Winter days in our courtyard garden

Is it me or does the winter seem quite long this year? I know I'm already dreaming of summer now. One thing that never fails to cheer me up is our Mediterranean inspired courtyard garden that we made in the old farmyard just looking at the Date Palms always cheers me up every morning as I open the blinds.

The fig trees that line the courtyard are bare now of course but they already have fat buds forming to give a gentle hint of the spring days to come and let me dream just a little bit of the warm mellow summer days to come when they will agian with their deep green glossy leaves that hide sweet fruits in their midst.

Nearly a sunset

We very nearly had a sunset last night - in fact I even brought the camera out in anticipation but instead the distant glow of the sun only pierced the clouds for an instant, as the dark of the winter evening wrapped us again in its embrace.

Today at Ednovean Farm

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It was only a simple white flower pale and ethereal - almost too delicate to survive but it brightened up my morning as I hung the washing out this morning.

Over the years I've learnt to put the spring flowers near to the house in the places I'm likely to visit the most in the course of a working day when dusk comes early.

So the little supermarket finds, the gifts from neighbours have found a home not in the outer garden where summer days tempt me to linger and wander but in the unpromising area betwixt house,stables and boundary wall. and on gloomy mornings how I treasure their appearance!

Catch up with my last Garden diary here

I've filled a selection of treasured terracotta pots with spring bulbs to put beside the front door