26th November 2004
After the Snow Has Gone
The garden is looking very 'past it' now. Although there are still some patches of green in the garden (why is it that weeds seems to grow very well and survive anything?) the flowers and vegetables we have been working so hard to grow all year have died off. Now it's time for the garden to rest for a few months until the sprintime.
The Has-Beans!
The beans have definitaly come to the end of their lives. If you look carefully you can see some light green beans that we missed when harvesting. However, they can stay there as they are old and will not be very tasty.
A Big Mushy Pile
Mr S.'s favourites, the nasturtiums, have turned into a large, slithery pile. Their time has definatly come to an end. Just as they were about to take over the whole garden...
A Dying Colour
There are no more bees flying around, especially since the cold snowy night. They will either have died from the cold or gone into hibernation and will sleep during the winter. There is very little food for them now, as most of the flowers have gone. This Nasturtium flower, although it is finished, is trying to hang on with its bright colours for as long as it can.
It's Not All Over...
Although many plants die off over the winter, many make sure that they will be back the following spring. Some plants have special roots where they hide below ground, others have bare branches that stay bare during the cold winter months. Many leave their seeds so that a new generation will grow in the springtime. The Nasturtiums have made sure that they will be back by leaving lots of seeds.
Was it Cold?
The Poached Egg plants didn't seem to notice that it was freezing outside and that they were covered in snow a week ago. They are still happily standing there with their flowers raised to the sky. How long will they go on for though?
Food For the Birds
There are many birds that stay in the U.K. during the winter months, where you can often see them flying around during the cold, wintery days. With no insects or other food to eat, they can sometimes find it hard during the winter. Our sunflowers are helping the birds as they love eating the seeds from the flowers' huge heads. Many people put out food for the birds over the winter, helping them to stay fit and strong and raring to go when the spring comes.
