Stock Photo: Robin and Snow

Stock Photo: Robin and Snow

LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

Oh mercy me. It seems only months ago we hung up our snow shovels, yet here we are again entombed in the chilly white stuff. But since we've got no place to go, let it snow ....

The box balls look like outsized Christmas puddings and everywhere is overlaid with a crisp thick layer of royal icing. Very seasonal. Plump, chatty robins, ever the opportunists seem to be almost pleading for me to step out with a few vittels and as I write this, one has just perched rather atmospherically atop a box ball. Excuse me whilst I dash a quick pic off on my phone..... Xmas card material ... Bugger. He made off before I got there.




Now you are probably a tad nervous about the outcome once the snow melts. If your garden if packed with hardy plants, you really don't even have to furrow your brow. Your plants will come through. A bit chilled and browning in spots, but come spring they will surprise you with their endurance and be as good as ever. But what about the less hardy plants you've been growing? 

If you didn't manage to protect vulnerable plants with either thick layers of fleece or bought them inside to a frost-free zone, the chances are they may well have turned their toes up. 

Nothing you can do now.If they are goners so be it. 

Wait for the thaw and inspect the damage. If the tops of the plants are soggy, mushy and brown, just remove the slimy growth. Now pack the crown of the plant with bracken, straw or fleece. I am not saying they will survive, but if the rootstock has remained unharmed you are in with a slim chance (roughly translates as wafer-thin) that they may revive come warmer weather. Otherwise you are just going to have to grin and bear the fact, you did too little too late and the garden is going to have to be re-stocked to compensate for those fatalities. Never mind, we learn through experience.

However, all is not doom and gloom. As one plant dies, another is born and to this end, don't forget it is Tulip planting time. I am the worst offender for planting tulip bulbs late, as I normally manage it around Christmas Eve. But this year the snow has served as a timely reminder; as I searched around for the snow shovel, I came across the stache of tulip bulbs I bought in Amsterdam earlier in the year. So now they are all lined up in a kitchen cupboard, waiting for the big thaw and I shall for once be on time with my bulb planting. Hurrah! Don't plant straight away. Let the snow and water run off for a few days (and pray there isn't any more white stuff on the way) before you go a-digging.

I was also reminded of how magical snow was when we were young. Forget our 'bah-humbug' adult view of snow. Remember the fun we had speeding down hill on old tea trays and soaking wet socks steaming on the radiators when we finally made it home, cheeks as red as Rudolph's nose and eyes shining with excitement? Instead of seeing it as a grave inconvenience,  embrace it in childlike manner. When was the last time you made a snowman? Well, snowman- making tops today's To-Do' list. Maybe even a castle igloo or perhaps I shall be a snow angel for a few minutes.
(No snickering those who know me well and will immediately refute the word 'Angel' and 'Lucy' would ever be found in the same sentence.


I've just passed the sweetest little boy reclining on dad's sledge, his head propped up on a bag of groceries, cocooned in a blanket, his little eye round with wonder. That's the way to travel.

Oh and most importantly of all:

HAPPY YULETIDE 

Planting Asiatic Lily Bulbs

Pruning Wisteria

Division by Lucy Summers author of Greenfingers Guides

Lucy's Top Ten Plants for autumn - Love Lucy

OK. So I know it's been raining for ages and everything is keeling over from being sodden for days. However, if your garden looks dull and colourless after the razzmattazz of summer, it's time you pulled your finger out and jazzed up the autumn flower beds, because we could all do with a bit livening up in this dull weather.

For more ideas on how to keep a steady stream of colour and interesting foliage in your borders throughout the year, try my Border flowers book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0755317602

Here's my top gorgeous perennials for adding zing to your autumn borders. 


Anemone hupehensis 'September Charm'
Has pale pink single flowers and golden centres held on tall upright stems above the deep bushy green leaves


Chocolate cosmos (Cosmos astrosanguineas) Ht. 90cm x 45cm
Luxurious, deep chocolate, maroon-brown velvet flowers

Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca 'Citrina' Ht. 1m x 1m

Pale green pea-like leaves with pale lemon yellow flowers almost non-stop throughout the year, but its particularly unusual colouring in the autumn and winter months, plus it's frenetic flowering make it an all-round winner





Dahlia 'Bishop of LLandaff' Ht. 90cm x  90cm 
Opulent deep red flowers with claret-stained foliage


Gaura lindheimerii Ht. 1.2m x 1m

Arching stems with trembling
delicate winged white flowers all the way
to the first frosts

Gentiana x stevenagensis Ht. 10cm x 15cm

Charming, flared trumpets of zure blue  with white and dark striped throats sit against deep green narrow leaves; sulks in overcast weather only opening its blooms with the sun. But boy what vivid autumn colour

 Heuchera 'Obsidian' Ht. 45cm x 30cm

Dark, almost ebony black-purple rounded polished leaves with claret stems of small airy, creamy white flowers from June to July; but it's the outstanding jet foliage that makes this a must for spring, summer and autumn borders

Phlox paniculata 'David' Ht. 1.2m x 1m
Gorgeous, gloriously scented pure white flowers on upright stems from July to November

Verbena 'Homestead Purple' Ht. 30cm x 60cm
Mine's been in violet-blue flower since late May and will continue to flower generously well into November








Verbena bonariensis Ht. Up to 2m
Self-supporting wiry, sparse stems topped with open sprays of rich purple flowers

I stole this delicious recipe from a friend who bakes like an angel.

You will need:

Finely chopped rose petals OR rose sugar

OR

English lavender

300g plain flour

100g caster sugar

200g butter

(Make sure you ONLY use English lavender petals; Lavandula augustifolia is ideal as other species can prove quite astringent.)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

2. Cream together the butter and caster sugar. 

3. Add the petals or rose sugar and blend well into the creamed mixture

4. Now sieve flour into the creamed mixture until you get a soft dough. Chill the mixture in the fridge for about an hour.

5. Roll out your dough to the required thickness (about 0.5cm is ideal) Cut out into desired shapes, round and hearts look pretty.

Place them on a pre-greased baking tray and dust lightly with caster sugar.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes until pale golden brown. 

Cool on a wire rack and eat them up. One batch lasts about 3 minutes in our house!