The Nature Table: December

As the year draws to a close, the evergreens come into their own.  They’re the stalwarts of the landscape.  The strong backbone.  The perpetual structure.  The steady, reliable ones who don’t scream for attention.  The ones it’s easy to take for granted because they’re always there.

This month, I’ll be displaying laurel and euonymus and ivy and conifers on the nature table.  Letting them have a season in the limelight.

And then there are the berries.  The scene stealers of the month.  There are bright, tiny cotoneaster berries.  And - find of finds - some stems of vibrant orange ornamental crab apples - found in my mum’s garden yesterday.  They’re fabulous.  The light seems to shine from within them.

And so the cycle is completed.  Already, bulbs are pushing through the frozen earth, preparing to bloom as soon as the year turns.  And next year’s leaves are budding on stark branches white with frost.

Next month, there’ll be a new series on the blog.  Watch this space!