We are nearing the end of January and I don't think winter has fully played out yet. A very cold spell was followed by a mild, wet spell - and it seems that has enticed some of the buds out. The shrub above is a camellia. They do flower early and that leaves them very prone to frost damage, which is a shame as they are such beautiful blooms.
There are catkins in abundance on the trees bordering Caroline Street car park.
Crocuses also tend to flower in February-March and they are already pushing through the grass in Roberts Park.
But, oh dear, look at this... Where they flower on the grassy bank leading down to the river, there is more mud than grass. Part of the reason is the very wet weather. Part of the reason too is that they have had the path under the footbridge closed for months (despite the fact that the remedial work on the footbridge is supposed to have been completed). That means that people walk over the grass to reach the viewing area by the weir, and that footfall has worn away most of the grass. In a good year the area looks like THIS - but I don't think 2026 is going to be a good year for them, somehow!
All the rain does mean there's plenty of water rushing over the weir, which is always good to see. I love the shapes and crests that the water makes.
Another place where the struggle is real is the Wash House Gardens, a small garden square in the centre of Saltaire. It was originally the site of the Victorian wash house and baths, which were intended to support the residents of the village (whose newly built and, for that time, well-equipped homes had outdoor privies in their back yards but no indoor bathroom). The facilities so thoughtfully provided by Sir Titus Salt were, however, not well used. People seemed to prefer to bathe (in tin baths in front of the fire) and do their laundry at home. In the late 1800s the wash house building was converted to housing and then demolished in the 1930s. Now it's a volunteer maintained garden, so it is sad to see that once again there appears to have been a theft of the slabs around the raised beds. It's happened several times before. Yorkshire stone is valuable. It's heartbreaking for those who put time and effort into caring for the gardens.
There's rather a lot to be depressed about in the state of our world at the moment, I'm afraid.
Signs of early spring! No crocus or even snowdrops around here just yet, at least not that I have seen. But the male blackbirds are already behaving quite aggressively, although very few of them have started on their beautiful morning and evening songs.
ReplyDeleteI expect February still to be very winterly, with maybe some snow returning to my area.