Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

And here is my first flower of the year, in a large tub out the front, I've had these primroses for a few years, just cheapies from Lidl pre lock down years

twopenny

Isn't it wonderful to have flowers at this time of year. I'm not keen on manipulating nature but sometimes they get it right

So the tree, I did find something out. They had trees planted along the harbour at Watchet in memory of the men from the town who died in the First WW. Then with new tourist building they were mostly cut down. Looks like this must have been a survivor being half way up the bank.

The chubby upward growing branches and bright green make it such a cheerful tree. However looking at it a second time it's also huge! So my fancy to have one won't happen. The name that came up with the App was Cedrus Deodara but looking on Google it's nowhere near.

Farway

Can't help with the tree ID 2P but I can see how it would stand out. Shame they cut down the other planted in memory, one would hope they were replaced by fresh planting elsewhere. I know the Canadian maples on the A3 in Hampshire were replaced when A3 was widened.https://www.beautifulenglandphotos.uk/canadian-war-memorials-bramshott-and-grayshott-hampshire/

No gardening again, it tipped down this morning so back to soggy

twopenny

Yes, it's hammering down here. Large hail stones laying around.
Then snow followed by heavy rain thats laying in puddles in the beds and pots.
So while I'm doing the mundane jobs in the house I'm watching my way through Alan Titchmarsh Garden Secrets series on my kindle for ideas.
Found loads of old series and some more recent that I've missed.
Looking for small trees I like the Rowan Golden Sunshine and a Charlie Dimock one called Lace Lady. But in reality, like the rest of my covid garden it will probably be whatever I can get 

twopenny

Another day of torrential rain and sleet though it has warmed up a bit to around 12c.

The primroses are popping out early.

Today I went to the garden centre and supermarket contemplating winter flowering heathers and came back with a Witch Hazel!

It was flowering well and basically on a single stem - if, when it's established, I take off a sturdy side branch as a cutting and grow it upwards. I think I misread the price as it was a bit of a shock but I've long wanted one and it's perfect for training and I picked the one flourishing.

There was a Daphne too, looking a bit sad, couple of buds and one leaf for £15! But again, it's essentially single stem so I could train it as a standard for my small garden. I'm waiting to see if it sells. I don't think so and it will either thrive or expire. Bit of a gamble

Morrisons here still has dead and dying plants on the shelves and not much choice even though someone took the whole apart, cleaned and restocked. They've obviously lost the staff that loved the plants. Not a great move.

Tescos here has nothing.

[Deleted User]

Non.stop.rain   ☹☹🌧🌧🌧☔☔☔💨💦☹

Farway

Sun and blue sky at last, but I have a food delivery later so I’ll be sorting that today instead of soggy pottering.

Hope the witch hazel proves to be a good ‘un 2P, that is something, along with Daphne I would like but don’t have room for. I remember a few years back going round RHS Wisley this time of year and trying to track down a scent on the breeze to find its origin.

The Daphne price may drop once it turns into a mediocre no flowers twig, eye watering prices though. Not in same league but I hope the forsythia I planted in the volunteer border has buds or maybe even flowers, I’ll be down there end of the week so must try & remember the camera, could be a Lenten rose as well about this time of year

twopenny

Went to otter nurseries for a trip out....
No daphnes, local plantsman none for sale.
I'll make a couple of trips out of visiting other nurseries. My life has shrunk!
I did buy one primula 2 pounds. Thought I was doing well till I went to the cafe and over indulged !
Dryish with showers but a lovely sunset. So red sky at night ok for our walk tomorrow?
Too wet to do much other than plan.

Farway

At last, sunshine arrived, so bu66er gardening I went out taking photographs instead and found these in local graveyard. I was after "moody & misty" pics, but the promised mist failed to appear as forecast

twopenny

Beautiful Farway!
Out walking somewhere new i saw a magnificent bush of garier elyptica.....sorry about the spelling ....And to my delight a winter flowering honeysuckle that had been mentioned on one of the gardening programmes. 
It is a beauty of a plant and is now on my must have list.
Stopping at a plant nursery to see if they had any plants on my list they didn't - but I did find a Clematis Armandii, evergreen. So that got added to the list.
This list is getting bigger, not smaller!
And I saw the first lambs in a field 
Heavy frost the last two mornings and an easterly chill but all day sunshine and blue skies.
The garden looks happier for it and the plants have perked up.