Winter Garden

Hello Lovelies,

After I had battled around the supermarket this morning I decided , on the spur of the moment , to stop off  and enjoy the sunshine. I parked in the shade and reasoned my frozen food would survive O.K. on this chilly day.

Will you come for a wander with me, past the church and the huge old Yew trees.......

Out into the glorious sunshine that was bathing this wonderful spot in beautiful light.........

I always considered gardens to be pretty boring in winter, my own garden is not a very appealing place right now. But this garden is different. It's got so much interest all year round.
 There are beautiful ornaments in raised beds, berries and blossom........

There are interesting shapes in the evergreen shrubs..........

And without all the showy flowers the foliage really grabs your attention.........

I came to visit this garden in June and this gateway charmed me. The contrast in January is huge , but it still looks wonderful..........

In summer this area is dark and shady, but right now it's so light and airy........

I loved the long shadows and the backdrop..........

And even in the depths of winter there are the tiny shoots of snowdrops emerging.........

And simple, unassuming plants like heather , are bringing a little winter joy.........

The archway is bare but still looks lovely.........

And it frames this view.........

The bare branched  Beech walk is flooded with sunshine........

This is a memorial garden and all the trees , roses and structures are dedicated to the memory of a lost loved one. I don't focus on the little plaques, but I think it's a special way of remembering ....and adding to this gorgeous garden..........

The time was 11.40 am so the sundial was not far off in it's time keeping...........

In this sunny, south facing garden even the odd rose still blooms..........

and the buds are swelling on the glossy Camellia bush........

The structure of the bare trees is lovely..........

and the light shows off  the texture of the bark  beautifully............

The yellow Witch Hazel flowers  look stunning in close up............

And the delicate blooms of the winter flowering Cherry looked so pretty against the blue sky.........

I was awed by all the wonderful sights I enjoyed on this cold January day and really didn't want to leave.
I sat a moment to think quietly and imprint the moment in my memory............

Then it was time to head back through the archway , drive home and unload the shopping..........

It was a wonderful 20 minutes of solitude.

You can see a visit  I made to this garden in June HERE ( scroll down ).....I love to watch the changing seasons and the beautiful contrasts that the natural world displays.

Jacquie x