Monday 31 December 2012

GOODBYE 2012



The last day of 2012 is rather wet but still the garden has something to show the Garrya Elliptica has been lovely this winter.






As has the Viburnam  Bodnantense but with the added wonderful perfume.



Mike has reinstated some of the trough which the birds delight in, tossing plants and moss all around.


Just a few Winter plants to enjoy by the door.


The front cottage garden seems at present a far cry away from the summer beauties that entertained us for so many months.


It was December before we lifted the Dahlias and then only because we needed to plant the Wallflowers out not because they had finished blooming although it was only a few days later before the frosts would have done the job for us.


This kaleidoscope of colour was meant to be posted in August when I took the photos but sadly I am always so busy I have neglected my Garden blog but not so much the garden.






Mike has done wonders with the hanging baskets I think the best year yet.


We decided to put these two on the gate posts and they have been much admired.


One of the many interesting insects we get in the garden a Stag Beetle I think they must breed in or near the compost and the few piles of rotten wood we deliberately keep in the back garden because we often see them.


The Red Kites have been spotted a number of times but it is so difficult to get the camera and zoom in enough to take a decent picture more often we just stand or sit and admire their acrobatics but you should see the pigeons scarper when the Red Kites are around and actually that is a good indicator to look up high into the sky.


Another not uncommon sight passing overhead sometimes a little low for comfort, ours not theirs they have a choice we don't. Still it is an indication that for some the effects of the recession are not being felt - perhaps more slack Cameron should be seeking out instead of knocking the underdogs all the time.


In memory of Beth much loved and sorely missed taken December 2011.

Taken all round 2012 has been a good year, my time is taken up with gardening and helping raise awareness of Lyme Disease. The science emerges at quite a pace and still our Dept of Health have their heads in the sand, well perhaps not much longer as they were involved with research recently that shows there are many uncertainties, hence current guidance given to doctors on Health Protection Agency website is not all substantiated. As many Chronic illnesses can be involved there is some urgency in developing useful and accurate guidance and acknowledging the gaps in the science.

My Joanne's Cottage Garden blog has been rather neglected this year due to the time I spend on my Looking at Lyme Disease blog, but with 300-400 page views a day I guess the Lyme blog is achieving far more than I set out to do and providing me with a useful reference place to retrieve information. With contacts I have made throughout the World I have 'spoken' with doctors, researchers and patients some diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, RA, MS, MND, Parkinson's, Autism, and recently Alzheimer's who have discovered their condition to be driven by Lyme Disease spirochete and on appropriate antibiotics are slowly making improvements.

What a fascinating world Mr Google allows us to be involved with.

Happy 2013 to you all from Joanne.

19 comments:

  1. What lovely photos, you may inspire me to take a few pics of my own garden, if only to remind myself in Sept where it is that I need to plant more daffs! xxx

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  2. Happy New Year, Joanne — thanks for the lovely images.

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  3. Hi Joanne,
    What a lovely treat to wake up on Jan 1 and find photos from your gorgeous garden. After a week of -25 degrees C looking at your garden is blissful!

    Alison

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  4. Hi Lulu, Sandra and Alison thanks for your lovely comments happy 2013. I thought of you Alison as I posted this and although it is not that warm here Mike reminded me when he showed me a photo of a railway in your neck of the woods that it was much colder there.

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  5. It's nice to see some shots of your garden again. Your summer planters by the house and on the front posts are nice and full, very colourful. The August border is packed, too, with lots of vivid colours.

    You are fortunate to be able to have some in bloom right now by your front door, and some flowering shrubs as well.

    My garden is a little monochrome right now, with lots of white, but I'm eager for the spring bulbs.

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  6. Hello- I enjoyed your pics and hope to follow your gardening year! i've just started similar blog here at my 'Old School Garden' in Norfolk, so if you'd care to take a look sometime I'm at www.audaxdesign.co.uk. best wishes
    Nigel Boldero

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  7. Rather late in the day but wishing you a most happy and healthy new year Joanne. Lovely to see a glimpse of your garden again and no doubt it will be just as colourful in 2013 xxx

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  8. Hi Joanne!
    I understand if your time is more spent on your other blog and Im sure you do good with it!
    Still.. I love to look at pics from your garden and Im a bit mystified over the complete area, maybe because it seems like another world - your garden?! And maybe you could indulge me sometime and count all your different "sort" of plants that you have :)
    bless you
    Ann-sofie

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  9. Lovely photos looks like you had a great 2012, heres to an even better 2013

    Gaz: Alternative Eden

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  10. Thanks for all the comments. Thanks Anna I do occasionally have a peek at your blog one day I'll have more time to have a proper look.
    Anon Lol! How many different sort of plants!! not likely to be counting that in the near future but I have about 50 different clematis and about 45 rose bushes plus about 15 ramblers. One day I will photograph from a bedroom to get the idea of the plan of the garden.

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  11. I'm so glad you wrote a goodbye to December, and I'm glad we've gotten to know one another through this blog. I completely understand though why you spend more time on your other blog too. It's important work you do. Hugs from Oklahoma.~~Dee

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  12. Joanne, I can't find a link to email you. I was wondering if I could use your photo of the containers on the ledge in my talk at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. If you say yes, I would give you credit. I'm trying to explain to them how to do their containers to the best effect. If not, it's all okay. They just have a similar climate to England. Cheers.~~Dee

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  13. Well you have already started the counting now you just need to complete it :)
    Kind regards
    Ann-sofie

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  14. Dee Feel free to copy - may I ask that you mention the importance of Lyme Disease awareness I am not worried about credits.

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  15. Glad to see a new post, although I can talk I have not posted for some time either! Your blog is a real inspiration to me since I recently moved home and now have a larger garden to play with. Looking forward to following your garden in 2013

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    1. Hi Nicola Nice 'meeting' you and a local garden blogger too. I popped long to see your blog it is always fun looking how other people blog but I don't get a lot of time for my garden blogging but I am looking forward to some warmer weather soon to start the gardening year.

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  16. Ehrr... hows that lovely garden coming along this spring?? :)
    Gods peace
    Annso

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  17. Lol very nicely thank you but busy digging out ground elder so not had chance to photo it or blog about it soon maybe.

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  18. Hello,

    Miss you and your garden. Please post some pictures soon!

    S
    xo

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