Surviving Winter
Braving the elements….
I find February an annoying month, it is four weeks worth of winter too long, you know that Spring is around the corner yet February is designed to trip us up. This year we have seen some unseasonably warm weather, I have walked around the town in a t-shirt in one afternoon and seen the beginings of a deep frost the following evening.
What strikes me the most about the changes in our weather is the way in which plants seem to adapt to every situation, I am sure this isn’t entirely the case and there is scientific evidence to suggest the contrary but the plants and herbs that grow in my garden seem to adjust accordingly.
From a visual point of view there is much to be said about winter, it can offer a completely different perspective to viewing or photographing a garden. Robust herbs tinged with snow or ice flakes remind us of the value of these incredible commodities, perfect seasoning for our winter dishes.
Salad Burnett never ceases to amaze me, I consider it a summer herb because of its cooling, cucumber like taste yet it stays gloriously green throughout the winter, a herb well worth considering for the evergreen garden enthusiast.
As much as I love the hearty dishes associated with winter I am always ready for a change by February. I know that wild garlic and leeks are but a matter of weeks away and the planting of summer herbs and vegetables is imminent, in my head I have already moved on to Spring but the weather is telling me otherwise.
The old saying; “All good things come to those who wait” could have been written for a chef and or gardener but I struggle to keep my patience. What is certain is that our edible plant life will face another year of growing in the face of adversity; high temperatures in April, freak frosts in May and heavy downpours in the summer. They are quite remarkable when you think about it.
Miles,
Relax, February is proving on the whole to be a peach of a month. By the time it gets to March and April our expectation levels will be sky high and we must gird ourselves for disappointment.
As usual though, a beautifully crafted article and I shall investigate salad burnett.
Cid
p.s. t-shirt wearing at this time of year is all well and good as long as you have your thermal vest underneath…. don’t want you catching a chill and not be able to blog! Thank goodness I can’t knit or I’d be forced to make a pair of mittens with connecting string so you wouldn’t lose them … and in purple too
February 17, 2008 @ 11:26 am
Cid,
Quite right, I have often fallen foul of the tricks March and April play on young plants, I shall be keeping a close eye on these chillies!
Miles
February 17, 2008 @ 4:47 pm
Miles,
This afternoon I sat in my newly refurbished yard for an hour or so…. had my lunch and pot of tea… read my book and generally took in the scene. Of course this is still work in progress and I intend to finish it before the end of spring so I fear some digging will be in order.
Cid
February 17, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
Miles
it’s very cold again toninght - I hope it won’t kill off the onion bulbs I planted last week !
Wrap up well !
Rod
February 17, 2008 @ 6:38 pm
Cid,
Sounds like a pleasant afternoon, I went for a two hour stroll this morning before work, the fields around these parts looked stunning in frosty white.
Miles
February 17, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
Rod,
Onions are pretty sturdy, it’s when you have young plants in pots waiting to plant out after the last frosts when it becomes ’squeaky bum time’ as Sir Alex Ferguson once said
Miles
February 17, 2008 @ 9:18 pm