I am completely, totally, utterly, desperately FED UP WITH WINTER NOW!

[shovetheholly]

I don't get people who love winter. It's cold and dark and there are no leaves or flowers. I realise that I still have another couple of months to get through in reality, but I feel that I have been patient for months already and that it is now, most definitely, TIME FOR SPRING.

Anyone else feel like January is about 13 weeks long?

I have spent the weeks since beginning of December either ill myself or looking after ill children...it's ds2s turn today!!
Totally fed up
It's grey, and rainy here today but at least it's warmer than last week
-3 at noon wasn't much fun
Some of my snowdrops are out and I have some hyacinths in the window that are doing well
Can't wait for march!

I saw some hellebores this morning on the way back from the school run and my witch hazel is out. And the mahonia at the front of my house has been flowering throughout January. But yes, I'm ready for spring

badders - so sorry you've been ill. There's a lot of lurgies about this year. Winter is bad enough when you're not ill (I never feel on form from about November to late February) but if you're actually really sick on top, it feels like a right slog.

Hooray for hellebores. I'm always amazed how wonderful, delicate and exotic they look for a winter plant!

Cornus at Wisley on Saturday

I would love to get to Wisley one day! I am going to Brighton at the end of March but I don't think I will be able to take a car, and I think it's quite hard to get to Wisley from there by public transport? That cornus looks a treat.

I have bad SAD too, I feel your pain
Obviously I don't have a garden but I can see why you'd feel sorry not Toby able to do stuff.
I find November and December worse, at least now we are not that far from Spring.

Thank you
Off to the dr with ds2 at 3.45 AND just found out ofsted are in tomorrow! Fun times 😖
So very very grey here today
I shall have to get more plants

I am right with you on this one. If I could hibernate from November till March, I would!

You're not the only one! I really dislike this part of winter. I'm glad dc3 was born in mid Feb it gives me something to focus on/plan for (although we don't do much). We always plant some seeds in Feb half term, the dc & I all choose 1pkt each Then dc1s birthday is mid March. Then Easter holidays when I normally get us all back in to garden to get it tidied ready for spring/summer. I love & thoroughly look forward to the first day if the year when I can leave the back door open for the day & just potter outside.

I'm worried about my new (ish) magnolia tree
😞

What kind of magnolia is it badders? They vary in hardiness from tough-as-old-boots to quite tender. Oh, and hope the doctor goes OK!

bernards - YES! Actually, it's really nice to be reminded that it WILL be possible to have the door open without freezing to death at some point.

It's just your bog standard one :)
It's not a stellata or anything like that - although my mums stellata is still thriving mine died after a couple of years..

If you wa t the Karin name I will have to check the label! 😂
Ds2s chest is clear so off he goes to school tomorrow.

Latin name even
Damn iPhone!

I really can't wait! I love it, the dogs love it & the dc too. The last 3 years it's happened in very late March so I'm hoping for a repeat this year.

Badders - yes, do check! Most of the ones that are grown in the UK are really very hardy, so hopefully yours will be fine!

It's foggy and dark again here today!

Today is the first time I've really noticed that the evenings are starting to get lighter. It's been sunny here today & I've only just had to put lamps on. There's light at the end of the tunnel

Only 4 weeks til march
I think what annoys me is that my house is
Built on what used to be Apple orchards many ears ago - so the soil should be great, right?
Except it's not 😞

...although I did spend a happy 5 mins looking at all the lovely flowers and bulbs in m and s earlier today 💐

Only 4 weeks til march
Quite Badders! I had to get the bus yesterday & the Churchyard looked lovely with all the snowdrops out. Mine haven't appeared this year.

Can I please join you all? I love gardening, and after a few years of not having one, I moved last year to a place that hadn't had any gardening done for years.

We didn't have time to sort the garden out then , so I threw in a packet of American Giant Sunflowers and stood back....they were astonishing. I'd love to share them with you, so here they are. They varied between 13-16 ft, and had to be taken down with a saw!

The squirrel loved the seeds though.

Roll on this year - can't wait!

Badders - the good thing about bad soil is that unlike the weather, you can improve it. If you dump some mulch on at the beginning of the growing season and again in the autumn this year, you'll be amazed at how much better it is! It just needs constant feeding, really.

Bernards - I haven't seen many snowdrops yet! They are sure to be coming. I get very excited by the succession of bulbs. The first snowdrop, crocus, daffodil, tulip, bluebell is always a cause for celebration!

Come on in our of the wet sixtieschild - your sunflower is glorious! It makes me feel sunny just looking at it.

MY FIRST DAFFODIL IS OUT

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!

Oooo! Picture please! I noticed some bulbs coming up in my front flowerbed earlier, I didn't stop to investigate as it was pouring down

Posted a small Sarah Raven glitch code on a new thread if anyone's tempted to go plant shopping Works on non-sale only.

Loving the bulb enthusiasm