Sunday 30 November 2014

End of Month View – November

It’s the last day of November, I made my movie yesterday, and just like last month we had an absolutely glorious end to the month. It was more like a nice spring day, with 14 degrees C and nice sunshine. It has rained a lot this month, but November is the rainy month of the year in my area so that’s just normal. I have had no frost in my garden so far, actually nowhere near frost, not even at night, and even though we are expecting some colder nights next week it will not get low enough to hit frost. 

My garden is slowly turning wintery, which in my garden means less plants and more open spaces –it is still very green and full of flowers, but some of the flowers are different than rest of the year. I still have some pots and containers to get out of the flower beds and on to the path, I need to speed up this work as the spring bulbs are emerging everywhere. I don’t just lift the pots out, I clean up the pots, remove old leaves, do a bit of pruning if necessary and clear the spot where it stood – so a bit of work for every pot I move, that’s why it is a slow process.

My thermometer Saturday afternoon, not bad for last week-end of November :-)

And look! The first hellebore flower has arrived! It doesn’t feel that long since I cut off the last hellebore flowers from last winter, I leave some of them to seed over the summer and I think it was early August when the last one had seeded and I could remove them. I need to cut off the old hellebore leaves, another job to do!

I still got Alstroemeria ‘Dandy Candy’ in full flower and there are new buds forming.

The colours and patterns are amazing.

Most of my fuchsias are still in flower, those that looked too tired I cut down last month and expected them to be dormant until next spring – but they are already producing new leaves. This one is Fuchsia bacillaris 'Cottinghamii', a miniature with lots of tiny flowers about 15mm long.

A bud from Fuchsia 'Perpetual Falls'.

And a flower from one of my many cyclamens.

November has been very busy for me with so much to do, I have not got as much done in the garden as I wanted to do, and whenever I had planned to do some gardening it seems to have been pouring with rain. And it gets dark so early! For a night person like me who’d rather sleep most of the day and work all night it’s hard to fit gardening in daylight in. It’s fine for most of the year, as I can have a good few hours in the garden in the late afternoon and evening and work until it gets dark, but these days it gets dark at 4:15. Oh well, only 3 weeks until it turns and the evenings get longer :-)

I have made a video for you this month too, I took just over 30 minutes of video footage Saturday and I think I have been very good to manage to edit it down to 3 minutes and 55 seconds! It was hard to leave out all the bits I wanted to show you, there is nothing from my front garden today and I also left out the clip that shows my chillies are still growing outside – still producing new chillies! This is my first year growing them so I don’t have any experience, but I didn’t know you could grow chillies outside in the winter. But look out for the pots of emerging crocuses and irises in the middle of the movie, it certainly feels like spring in my garden.

My videos are best viewed in HD in full screen (buttons in the bottom right corner), change to 720p or 1080p, depending on your download speed or else it will get too fuzzy. Here’s 3 minutes and 55 seconds of my November Garden, accompanied by some nice music from the movie Schindler's List.



If you click on the ‘I’ icon on the top right of the movie you can subscribe to my YouTube Channel and get notified when I post new videos.

That was the tour for end of November, thanks to Helen at The Patient Gardener’s Weblog for hosting the meme End of Month View, if you head over to her blog you will find many more End of Month Views.

I am also linking my post to Macro Monday.

That’s it for today, I am off to pull the Christmas decoration out of the cupboard under the stairs. It’s first Sunday in advent today and I always put up some of the decoration this day, like a wreath on the door, an advent star in my kitchen window and an electric advent candle bridge. As a Norwegian, I didn’t used to put up the actual Christmas tree until the 23rd December, but after having lived in Britain for 15 years I have slowly got used to the British tradition which is to put up your tree too on the first Sunday in advent. As most people here have artificial trees anyway it doesn’t matter how long you have it up for, I never had an artificial tree before I came to London so waiting until close to Christmas was a point before. I enjoy the Christmas decoration and the extra lights around the house so I guess I’ll get everything out this evening.
Until next time, take care.

36 comments:

  1. Dear Helene, I loved seeing your garden video! Despite the fact that you have been busy your garden looks so tidy, I really do love that look. I guess my favorite flowers from your video were the cyclamen, the red camellia and the green flowering hydrangea. It is also always nice to see your cat. He is quite a character and seems to enjoy to pose for the camera.
    I have also two alstroemerias in my garden, but somehow they don't want to flower properly. I wonder what causes yours to bloom so nicely, since in Southern California the weather is much warmer than in London, there should be no problem for mine to bloom as well. Go figure... Anyway, I am glad that you are enjoying yours! Until next time, warm regards and a happy advents time,
    Christina

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    1. Thank you Christina, so glad you enjoyed the video, I enjoy making them and they give me a nice record of how my garden is changing. This is my first year with alstremeria so I don’t have anything to compare with. The one I have is supposed to flower from June to October, but most things flower for longer than usual in my garden. I looked at many different Alstroemerias before buying this one, and some had earlier flowering and stopped earlier, others would stop for the summer and start again in the autumn. What flowering season does your have? It would be nice to see how mine behaves next year, I think I will keep it in a pot, perhaps just a bit bigger container. Hope you have a great week :-)

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  2. A lovely wander through your garden via the video. And love the cat too! I like the idea of the pots in the border. It's given me an idea, as I cannot grow clematis very well in my acid soil, but maybe it I put them in pots at the back of the border to grow up the fence, that will work. It's great getting ideas from other gardeners.

    That fushia, Fuchsia bacillaris 'Cottinghamii', is very pretty. I was going to ask you about Fushias - could you recommend any specifically for shade?

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    1. Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video, and my cat is always with me in the garden as second in command here :-)
      I have grown clematis in large containers before, I grew Clematis 'Ville de Lyon' for 6 years in a container 30cm wide but eventually it struggled as it got too congested. I would suggest trying one of the smaller ones if you want to keep it long term in a container, some clematis grow to no more than 5-6 ft when mature and should be OK in a large container.

      As for fuchsias, my experience is that all the fuchsias I have do well in shade, most of them have grown in complete shade. When garden centres and nurseries label fuchsias part sun I think they do that to tell you that you should not put them in full sun, but that doesn’t mean they can’t grow in complete shade – because they can, at least those I have tried. Try for example ‘Annabelle’ for an upright beautiful pale pink and white, if left unpruned it can get quite tall. And the 'Cottinghamii' gets wonderful black berries, decorative and nice to eat. I also like the huge flowers of ‘Bella Rosella’, growing happily in complete shade and so does 'Snowburner' and 'Velvet Crush' too. But there are so many to choose from! Just try some, go for the hardy or semi hardy and you’ll be fine.

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  3. Once again, I'm impressed by your garden, including those wondrous fuchsias. Now that the removal of a large section of lawn has given me a new shade garden, I'm planning to plant fuchsias of my own in spring when the plants become available here. It was great to join you on a tour of your garden via the video and I'm glad that you included a meeting with your handsome cat.

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    1. Thanks Kris, I look forward to seeing what types of fuchsias you end up with, I’d love to have many more in my garden, and only space is kind of preventing me from getting many more.

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  4. I'm considering alstromera for a new bed. Do you recommend them - any bad habits?

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    1. This is my first year with alstroemerias so I can’t say I have much experience yet, I have learned that you need to pull the stems with spent flowers, rather than cut them, to promote new flowers, and that seems to have worked for me. I haven’t had any problems at all with mine so I think I will have to get back to you on this subject this time next year :-)

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    2. Alstromeras seem to love my sandy soil in York and flower continuously for all of six months. Whats all this about dead heading them, I never get round to such detail! I have forgotten the names but I have six lovely ones. I have also had others that have not proved to be hardy or not hardy enough and were very weak. I have a nice variegated one but it needs my cold greenhouse to overwinter.
      For some people the downside of alstromeiras is that they run, i.e. spread. For me they can spread as much as they like.
      They only divide well if you put in your spade very very deep!

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  5. Still looking great down there Helene. It's great to read that you are still getting decent weather too, always welcome at this time of year.
    Nice to see your Camellia flowering, always a welcome sight.
    I'll need to come back to watch your video, as I'm at work on my phone and the signal is poor. What I have seen looks great, as does the cat.

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    1. Thanks Angie, my camellia ‘Takanini’ was purchased in February this year so I am pleased to see it in flower already. According to the nursery where I bought it I can expect it to flower continuously from November to April when it is a bit bigger, so that was one of the reasons why I bought it – apart from it beautiful deep red flowers of course :-)

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  6. I enjoyed the music, light wind rustling the plants, and your kitty in the video. Nicely done! The Hellebores are budding under the snow here. I find it fascinating that they start to bud in November and wait to bloom until the warmer weather in March or April here! That Alstroemeria cultivar is stunning!

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    1. Thanks Beth, it seems my hellebores are flowering earlier every year, last year I had the first flower in late December, never had one in November before (not counting my summer flowering one then!). But I suspect it will be early February before the majority is in full flower, depending on what kind of winter we get. I watch the ‘ABC World News Tonight’ most evenings on BBC, and I have seen you have had a lot of weather to deal with over there lately, fortunately it hasn’t ended up on our shores this time. I hope we get a winter with no surprises, just an ordinary one would do me fine :-)

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  7. Hi Helene!
    Wonderful video, it was a pleasure to recollect your garden, that was full of flowers and now as you say it has more open spaces. I saw your hydrangea is still in bloom! Do you grow cyclamens in soil or in pots? I'd love to but they don't winter in a soil here, as you know...
    Nice music in your video!

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    1. Hi Nadezda, glad you liked my video, and the music was chosen to fit the November mood in my garden :-)

      I grow cyclamens both in pots and in the ground, when they have stayed in pots for a few years I usually put them in the ground as they get too big and need repotting - they keep better over the summer in the ground as they tend to dry out too much in pots so I have to make sure they get enough water. Growing them in the ground is easier, just plant them and forget them! Those I have grown from seed can stay in pots for many years as they grow very slowly but eventually they end up in the ground.

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  8. Those Alstroemeria are worth their weight in gold, must get a few for our new garden.
    You are getting the video stuff down to a fine art, cats a real star of the show.
    Thanks for pointing out your experience with Passion flower, I am disappointed but will probably as usual wait and find out for myself, in which time it will no doubt have smothered the new climbing Roses.

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    1. Thanks Alistair, I am disappointed about the passionflower too, but feel good about having taken the decision now, I just need to get rid of all the suckers – they are everywhere! Once the weather gets a bit warmer in the spring I will use Roundup gel, I have already bought some. Hopefully it will kill the rest eventually.
      As for alstroemerias, I am definitely getting a couple more next year, I bought mine online from Cotswold Garden Flowers - http://www.cgf.net and I have my eyes on a white called ‘Phillipii’, only 20cm tall.

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  9. Oh, Helen, you did a wonderful job with video! I like it, and I'm especially impressed with your bulb containers!

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    1. Thanks Tatyana, so you liked my new containers, like the pink boots? I got them for having bulbs in for now, but once the bulbs are finished flowering I will put plants in them :-)

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  10. Enjoyed your video very much Helene, I am still getting round to doing one myself, you never know, perhaps one day............ I have one Hellebore flower out at the moment although there are the odd bits of colour from plants which don't really know what time of the year it is. We have been battered by hailstones, freezing temperatures and sleet over the last few days so things are getting back to normal:)

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    1. I’m glad you liked the video Rick, I enjoy making them :-)
      We had our first frost night to Saturday, but it thawed out quickly - hopefully it won’t be more of it. I got more hellebores I bud so I need to get those leaves off soon, it’s just difficult to get out in the garden at a time when it’s daylight.

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  11. That alstroemeria is a stunning colour! I will look out for that one. The frost last week put an end to mine I think.

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    1. Thanks, yes I am very happy with my first alstroemeria, I will get at least one more soon. The frost we had 2 days ago didn’t harm mine, I think they can tolerate down to minus 5 C without any problems, I rarely get any lower than that in my garden ever.

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  12. Your fuschias are remarkable, Helene! To think they have bloomed for so long; the ones in the video certainly don't look like they are going dormant any time soon. Such a treat to see all this green when it's cold and gray over here. Seeing the crocus buds is the most amazing thing to me--it will be a long time before I see any similar growth here. Though, I must admit, if I didn't have winter to keep me out of the garden, I'd probably never get anything else done:) Hope those Christmas decorations are coming along!

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    1. Thanks Rose, I do appreciate being able to potter around in my garden all year round, and today I have been out for 4 hours planting lily bulbs and taking cuttings in lovely crisp sunshine. The fuchsias are even amazing me by now, I cut down those that were a bit tired earlier in the autumn and they are now getting new fresh green leaves – in December! But you are right, I don’t get much else done around the house, the dust bunnies are roaming free all year here, my garden is much more important to me :-)

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  13. Hi Helene
    The Hydrangea stands in this Container since several years. It works perfectly well. I have other Hydrangeas in containers, they don't seem to mind it. You just have to use very big once, that's the trick, I guess.
    Your November garden looks lovely and somehow mystic. Beautiful.
    Take care
    Alex

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    1. Thanks Alex, I think I will try a hydrangea in a container, the ones I grow in the ground are so huge, but perhaps if kept in containers they will keep smaller. My oldest hydrangea is 2m tall, even if I cut it down every year – but I know there are varieties that grow to only 1m or so.
      Have a great week!

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  14. Do your fuchsias never stop flowering?! I really have to get some of those! So pretty! Do you think they would still flower in my snow? Impressive - end of November and your garden still looks great!

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    1. Fuchsias flower until a prolonged period of frost, so I am afraid they won’t flower through your winter, but you could get some hardy fuchsias and they would flower for most of the summer and autumn, lose the leaves in the winter and come back again in the spring. Ask at your local nursery which one would be best for your area, there are fuchsias that will be happy outside in zone 6, and even below with a bit of extra care. Have a look here for some ideas:
      http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1048634

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  15. Lovely, slightly melancholy music in your video Helene. Your camera work has gotten more practiced and really has become professional. Making videos is among my ambitions as well. One of these days I must give it a try. For now I will admire your wonderful handiwork.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer, I keep practising, there are lots more to learn and I am still using the free Windows Moviemaker to edit my movies. I wish I had time to learn to use a more advanced program, I have several on my computer, but every time I am making another movie I got so much else I want to do so I haven’t got time to sit down and teach myself how to use the programs – and end up with Moviemaker again. One day I will learn to use Adobe Premier. One day!

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  16. Hello, Helene! I enjoyed your video, and full screen is definitely the way to go! Your cat is a star. My garden chores have slewed considerably by now, except I must, as you have reminded me, get out and trim off the old hellebore leaves. I could leave them a while yet, but once the new buds start emerging, it is harder to do.

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    1. I’m glad you enjoyed the video, for me it shows so much better what the garden looks like than just a lot of photos, even though I do love taking photos too :-)
      I have trimmed off all the hellebore leaves now, so one more chore ticked off the list, many more to still left! The cold, sunny weather we have had the last couple of weeks has helped me a lot, so much easier than when it’s pouring with rain. Have a great Sunday.

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  17. So great to see there is still so much green in your garden Helene. Overhere there is still a lot to do before the end of the year. New roses are still in a bucket of water. I can't work in the garden because of the lots of rain and storms we had during the last two weeks. It looks like a swamp now. But I hope I can do something today.
    Have a wonderful sunday.

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    1. I have a lot of evergreen plants in my garden and that helps to keep the impression of green all year round. We have had a lot of rain in November too, but fortunately I don’t have a drainage problem in my garden so I can still walk around without any issues – although I do prefer not to work in the garden when it’s raining so the last 2 weeks have been lovely, sunny but rather cold.
      Have a lovely Sunday.

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  18. Lovely flowers and photos as usual. Nice video too.

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