It’s not fair to expect much to change in February and while I haven’t compared the pictures, I imagine they look much the same. Things are changing though. A few dry days have allowed me to catch up on tidying up. The grass in the foreground, Hakonechloa macra ‘Mediovariegata’, has been chopped right down, a job that has to be done before the new shoots are up any further.
I have several Camellias flowering, a few crocuses and daffodils, that’s about it.
My Taxus ‘Standishii’ has been opened up by the wind, I need to find a way to put a ring of wire around the top, perhaps two.
The paving has mellowed in colour somewhat over winter, fallen leaves and algae have left their mark. What it needs now is some growth to break up the edges. The silver Astelia and the Chionochloa in the foreground really come into their own in winter, Euphorbia mellifera, by the house, too. Of my evergreen shrubs I’m especially fond of Pittosporum ‘Elizabeth’. That’s it to the right of the big conifer. I love the way it gets pink tints in winter.


The front garden is tiny compared to the back, just one tip of a triangular site. Last year we took out the hedge that was between ourselves and next door and replanted his front garden. There’s a somewhat spiky theme to it, with Chamaerops, Yucca, Astelia, Beschorneria septentrionalis and Pinus parviflora providing structure; Agapanthus, Osteospermum, Helianthemum and Eschscholtzia providing summer colour.

Posted as a contribution to Helens Johnstone’s End of Month meme. Her February post is here along with links to many others.