This month has been generally grim. Two weekends ago it was cold and snowy, now it is merely grey, very grey! Cresting the hill between Pucklechurch and Abson last night, Lansdown was enveloped in low cloud. The roads are yukky with salt, diesel and mud.
Snowdrops looked yellow against the snow, they are so much better against green grass. Burglars trampled over a flowerbed in the front garden – luckily not so many bulbs were up, unluckily the burglars got in.
The cold snap has put paid to the top growth at least on many plants and I am glad I didn’t do too much tidying in January especially of the Kniphofias.
But there are more signs of spring – hoorah! It’s lighter in the morning and evening. Celandines are out and the Iris reticulata in pots having been ‘on hold’ with the cold weather all came out at once. The pair of Carrion Crows on the industrial estate seem to have firmed up their twiggy nest after the depredations of winter, and I suspect Rooks around the country have too!
Poor toad, this pot is not a permanent residence for the current backdoor toad but she appears there every so often hunkered down.