December in the garden, started off very cold and even a generous portion of snow fell on Dorset. A friend told me that the snow even lay on the shoreline, something I would have loved to have witnessed myself, if only I hadn’t had to struggle to work, through the snow and ice. The trouble with the snow falling during the week, is that I didn’t get chance to photograph my winter wonderland of a garden.

Luckily just before the snow fell, we managed to get our family apple tree planted.

It arrived during the week, so I had to heel it into the ground, as soon as it was unpacked.

Before planting the tree, I tried to find out some information on ancient English traditions to perform, when planting an apple tree. I couldn’t find any but I was reminded of a ritual called wassailing, which I intend to perform on 12th night, (not least because it involves cider!)

This ancient tradition was performed to awaken the spirit of the apple tree, to ward off evil spirits with lots of noise with shouts of ‘wassail’ and to bless the tree with a dousing of cider at its roots and cider soaked toast, hung in its branches, hoping that in return, a bumper harvest ensued.

The irony is, that the coming spring will bring the first blossoms to the tree but they will have to be picked off before the fruits set. This will ensure that all the trees energy goes into the roots, making for a stronger, healthier tree.

Patience is the name of the game, when planting fruit trees. So we will have to wait until the autumn of 2012 before tasting these fruits.

The best thing about this cold spell is that the caterpillars are finally no longer munching their way through my purple sprouting broccoli. They are looking a little sorry for themselves but they will soon perk up when the warmer weather returns.

Unfortunately I didn’t get my broad beans in the ground in time before the soil froze, so I am going to hang on until January and if the soil is still frozen, I am going to sow them in pots in the greenhouse.

I haven’t unearthed my parsnips yet. I am saving them for Christmas dinner but I will dig them up next weekend, just to be on the safe side.

I still have a couple of portions of tomato sauce left from my bumper summer harvest and I have a two jars of oven-dried tomatoes to have at Christmas with cold meats and salad. They will remind me of the wonderful summer sun, which now seems a long time ago.

Next week will be the re-birth of the sun, as it returns to the northern hemisphere.

I have been celebrating the winter solstice for many years. It’s a time for reflection, to be thankful for the year that’s been and to look forward to an exciting new year with all those new opportunities to grow wonderful flowers and vegetables.

May I wish you all bright winter blessings and peace and harmony for the coming year x

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