Celia Hart's blog about what's going on in and around her studio.
Art, printmaking, inspirations, gardening, vegetables, hens, landscapes, wild flowers, East Anglia, adventure, travel.

Friday 7 January 2011

One bright day

A little late, but here goes . . . this is my contribution to Silverpebble's Splash of Colour for January 2011.

On Wednesday morning this week the sun came out and the sky was a beautiful blue; and because the sky had been shades of grey for so long, it took my breath away!


I joined the under-gardeners and the Spice Girls to frolic in the garden in the sunshine. Ginger Spice's feathers shone like burnished gold and polished copper. Look, her new crest is growing, the feathers busting out of the quills.


The sun soon hid behind a cloud, but in the garden Cornus 'Midwinter Fire' continued to glow. This is one of the best shrubs in the garden, once it gets going it never fails to add the 'Wow!' to the winter border. It's now sending up little suckers so I'm planting up new patches to add more fire to the mid-winter garden; and when I prune out half the stems in February I can take even more cuttings – for a firey forest maybe?!


Against the red-brick garden wall the silver variegated Holly still has red berries. Are the birds saving them for later cold snaps or is there just too much choice of berries to feast on?


Tarragon has a spring in his step! He knows the year has turned and his hens are coming back into lay. Time to dance the Pasa Doble with his favourite, Saffron Spice ;-)


You can see more gorgeous colour in
Emma's Splash of Colour flickr pool.

Celia
x

21 comments:

  1. We haven't had blue here for a while, what a vivid shade. The little jewels of the garden make them all the more eye catching. I'm waiting with baited breath for my witchhazel to unfurl.

    Jo x

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  2. Oh that Ginger Spice, such fabulous colour. I haven't seen a sky like that for quite a while, I hope we get some soon.

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  3. Oh, that blue sky is lovely. I was in Ipswich that day and there was none there. Hoping for lots more of it soon!

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  4. I too am blown away by the colour of that sky - almost like cornflowers! The cornus is stunning too. I'm hoping to get to the Anglesey Abbey winter garden soon - it's so magical isn't it? What a beautiful post - thankyou Celia!

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  5. Your chickens (and their names) are delightful, and I really like that variegated holly. :)

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  6. Hey Celia, talk about blue sky dreaming....
    That is such a lovely photo, should certainly cheer the soul after so many grey days.
    I love the Cornus, I have always wanted to grow that plant, but not sure if I would find it in this neck of the woods, so I shall enjoy yours.....
    Always treasures to be found in the garden no matter what season it is. Sometimes we just have to look a little harder.....
    Enjoy your weekend.

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  7. That blue sky didn't show itself here Celia!

    I love Ginger Spice's feathers - she is aptly named!

    Jeanne
    x

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  8. Wall to wall grey skies - and rain - here. How I long for that wonderful blue. It's the sort of colour that, if you paint it, people think you've made it up!

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  9. Chickens that can do the Pasa Doble! Now that I'd love to see Celia. Beautiful skies in your photograph. We're experiencing the same here today - at last. I always love the idea of your walled garden. How wonderful to still have berries on the holly.Ours are long gone! Lesley

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  10. I had great plans to photograph that blue sky but by the time I had got home from work and had some lunch it had gone! Love your hen photo - my hens are Black Rocks so not very colourful unless you can pick up the sheen on their feathers. Bit like starlings!

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  11. wow! such blue. ginger is her own sun! that's quite a silhouette tarragon displays.

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  12. Still grey and urgh here...lucky you with that sky! I suspect you have a Mistle Thrush guarding those berries - one of our hollies always survives due to the large specimen lurking nearby yelling at the smaller birds who dare to sample his fruit. Presumably he scoffs them all very quickly when the mood takes him, they seem to disappear overnight.

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  13. A burst of colour indeed! Ginger spice looks amazing in the sunshine!

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  14. What a lovely burst of colour. Just what I need on a cold dull January day!

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  15. Hi Jo - Witch Hazel, that's something I haven't got in my garden (yet) - the scent is as lovely as the colour.

    Hi Poshyarns and Su - waiting for the blue sky to return here too.

    Hi Silverpebble - Oh yes Anglesey Abbey! And the magical 'Winter Walk'.

    Hi Eliza - and welcome to PPPs!

    Hi Sweetbirdylove - Cornus/Dogwood stalks come in so many lovely colours - perfect to cheer up winter gardens.

    Hi Jeanne - yes Ginger lives up to her name ;-)

    Hi Veg Heaven - blue sky on a cold winter day is a very special blue!

    Hi Lesley - oh yes they can!

    Hi Country Girl - Black Rocks are lovely :-)

    Hi Petoskystome - Tarragon is in his element now he can sense 'Spring'!!!

    Hi Wendy - yes we have Mistle Thrushes, so I think that's the answer - thank you!

    Hi Matron - Ginger Spice is indeed a ray of sunshine!

    Hi Mrspao - welcome to PPPs!



    Celia
    x

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  16. What a cracker is Ginger spice! I hope you post a picture again when the feathers are fully in. She will be so magnificent. Isn't it good to be able to get out into the garden again?

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  17. Look at your beautiful girl! Nothing like a bright day to show them off. Mostly rain here but we've had a few clear days. Still lovely though.

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  18. What a gorgeous blue sky. I could do with one like that today. Love the firesticks.
    Gillie

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  19. Beautiful pics, I love hens but can't have them here because of mink.

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  20. Such an amazing photo of Ginger Spice! x

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