That nasty Discontented Winter has created some gaps in the gardens. Big gaps. It’s icy tail flicked across the gardens and sent killing shivers down the spines of trees and vines.
The peach tree and a couple of a little apple trees -Dead. Also a big apple tree and a pear – Dead. Sopsta’s bright yellow magnolia only has three blooms but is coming along, though Donna’s magnolia is doing exceptionally well. Not dead. 
and all the roses have dead canes but most are growing back from the base which is often a rootstock (but I quite like the wild rootstock varieties) .There is worse news though. 
The Ladybird Wine grapes (Vidal Blanc) are showing no signs of anything at all. All the canes are dead. Misery. Could there be No More Wine!? Horrors! Even my table grapes are showing no signs of life. Only one remains alive. How can I drink wine without grapes! (rhetorical question – no question mark). Of course I will plant more vines on the new trellises but they take four years to mature, I have learnt way too much about wine making to stop now. But.. sigh… I will keep checking for signs of life.. but so far – Dead. A bitter blow.
Can you see Tima on the other side of her gate, waiting for me to surface?
She really does look like a puff fish when she lies down. Wait here is another angle.
Well, that is not a very flattering angle either. She looks more like a piebald blob that someone forgot to wipe up. She is such a good piggie and she loves all people and all animals. All the visitors get some Tima loving.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
You can put in requests you know. If you miss your favourites.. let me know! My days are full of gardening now and mowing and watering and all that lovely summery stuff!
Daisy’s milk was clear yesterday. Excellent. Hopefully that lasts a little while.
Your friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
52 responses to “The Winters Tail”
Oh, that’s so sad about your grapes, I reckon you are due for a decade of good winters now. Elder flower wine? Cowslip wine? Magnolia wine? or maybe you’ll have to turn to cider.
So hard to lose mature trees and vines. We all lose something sometimes, as you well know, between the chicken-killing minks and the winter’s work.
Oh Celi I hope your trees and shrubs and plants survive. I agree with everyone don’t give up yet, they can surprise you. My bamboo garden has been decimated by the awful storms we had in the Uk earlier this year (too much sea salt in the air) and they look awful. Am keeping my fingers crossed. Love your pictures and the write ups, they make me smile and laugh. Love little Tima, she is so cute. Please can we see more of Marcel? Just love Marcel. Have a lovely day.
I would probably be ok with the losing of a few things except the grapes…No grapes, no wine…no, we cannot have that! And I certainly couldn’t wait 4 yrs. So yes, I would be making wine out of something else, like someone mentioned 🙂 Don’t worry C….I bet they’ll come back…they’re just late bloomers this year! And yes, can we please see more of Marcel? Oh and Tima too! And Big Dog…we haven’t seen much of that ole guy lately.