Delightful ‘box’

A wasp’s nest occupies the centre of a Sarcococca bush and whilst you can’t see any blossom (this illustration was taken in mid-summer) be assured that by now this same shrub is covered in bud and about to burst into scented bloom.

When you draw near you’ll get zapped with the delicious scent

Winter can be very bleak and for many there’s little in the garden to tempt them outside to the cold and wet. Most have been sated by summer’s generosity so they allow themselves and their gardens a winter break while concentrating on other seasonal pleasures. And yet, anyone who abandons the garden altogether during winter can hardly be called a keen gardener. I’m not for a moment advocating a mad rush outdoors every time it stops raining and the biting winds moderate, but a half hour today, perhaps, and another during the week ahead would certainly work wonders for the gardener’s constitution, if not the general appearance of the garden.