Through the garden gate--February

I decided to make a start on clearing the garden borders a couple of weeks ago. Although the wildlife might still need the seed heads and protection from the fallen leaves, if I left it all until later in the Spring there would be just too much work for me cope with.  We have a big garden so I work on a section at a time. I haven't got very far with it yet, but it's a start and once I 've got started I'm always very keen to keep up with it. So I have been down on my hands and knees with my hand rake, clearing away all the fallen leaves and debris.

After all the weather warnings about storm Doris, we survived with no damage to the garden (I haven't checked the allotment yet!), just a few more twigs and dead grasses blown about the garden.

The garden is gradually waking up, and clumps of colour are appearing in the beds. The snowdrops will soon be gone over and are now being replaced by crocuses and tete a tete daffodils. The crocuses get pecked at by the birds but provide welcome colour in February.  I love the mini daffodils which are starting to flower now.  They will last quite a few weeks. There are hellebores too which also last for a while.

One spot of colour I have been  enjoying this month is the witch hazel. Its yellow flowers start to open towards the end of January and continue through February. Its good to have some winter flowering shrubs.

The woodland garden is looking good now. Its best time of year is from now until about May or June. Once the tree comes into full leaf it becomes quite shady, but now the bulbs are carpeting the ground underneath. It's an out of the way place, so I have to make a point of going there. At the moment I usually pop up there every day, I don't want to miss any new flowers coming through.

This month I am linking to Sarah at 'Down by the Sea' for her monthly 'Through the Garden Gate' post.