February 1st 2002

We now have 33 different clematis in the garden, and have decided to photograph each of them, as and when they flower this year. The pictures will be put into "Our Clematis" page.

We have had many visitors to our site that have remarked on the quality of our pictures. They are taken with a Panasonic NV-DS11 Digital Video Camera. The camera can take still photographs, which are transferred to the computer, and then adjusted for brightness, and sharpened if required using Paint Shop Pro. They are then saved as Jpeg or Gif files for use on our site. ( I am sorry this is not garden talk, but many people have asked. )

February 5th 2002

The signs of winter beginning to relax it's grip during the last two weeks of milder, wet weather, can be seen in these images taken today, showing Crocus and Hellebore.

The clematis are putting up new growth, and Camellia "Bob Hope" and "Donation" are showing colour in their buds.

Of course we still have a lot of winter left yet, hopefully it won't get too cold.

February 13th 2002
Another project completed this winter was the addition of a "Moorish" doorway, between the front and back garden, as you come through the covered passage, the back garden is framed by the outline of the doorway. The old window in the shed was also replaced.

The plants you can see through the door are over wintering in the covered passage.

The new window in the same style.
 We decided to construct these two
features, after seeing visitors pictures
of plants in our garden, with the old
shed window and door in the background.

A water lily, Nymphaea Laydekeri Lilacea arrived yesterday, which we purchased from Wetland Plants near Hereford.( Thanks Mike ).  It will eventually go into our "Well" water feature. Until the weather warms up we have started it off in a tank of water, which we will heat gradually to about 21 degrees centigrade, with a growlux tube above the tank to increase the day length, hoping to start it into growth early, hopefully to be in flower for our first opening of the year, in late July.
           
The lily as received, showing new leaves, waiting to grow.The tank with light above, and the heater control amongst other seeds and plants.  

February 18th
Here are a few of the mosaics that Lyn has made, most of them are in the covered passage between the front and back gardens.

     Picture two is a close up of part of
     picture one.