With the pergola now finished we have turned our attention to the re-planting of conifers that had been removed (see website).  I spent quite some time digging a large hole to plant the newly purchase Thuja occidentalis 'Yellow Ribbon'.  It is already a good size plant and will immediately make an impression. This is always the problem when you take something away like that the space it leaves a large hole which takes some filling.  I suppose to others it does not look strange but when you are use to seeing something day after day it looks very strange when it is gone.

We have lost a tree.   It was a great sadness but now has come the time to re-plant and today is the day.  I have spent hours researching what will make impact, not grow too large, not give too dense a shade and not be too expensive.  I am taking the under gardener and his cheque book out and hopefully the gap will be filled very soon.  

For the second morning running there was not that chill in the air that makes you shiver to moment to step outside. The under gardener has been busy scarifying the lawns and now there is soft rain falling on them and already they are starting to look better.  I say this with some trepidation but I think that Spring may really be on its way. 

There are buds on so many things but nothing is moving.  This I have to say has been to our advantage this year as we have been re-building the pergola that runs up the side of the drive from the gravel garden up towards the kitchen garden.  At the moment the new poles are in place but now we need to replace the chains that hand between the poles.  I was horrified to find that the chains cost more that the large wooden poles!  The plants that were growing up the original pergola are swaying in the breeze a bit at the moment but as they are dormant I hope that not damage will be done and we are all but ready to complete the job and then I can get them tied back in. 

The under gardener has been building a new half pergola.  It is to replace the one which was put up when we arrived.  That was put into ground with the help of spigots.  The new one is being concreted into the ground and will look much better, however it has meant that the plants that were planted up the original pergola have had to be severely cut back.  Shame but in the long run it will look better.  Must take the camera out tomorrow and get posterity sorted. 

Is it spring?  It has been warm today and I have been moving snowdrops but last night we had another sharp frost.  When will it ever end.  I remember that we were told that this was going to be a warm and wet winter after a bar -b-Que summer.  Well that didn't work!  I am waking early and have begun to "itch" in the morning to get back into the swing of things in the garden.  I feel as though I have been waiting months to get going.  Sowing seeds has only just started and they like everything Else will be slow in getting going this year.  Well I suppose there is nothing for it but to dig in and wait it out if you will excuse the expressions!