Author Archives: neal

Last week, a few days before Christmas, I was wandering around the garden collecting greenery to do my Christmas floral decorations. I suddenly remembered that I usually add the beautiful tassels (catkins) of my Garrya elliptica and looked up to … Continue reading →

Hurray, at last the weather has become warm, sultry and sunny! The smells in the evening garden are amazing – the sweet vanilla-like fragrance of the huge Pittosporums and the powerful scent of Honeysuckle follows me everywhere as I wander … Continue reading →

2 months ago our pond was clear and you could see the newly hatched tadpoles – now it’s like green soup and there’s a definite pong when we switch on the circulation pump! Not sure why this has happened as … Continue reading →

Bluebells in the Easter sunshine.  They have naturalised under the variegated Weigela and are a great splash of colour in the front yard. They grow in the gravel there and seem to be very happy despite being a woodland plant.

The 60 year old cedar greenhouse suffered badly over the Winter months, firstly the weight of snow broke many panes of glass and then some weeks later a storm came and took out more panes! It was patched together with … Continue reading →

Sunrise on Easter Sunday morning at 05.54hrs as seen from the nearby Leadmines Chimney.

It was a harsh winter but at last the spring is here. The garden at Knockrose is having a complete overhaul. Five trees have been taken out, the pond has been rebuilt, and new trellis and arches have been put … Continue reading →