As it’s the first Monday of the year I thought I’d better start as I mean to go on with a little wander round the garden. It was only a little one as it was cold, wet and miserable outside today!

Last year on Otley market I bought a beautiful deep wine hellebore, it was gorgeous. I was delighted to see it’s full of buds at the moment so hopefully we’ll soon have a good display.

The first camellia flower is out, just one so far! This is a shrub I rescued from under my mum’s privet hedge about ten years ago, it was dried out in it’s tiny plastic pot with two twigs and one shrivelled leaf, I decided to rescue it and it’s thriving. I like to remind my mum of this whenever she admires it!
It’s about 4′ tall now and covered in buds.

At this time of year I really appreciate the evergreen shrubs, they give the garden some shape and interest over the long winter months. These two are at the entrance to the Amber & Amethyst garden, a purple flowered hebe and an erysimum which I seem to remember is an amber colour, rather than the usual purple. At the moment I just enjoy their foliage.

I’m trying to get back to my three sessions a week in the garden, hopefully I’ll manage a bit of tidying up and weeding tomorrow.