Peeking through on the last day of January.

I awoke to a sunny day but with a heavy frost.

After breakfast I couldn't resist taking a peek outside to see what the sunshine of the weekend had revealed.

Finding so much was a real encouragement to get some more tidying done.

Tortue, who like me, enjoys being outside if there's some sunshine kept me company (?) by sleeping on top of one of the compost bins !!!

I have now cut back most of the old leaves and stems from the borders and lifted some weeds.

After lunch I set to and planted some more alliums which I love.

I know it says to plant before December but I had the chance to buy some excellent bulbs in the sales here and also it lessens the chance of the voles and other mammals deciding to eat them in the long winter months.

I remember when we first came here telling one of my French neighbours, whose an excellent gardener, that I'd just planted some alliums.

She asked me had I surrounded them in gritty sand ?

She then explained to me that was a good way to stop the mice etc from eating them as they don't like digging into the gritty ground.

Yes, I came home and dug them all up and started again with the grit, I'm sure some have been tasty snacks over the last few years but not too many.