winter

I was always taught that when the trees lost their leaves during winter, it was their time to rest - that they were essentially hibernating.

Watching and coddling my fruit trees over the seasons, and loving the claret ash and other deciduous trees in the garden, I am not so sure. No sooner have the trees droped their last leaves it seems that they are already busy preparing for bud burst. There is a lot of action in there - little buds forming and swelling - little flowers and leaves to be.

Not much of a rest. Not a lot of nothing going on in there if you ask me.

In other news, there are many new friends here in the garden:

• A Sturmer Apple


• A Vista Bella Apple


• A Goldmine Nectarine


• A Coes Golden Drop plum.


• 2 of the darkest red hybrid tea roses - a Papa Meiland and an Avon (promptly nibbled by naughty ducks)

The apples are on dwarfing stock, and have been planted on my new trellis at the community garden.

Pictures to follow some time soon.

that is all.

:0)