Monday 2 February 2009

Yeah - it's snowing!!!

A slight digression from my pond today as it's finally snowing here! I've been reading loads of blogs from North America and moaning about the amount of snow they've got compared to our complete lack of it here - but NO MORE! We too have snow, not as much as America admittedly, but we've got it -great big white flakes drifting lazily down, covering everything in a soft white blanket, muffling sound, temporarily transforming the garden into a place of wonder and excitement, I can hear squeals of delight from the neighbours' children as they throw snowballs, it's showing up the fox, bird and squirrel prints and causing Ceefer cat to blame me for his cold, wet paws, .......... alright, alright, so I get excited about snow - but I'm only 8 on the inside, so what do you expect? ALL 8 year old love snow!
The front of the house - with the drive looking rather steeper than normal!
The 'island' on the loop at the front of the house. The main drive is on the right hand side and goes up the steep bit past the house to the back yard and garage. The drive loops round the island and joins back onto the main drive to go out through the gates to the road. The large tree on the left hand edge on the island is Derbyshire's oldest flowering cherry tree. It (and several of the other trees around it) has got a Preservation Order on it, so no work can be done on it without written permission from the local council - and the work has to be done by a Council approved Arborialist.
I have plans for the island........just a little bit of remedial work to transform it into a Japanese dry river bed, with mossy bankings, a grassed area, a seat etc, etc. It won't happen this year, but it will happen!
(note my usual naivety about the amount of work involved !)
A Garyia on the bottom of the island. It was transplanted - well, dug up and plonked there, from the Japanese garden area to prevent it from becoming a water plant! It seems to have taken well to its new spot - in that, it's not dead yet!
A Cordyline on the front terrace.
I bought this Cornus Alba Elegantissima a couple of weeks ago to go up in the Japanese garden and hadn't got round to planting it. It looks so beautiful against the white of the snow.
With the way the snow is coming down now, I should get an even better photo tomorrow.
Yeah, I love the snow!
A sneaky preview of part of the Japanese Garden!
The pond is frozen solid to a depth of about one inch.

13 comments:

flydragon said...

Ha, I just saw on the news that you were getting snow over there, but I wasn't sure if it was where you lived. I guess you live in the right spot!! Hope you enjoy it finally!!!! Great pictures.

Nutty Gnome said...

Thanks Flydragon. Oh yes, it's coming down like the clappers (- a very English expression that one!). We've had to go out and take the netting off the top of the fruit cage - first time in 7 years we've had to do that and this is reckoned to be the heaviest snow for 18 years. We've got around 3+ inches now and more to come over night - yippee! I can't wait to get out with my camera tomorrow!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

How fun! I'm the same way about snow. We don't usually get it that often, but this year we've gotten a lot more than usual. Everything does look pretty covered in white.

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Catherine, it looks fantastic this morning. The snow stopped about 3am (apparently!)and we've got clear blue skies, crisp deep snow - and I've got a snow day as the schools I work in are all shut, how great is that?!!
I'm off outside to indulge my inner eight year old!

spookydragonfly said...

I love the big, fluffy snowflakes that you mentioned as they fall lazily over everything. It looks so pretty on your Japanese Garden! Will we see photos of snow angels?!

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Spooky, oh yes - there will be snow angels shortly! Last-born is just waiting for her friends to arrive (their school is shut too) and she has promised me my snow angels!

Rob (ourfrenchgarden) said...

Hi Ruth

Not spoken before. I love the fact that your garden is a work in progress with some proper hardscaping, stream, pond etc....

Great blog, I'll stay tuned!

Rob

Ruth said...

Hello Rob,
I'm ruth, 1st born daughter of nutty gnome - my name is up on the blog because I help with the layout side of it, mum is called liz :)


Wow mum - i worked it out that you are getting one follower every other blog post!!!
x x x

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Rob and welcome. I'm hoping the Japanese Garden and tea house will be completed this spring/summer - but then I thought it'd only take a few weeks 2 summers ago, so who can tell eh?!

Hey Rufus - don't sound QUITE so surprised please love!!! We missed you today hon, you'd have loved it. Hope you got snow at uni.
love you, xxx

Philip Bewley said...

Hi!
I have enjoyed looking at your beautiful garden on your blog.
Your excitement of the snow sounds so much fun! I think the image of the Japanese pond in the snow is wonderful. Very atmospheric!
Best regards,
Philip

Nutty Gnome said...

Thank you Philip - I love my garden and think myself very lucky to live somewhere so beautiful! The Japanese Garden is slowly taking shape so, hopefully, by the time it snows next winter it'll be finished. Not that any part of the garden is EVER finished!

Jindivick Wildlife Care said...

Hi Nutty Gnome, Thanks for the offer of snow - we could use some today. We are under threat of ember attack from a nearby bushfire. It is battle stations here today. Cheers

Nutty Gnome said...

Oh Gem, how awful- how frightening for you all. I hope you all stay safe and that the fires burn out before they get too close. I'll keep up to date via your blog to check you're ok.