Foliage fringed with frost is a familiar sight in winter... or at least it should be. I'm using a photograph taken back in January to illustrate this entry. The temperature in southern England is expected to reach as high as fourteen degrees celsius tonight. Fourteen degrees at night in late December!

 We may be heading for the warmest temperatures ever recorded at this time of year. Admittedly it has been cold and damp recently but actually not that cold. There have been several air frosts but I haven't seen a hard ground frost as yet.

 I mentioned in my last entry that I am in the process of pruning some large Fig trees. The general consensus is that Figs should be pruned in winter when the tree is dormant. During this period the sap is falling rather than rising. Fig trees can be bleed badly if pruned in summer (though I must admit I have done minor ad hoc pruning on these ones without ill effect in the summer months).

 Clearly hard pruning is best done on them in winter and I wondered if I should wait until March or April as some sources suggest. The thinking is to prune after the danger of heavy frosts of passed. I see the logic in that but I think climate change is changing the way we have to garden. I would think there is probably more likely to be an early spring than a late blast of winter in which case many plants will be coming out of dormancy during March.

 One of the first gardening books I bought back in the day was "The Garden Expert" by Dr. DG Hessayon; his "Expert" series of books on various aspects of horticulture were standard tomes for many a gardener from the fifties onwards. He advised that the frost season in the UK begins in October, sometimes earlier in the north. Well, I don't think I will open the curtains tomorrow and look out on a cold and frosty morning.  

 Thoughts on pruning Fig trees. These ones have grown pretty large and I've given myself the task of pruning them. Partly I want to reduce their height somewhat, also to open up the structure by removing tangled and crossing branches. 

 The A-frame ladder and an extending pole gives me just about the reach I need. It's not easy though, I'm having to stand on the highest point of the 'A' using the pole fully extended. I would probably lean an extending ladder into a sturdier tree but safety first in this case. 

 The wood is soft and flexible. That means I can use the lopping attachment on the pole to cut through quite thick branches (about 3/4 inch/20mm). The saw attachment is not proving as useful as I had hoped on the more substantial limbs. Their flexibility makes it hard to get good purchase with the blade. As I move it in a sawing motion the whole branch is apt to flail about.

 Where I can use a handheld pruning saw the softness of the wood makes for easy cutting and the long handled loppers bite through branches a bit thicker than I can manage with the pole. However these are only an option on lower branches I can stretch to from the ladder.

 An added difficulty is that cut branches are hard to extract from the surrounding tangle. Also I'm having to move the ladder a lot to get myself in the optimum position to use one or other of the tools at my disposal. And I keep getting pelted with hard unripened figs when the tree shakes! 

 

  There are places I'll remember as the song says. Another year when travel has been difficult or impossible but I managed few excursions. The Pegsdon Hills on the Herfordshire/Bedfordshire border looked almost alpine under snow last January.

In summer sunshine those same hills were shimmering with grasses and wildflowers.

 

 A walk through Bluebells in Hitch Wood near Hitchin means spring has arrived.

 

   The Walthamstow marshes are one of my go to places for some urban ecology. The River Lea wends its way through Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire into London where it joins the Thames at Bow Creek. The London stretch preserves some valuable habitats, once rural but now encompassed by the metropolis.

 I think my favourite walk of the year was up on the South Downs in mid-September. It was a gloriously autumnal day rounded off in Lewes with a glorious pint.

 

 A few weeks later I went to see the sea albeit not far from London on the Kent coast near Whitstable. On a clear day you can see Southend...

 

 Season's greetings. Actually it isn't a white Christmas in southern England, this photo is from January 2013. The dusting of snow on the bare branches of the Stag's Horn Sumach (Rhus typhina) is the closest thing I could find to a seasonal image.

 Bamboo is a useful plant to have around (in moderation at least). My father planted several clumps which have slowly increased in size and provide a ready supply of canes. As a rule of thumb Bamboo species are either runners or clumpers. The runners can be very invasive and should be treated with caution.

 A Happy Solstice to one and all. Summer is on the way.

 All vegetables are flowering plants but most we eat before they get to that stage. Among this row of cabbages on a neighbouring allotment are some that are flowering cheerily albeit on a grey day in December.  

 Winter on the allotment, looking rather bleak on a cold and foggy day. I had intended to plant some winter veg but didn't get round to it so will concentrate on preparations for next year. Roll on spring.

 At ground level there is a rich ecology where the world above meets the soil below. That is why "untidy" gardens are important. Fallen leaves, decaying wood, plants, creepy crawlies et al create extraordinary biodiversity. Without the smallest living organisms we wouldn't have the largest. 

 Edible Landscapes in Finsbury Park have a ready supply of wood chip courtesy of the park gardeners. A very useful resource for covering the paths and mulching the beds. I did some shovelling and borrowing when I visited the garden on Tuesday.

  As a rule of thumb any soil is improved by adding organic matter. In fact some plants thrive on nutrient poor soil but in general mulching is all to the good. At this time of year a layer of wood chip adds to nature's mulch i.e. fallen leaves.

 Winter reveals the structure of a garden. When I first visited Edible Landscapes in Finsbury Park six weeks ago I described it as a "sylvan scene". [see entry dated 31st. October] 

 Now the trees are bare it feels altogether more open. I look forward to seeing it in spring when a burst of growth will appear at ground level before the canopy comes back into leaf.

 A mini dead hedge to fill the gap between an ancient fence panel and a new fence put up recently by my father's neighbour. Seemed like a good opportunity to make use of some of the stems and branches I've accumulated lately during pruning.

 Dead hedges are basically a linear pile to define a boundary. Simpler than building a wall or erecting a fence, quicker than planting an actual hedge. Some are elaborately layered, others pretty basic like this one. 

 As it happens I had a mass of Hawthorn from an adjacent (living) hedge that I pruned a few weeks ago [see entry dated 10th. November]. Security isn't an issue here but Hawthorn is viciously prickly alive or dead. I wove some long thin Fig Tree branches -which are quite flexible and whippy- along the length of the hedge and used some shorter thicker ones as uprights. 

 Nature loves piles of green and brown stuff. Dead hedging functions as a form of habitat creation. I'll add to this one as and when I gather more material.  

 The electric shredder comes in very handy at this time of year. Large amounts of cuttings and clippings can be reduced considerably. I generally add diced and sliced greenery to the compost heap and use woody matter for mulch on beds or paths.

 I don't do product placement but for the purposes of this entry I will mention that I use two different models regularly and there is something to be said for both of them. One is the Bosch seen above. Internally it has a spinning blade which works very well for cutting greenery to tiny pieces. Twigs and thin branches are fine but it struggles with thicker branches .

 I also have a Makita (below) which makes good chunky chips from thicker branches by grinding them between two ridged rollers. However thin stems tend to pass through mangled but not shredded. Other makes are available but the basic distinction is between blade (i.e. impact shredders) and roller (i.e. crushing shredders). As I say they both have their advantages and drawbacks.

 A few points to bear in mind. Blade shredders are cheaper on the whole but it's worth checking that you are buying one for which replacement blades are readily available. Also take into account what thickness of branch can be fed into the slot. The Makita for example takes branches up to an inch and half or so (35mm or thereabouts). If you want to be chipping logs the price jumps from hundreds to thousands of pounds for the kind of machine used by tree surgeons.

 Tools of the trade. Long handled loppers for the lower branches. The extending pole with pruning saw and lopper attachments allows me to prune at quite a height without leaving the ground.

 

 Plants for shade part nine. There have been a number of native species among these entries but the majority are introductions from other parts of the world. Gardeners and horticulturalists have long sought out species that adapt well to UK conditions. 

  Then again we shouldn't overlook the plants that have been here all along. I always try to include the likes of Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris), Primrose (Primula vulgaris) and Sweet Woodruff (Gallium odoratum) in a shady garden.    

 

Winter trees silhouette the grey sky.

 Fallow fields from a train window.

 This is Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) which in fact isn't an Ivy. It's a low growing mat forming plant of the Lamiaceae plant family with scallop shaped leaves and tiny flowers. On these grey wintry days I'm reviewing some of the photos I took earlier in the year but didn't get round to posting. 

 Back in April I saw the largest expanse of G. hederacea I've ever come across. It's common enough to find small patches of it in grassland and the margins of hedgerows and woodland. On a walk in Hertfordshire I came across an orchard carpeted with Ground Ivy. It's aromatic so I was interested to know if it has any herbal history; Lamiaceae is known variously as the dead-nettle/mint/sage family. 

 Sure enough according to Plantlife's website Ground Ivy was used by the Saxons to flavour and clarify ale, was known as a lung-cleansing herb to treat coughs and other respiratory illnesses, is rich in vitamin C and can be used to make a herbal tea! 

 Well, a diary doesn't have to be strictly chronological. These Allium sphaerocephalon were flowering like mad on the allotment back in July. I neglected to post these photos at the time so better late than never. And they're reminding me of summer on a dark, cold, rainy night.

  The garden is moving from autumn to winter. The big Sycamore tree at the back is still holding on to some of its leaves but will be bare within a few days. We've even had some overnight frosts which is actually quite unusual in London this side of Christmas.

 

 Plants for shade part eight. Groundcover plants have a valuable role in sun or shade but I find them especially useful in darker conditions. If a particular plant wants to spread so much the better. Some species are clumpers by nature, others are carpeters, both useful characteristics to fill patches of otherwise bare soil. Also useful are plants that weave in and out of other plants. 

 Case in point Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) and Wood Spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae) increase by means of wiry underground runners. Thus the dark red flower spikes of S. sylvatica and the lime green shuttlecock flowers of E. amygdaloides proliferate in shady settings.

 

 Plants for shade part seven. Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a prolific native of hedgerows and the woodland edge. The leaves do indeed taste of garlic and mustard. There are a good many annuals that tolerate a few hours of shade during the course of the day but they are basically sun lovers. However some of the biennials like A. petiolata are worth introducing to shady gardens.   

 Likewise Honesty (Lunaria annua) will grow in quite deep shade though it prefers brighter shade. It has naturalised widely but was probably introduced to the UK as a garden plant. Despite being called L. annua it is always biennial in my experience. Typically it has purple flowers but there is also the beautiful white flowered variation as seen above. 

 I've never really thought of it an edible but Martin Crawford says the leaves, flowers and tap roots can be eaten. Perhaps I'll put that to the test because both the purple and white forms self-seed copiously round my garden (as does Garlic Mustard).

 Plants for shade part six. Spring flowering bulbs are useful when planting shady areas. Woodland species like the Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and the Wild Daffodil (Narcissu pseudonarcissus) are shade tolerant by nature. It's worth noting however that their period of growth takes place early in the year to take advantage of the available light before the tree canopy leafs up. This is generally referred to as "dappled shade".

 For deep shade the options are limited. Ramsons (Allium ursinum) are a good choice but they need a very moist soil to flourish. Forest gardeners and foragers are fond of Ramsons because they live up to their other common name: Wild Garlic. They can be prolific and pungent in damp woods. 

 Our native Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) will grow in a good deal of shade but I have found it rather tricky to establish in garden settings though it carpets many ancient woodlands. NB nearly all Bluebells sold by the bulb trade are actually a hybrid of H. non-scripta and the Spanish Bluebell (H. hispanica) though it doesn't say that on the packet. 

 As the shade closes in woodland bulbs become dormant but there is an exception. The Ivy-leaved Cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium) provides a lovely coda for the shade garden. It flowers in late summer/early autumn in even the deepest, driest shade. Strictly speaking it's a coum rather than a bulb but never mind. Reversing the usual order of things C. hederifolium flowers first then comes into leaf forming a good ground cover over the winter months.

 

 A walk beginning and ending in Hitchin. Actually the first leg was a bus ride to St. Paul's Walden. I arrived on the dot of opening time so stopped for a pint in the Strathmore Arms. I was the only customer and sat by a window watching rabbits running across the field opposite in bright sunshine.

 Then I strolled off through the highways and byways disturbing the occasional pheasant. There are a good many hereabouts and I saw a shooting party in the distance. Man with shotgun vs. waddling bird that can barely fly doesn't seem like a very even contest to me. I suppose there are people who enjoy that sort of thing.

 It was a glorious late autumn day with a distinct chill of winter in the air. I know this stretch of countryside well but still managed to walk in circles at one point trying to find the right path. I decided to adjust the route I had planned to take in a pint at the Red Lion in Preston. Quite by chance some friends were having a drink there and we had a chinwag before I wended my way back to Hitchin. 

 The countryside hereabouts is rolling and undulating; these are the outer reaches of the Chilterns. There are some big arable fields, a certain amount of grazing land and numerous pockets of deciduous woodland. 

 

 Plants for shade part five. Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolan) and Oriental Borage (Trachystemon orientalis) are not deterred by shade, even dry shade. Their tendency to spread makes them good ground cover plants- a useful characteristic to cover bare soil where not much else will grow. Yellow Archangel has variegated foliage all year round. Oriental Borage has big coarse leaves through the spring and summer months. Both have masses of flowers early in spring and attract emerging bumblebees.

 It is sometimes said that bees do not forage in shade. Bees favour flowers in the sun but if there is nectar and pollen to be had in shade they will seek it out, particularly in spring when woodland flowers are at their peak. The aforementioned Comferys and Geraniums are also top bee plants.

 Plants for shade part four. There are Symphytum species to suit a wide range of growing conditions. We might amend Margery Fish's advice about Geraniums to say "When in doubt, plant Comfrey".

 S. ibericum makes excellent ground cover in partial and full shade as does S. grandiflorum (above). Actually it seems to be somewhat obscure whether they are in fact the same species. Both have acquired the common name Creeping Comfrey.

 Several of the taller Comfreys are tolerant of quite deep shade. White Comfrey (S. orientale) is at its most flowery in sun but still grows well in darker spots. 

 Plants for shade part three. "When in doubt, plant a geranium" said the gardener and writer Margery Fish. There is a hardy geranium that will suit just about any aspect and that includes shade. For example Geranium phaeum will clump up and flower in sun, part shade or full shade. 

 Several other species like the low growing ground covering Geranium macorrhizum are similarly versatile. Indeed this seems to be a plant family with good tolerance generally to at least partial shade. I should also mention the humble weed/wildflower Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) which seeds itself very readily all over the place.

 

 Plants for shade part two. Greater Periwinkle (Vinca major) is a stalwart of the shady garden: an evergreen sub-shrub that spreads vigorously even in the deepest shade. In part shade it has masses of flowers. In full shade the flowering might be limited but it still functions as a ground cover.

 Martin Crawford includes it in his book 'Creating a Forest Garden' noting that "The stems are thin and flexible and are very good for fine basketry work". That is borne out by the Latin name which derives from Vincire meaning bind.  

 

  Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor) also has a trailing and twining habit but is mat forming rather than bushy. Likewise it thrives in shade but I find V. major to be the stronger growing of the two in full shade.

 

 Green Park, London 930am. 

Autumn is the time of low raking sun, long shadows and falling leaves.

 

 Plants for shade part one. Planting shady gardens bears out the adage "right plant, right place". The right plant will generally be one whose natural habitat is woodland. For example Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquilfolium) is a species of the forest understory on the Pacific side of North America.

 M. aquilfolium grows fine in sun but it's useful as a suckering shrub beneath trees. Most of the plants I'll mention in these entries are relevant to agroforestry i.e. forest gardening with a permaculture ethos. Oregon Grape flowers bright yellow in spring and does indeed have grape-like berries in autumn which are noted for being edible raw and cooked (though very tart by all accounts).