none this year). The koi carp
especially look very well, and are quite active taking a pinch of
food on the warmer days. I don't normally feed them during winter
months as thay are usually inactive.
Good berries on our nearby holly tree (the redwings didn't take
them all which was kind of them) and also on the ivy so plenty for
the Christmas decorations and Yule Log (ash of course). The
tradition was I believe it was supposed to last from Chrsitmas Day
until 12th Night and for there to be enough left to start the fire
next Christmas Day. That was in the days before smaller fireplaces
and woodburners! No chance now but a nice tradition to keep
alive.
Winding down a bit now for the festive season before the nights
start to get lighter in 2 days time, and looking forward to January
and all the promise of a new year in the garden and all the
delights of Spring just around the corner. 2012 will be we hope, a
special year too on so many fronts with the Diamond Jubilee, the
Olympics, two special birthdays for Moira and me, and the building
of our conservatory. Let's hope it will be a year to remember for
all the right reasons and that is it is the same for all our
friends in gardening and visitors both to the garden and this
website.
Seasons greetings and good wishes from us both
Keith and Moira XX