Well folks it’s most definitely winter. It’s been flipping freezing and how many of you have had a blanket of the white stuff outside your back door? However the days are getting ever so slightly longer and the birds are beginning to sing. This can only mean one thing. Spring is on its way!

In My Garden

My own little courtyard has had a light dose of snow over the last week or so. One very cold weekend in January James and I spent three hours in the garden getting shipshape. I’m pleased to report the pesky chinese wisteria has been pruned into a shadow of its former self (hopefully we haven’t permanently damaged it) and so it’s time to focus on this month’s chores.

Number one is to get someone in to remove the overgrown jungle on the right side of the garden. With the spring coming it’s going to get even more unruly and so it’s the top priority at the moment.

In the autumn we weren’t particularly great at dealing with all the fallen leaves and now they’re starting to rot. I’m hoping for a dry and bright weekend to clear all the debris and clear the beds.

My pots are starting to come to life with the daffodils I planted in the September beginning to make an appearance. At the same time I also potted some snowdrop bulbs as they were my Gran’s favourite flower but sadly they’ve not managed to push through. I’ll move the terracotta planters under the window to make the washing-up more bearable. I love a good daffodil as much as the next person. I once came home to find someone had walked up the drive at my old house and pinched my daffs hacking them from the ground with a pair of scissors. A calculated theft. I was gutted!

I’m also going to nip to my local garden centre to buy a few more bulbs. Anemones are one of my favourite flowers and I read on the crocus site some varieties can be planted in spring for a summer show.

In Your Garden

As promised, I wanted to put together a section on monthly gardening jobs. I have to admit I’ve really enjoyed researching this so I’m very pleased you asked for a regular feature. Apparently this is what we’re meant to be doing:

  • Clear the beds and get rid of weeds before they become established in anticipation for planting
  • Plant bare root roses this month so roots have time to establish. If you fancy adding a fruit tree to your garden then February is a good time to plant.
  • Cut back old foliage on ornamental grasses before they start growing again. (I wish I’d known to do this a few years ago before my whole garden was taken over by very tall grass)
  • If you’re planning on sowing your own then get to the garden centre pretty sharpish to make sure you get the best of the selection ready for next month.
  • Chit early potatoes to start the growing process before you plant them in the soil.
  • If you’re a beginner at veg growing consider planting cloves of garlic in containers so you can harvest your own in the autumn.

Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list and there’s plenty to be getting on with in February. What’s the snow situation in your garden and what’s on your green-fingered to-do list for this month?