DAY 258 (19 DECEMBER) Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) (Farnham)

The sight of this aquilegia (which has gorgeous floppy white flowers in summer) next to our purple-leaved plant in the courtyard only reminds me I missed the deadline again for the Wimbledon ballot. Damn.

DAY 257 (18 DECEMBER) Forsythia (Forsythia) (Farnham)

Gosh. Not only are there buds on our forsythia tree, but even the yellow flowers are emerging here and there. I suppose the frosts of January and February will see them off… How sad. This is one of the revelations of my nature blog – that there are buds everywhere in December.

DAY 256 (17 DECEMBER) (Guildford)

I returned to the castle pond today in a break from present shopping. No sign of the ducks I snapped in summer. I hope they’ve migrated south. It was raining of course. But that made for some interesting patterns among the dead leaves and submerged lily fronds.

DAY 255 (16 DECEMBER) Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala) (Farnham)

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I have the perfect tip for wasting time. Or perhaps it’s good for the soul. Like watching reindeer being herded to the coast in winter in a soothing ‘slow TV’ offering:

Wait for a raindrop to fall off a new bud, and try to photograph that moment. Of course it doesn’t fall while you are watching. Only a second after you give up… But I still enjoyed the challenge with these early buds on the climbing hydrangea that shares a bit of our garden wall with cascading wisteria later in the year.

DAY 254 (15 DECEMBER) Olive tree (Olea europea) (Farnham)

Keen followers of this blog will know we also have olive trees in Spain. The latter are very much happier – who can blame them? But this one is hanging on in our internal courtyard – now accompanied by a dead leaf that’s blown in.

DAY 253 (14 DECEMBER) (Farnham)

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The best decorations are natural. A high street hairdresser has possibly the best window display in Farnham – all the year round too. Twigs never looked better.

DAY 252 (13 DECEMBER) (Farnham)

I love this Christmas bouquet sent by friends. For the roses, the colours and – most of all – the signature-like flourishes made by the twirly twigs.

DAY 251 (12 DECEMBER) Azalea (Rhododendron) (Farnham)

The azalea can always be relied upon to provide cheer on the dullest of days. Today was one of those. And the little fact I always remember about them (awkward customers) is that they don’t like tap water – preferring the real thing from heaven. So this one must have been very very happy today.

DAY 250 (11 DECEMBER) Conifer (Gymnosperm) (Farnham)

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This tree was the suitably bare (and rain-washed) decoration outside a high street shop today. More like this please.

I think I prefer the common name, by the way.

DAY 249 (10 DECEMBER) Lenten-rose (Helleborus orientalis) (Farnham)

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So nice to see this window box by the church today with one of my favourite flowers thriving there. The lenten-rose is such a subtle, sleepy pink – a relief from all the in-your-face red Christmas flowers around.