A clear sunny day is enough to melt away a light frost but the droplets on a small, broken chandelier, suspended from a branch on a neighbour’s plot, remain looking much like icicles glistening in the winter sunlight.
The broccoli plants and leeks, undisturbed by this year’s harsh wintry weather, provide some greenery amidst the bare patches of earth. On a closer inspection of the plot, I noticed the leaves of the rhubarb beginning to emerge from the crowns. Rhubarb is a hardy, frost-resistant plant originating from Siberia. It can survive neglect well but will do better with an occasional feed, so I gave each plant a dressing of well rotted compost.
There is still little work to be done on the plot but later in the month I shall prune the roses and also the autumn fruiting raspberries for the first time.
Another plant that does not mind the winter weather is the hellibore which produces wide open flowers from December to May in white, cream or delicate green, pink or purple hues according to the variety. I bought a couple of Helleborus Niger, also known as a Christmas rose, which I shall enjoy having in pots on the windowsill before moving to the allotment at a later date.
