Early December in the garden

December 8, 2017December 18, 2017 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments

A_Scottish_garden_in_December_under_a_blue_sky — Blue-sky December day. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

As I sat down to write this post last night, we were awaiting the arrival of the first major storm of the season. Nothing has materialised overnight, but it is suddenly feeling much colder. There is a thick frost this morning, and it is bright and clear again, the wind has dropped, and all is calm.

On the whole, the first few days of the month have been quite kind to the gardeners amongst us here in central Scotland. Whilst the east coast did have more seasonal weather, we were blessed with several blue sky days, milder temperatures, and some glorious sun rises.

To be honest, I haven’t been outside much recently – work has kept me inside. The garden is looking a bit tired now, and ready for a rest. I cleared a lot of the autumn debris a couple of weeks ago and it’s beginning to look a bit bare in places. However, the evergreens provide shape and colour and look very vibrant on a fine day, and the Cotoneaster hedge is laden with berries, as it is every year.

Cotoneaster_hedge_laden_with_red_berries — Berry-laden Cotoneaster hedge. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The best value plants in the garden this year have been the carnations I planted last year – taken as cuttings from a birthday bouquet. They began flowering in August, and are still producing blooms at the moment. I’m sure the winter weather will get to them eventually, but the south-facing wall seems to be providing them with sufficient shelter to have kept them going this far into the year.

Orange-red_carnations_in_bloom_in_December — Carnations enjoying the winter sunshine. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Elsewhere in the garden, the colours have faded. The Hydrangeas have taken on a beautiful “vintage” look, and the blooms of Echinops and white Japanese Anemones have left behind interesting seed-heads which are slowly weathering away.

Faded_colour_of_a_blue_Hygrangea_flower — Faded beauty: Blue Hydrangea. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Seed-heads_of_Echinops_and_Japanese_Anemones — Globe thistle and Japanese Anemone seed heads. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

The last of my garden features this month is this wee fellow, a perennial primrose. Just one solitary bloom at the moment, hidden away in a sheltered, damp part of the garden. A small flash of pale yellow which acts to remind me that spring will be here again in just a few weeks. Have a good week 🙂

December_bloom_of_a_perennial_primrose — Perennial primrose. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Brussels sprouts

December 27, 2016March 12, 2018 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments

Love them or loathe them, you can’t get away from Brussels sprouts at this time of year. Believed to be a descendent of the wild cabbage, we have been eating these tasty and nutritious winter greens since the 18th century.

I planted several seedlings (variety Brodie F1) back in early June, but sadly most succumbed to pests and the plants have been dwindling as the months have gone by. However, I managed to keep a few plants unscathed, ready for the Christmas table and a couple more meals on top of that. Some of the stems have lovely tops which have developed into small cabbages with pretty pink veining, so I have them to cook as well.

Brussels_sprouts_on_the_stem — A fine stem of “fairy cabbages”. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I was told a story a few years ago by a lady who had been struggling to get her little daughter to try a Brussels sprout. There was something about the humble sprout that her daughter wouldn’t entertain even though she would eat every other green vegetable without hesitation. Her mother, in exasperation, said that they were simply tiny cabbages grown by the fairies, and from then on, her daughter ate them with gusto!

Freshly_picked_homegrown_Brussels_sprouts_and_tops — Still life of Brussels sprout stems and tops. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Pick sprouts when they are small and firm as larger sprouts have less flavour. Smaller sprouts will be crisper in texture and have a sweeter, nuttier taste. Don’t forget the tops – these can be cooked just liked cabbage. Ideally pick sprouts just before cooking, trim away any loose leaves and leave whole if small, or halve if bigger. Rinse in cold water, and then cook in a little lightly salted, boiling, water for a few minutes until just tender – they should have some texture when cooked, and not be slime-green coloured, full of water and soggy like the ones I remember from my school dinners – yuk!

Ready_to_cook_fresh_Brussels_sprouts — Picked sprouts ready for cooking. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Here are a few of my favourite ways to serve fresh Brussels sprouts:

Brussels sprouts go well with blue cheese, goat’s cheese, chopped nuts and seeds, crisp bacon, chorizo, chilli, sage, thyme, garlic, onion, orange, wholegrain mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.
Serve small cooked sprouts on a bed of crushed, seasoned peas in Yorkshire puddings and flood with gravy or a tasty cheese sauce.
Shred or roughly chop sprouts and stir fry with shredded leeks and very finely sliced white cabbage. Finish with a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and some melted redcurrant jelly.
Stir fry chopped sprouts with finely chopped garlic and add sultanas, a pinch of chilli, cinnamon and cumin, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
Blanch 300g prepared larger sprouts in boiling water for 1 minute and cool quickly in cold running water. Drain well, cut in half or quarter, and mix with wedges of eating apple, fresh sage leaves and finely chopped onion. Toss in 1 tbsp each of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey or maple syrup. Spread across a lined baking tray, season well and cover with foil. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan oven, gas mark 6) for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes until tender.
Ready to bake, sprouts with apple, sage and onion. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

My garden in December

December 3, 2016March 12, 2018 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Winter_sunrise_over_a_Scottish_garden — Early Winter sunrise over a Scottish garden. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

It’s been a busy month of work for me. I haven’t been around at home for more than a few days at a time, so subsequently, I haven’t had any gardening opportunities.

We haven’t had any snow yet in this part of Scotland, but there have been a couple of very heavy frosts which put pay to most of the flowering shrubs in the garden – I took this picture a few days ago when the temperature had dropped well below zero overnight, the ice beautiful patterns are on the inside of the window!

Ice_patterns_on_inside_of_window — Icy window. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Today, I have been able to get outside for a couple of hours – hoorah! There is lot as of clearing up to do after the frosts: plenty of bedraggled shrubs with drooping leaves which make the garden look very sad and now need cutting back. The weather forecasters are saying that we are due some milder weather this coming week, so I should get some out-of-doors tidying up done.

I was happy to see that there is still some colour, here and there, in the more sheltered parts of the garden. A shrub that grows well in several places in the garden is Cotoneaster horizontalis, but usually by now the berries have dropped off or have been eaten by the birds. This one is still covered with fruit and gives a welcome blaze of colour growing up against a small outbuilding wall.

Cotoneaster_horizontalis_red_berries_in_Winter — Cotoneaster horizontalis. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

By next month, the sprawling Winter Jasmine, which grows outside the back door, will be in full bloom. Today there are a few buds breaking open to reveal the cheery yellow blooms I love. It is one of my favourite plants of the season, so delicate and pretty.

Just_in_bloom_Winter_Jasmine — Winter Jasmine flower and bud. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Another favourite is the Snowberry. I see them each Winter growing in other people’s gardens and in the hedgerows, but never get round to planting one for myself. This year, a few straggly branches have appeared growing through an old Camellia bush in the back garden. I will take care now I know it’s there, and see if I can get a better crop next year.

I like to end my monthly garden report with something quirky and unseasonal. I found this wee fellow growing at the top of the rockery, under a big conifer tree, in the back garden. Not sure how he’s managed to remain unscathed from the effects of the frosts, but he was looking very healthy and strong, and truly magnificent in bright blue bloom.