Beetles and (kidney) stones
The winter months become a time to reflect on expectations and reality. What has worked, what has over-achieved, and what has under-performed. As I take it all in I realise how far we have come this year, despite the barriers I've been faced with over the last few months. With the leaves cleared, what remains is a scattering of evergreen shrubs, a selection of perennial stems, an icy-cold pond and a layer of half-rotted bark-mulch. The attractive seed-heads are a reminder of the lush plants that once filled the space. Colour and scent a distant memory, the gold dust within their long-since fallen petals, a reminder of the lively pollination activity that took place. For me, this is a time when the bare bones are plain to see and it becomes the ideal opportunity to plan next years transformation. At some point I would like to create a green and white border where every inflorescence is pure white, the foliage...