There really is only so much you can do in January.

Nevertheless, the (comparatively) warmer weather that was forecast for the last few days got me out to the garden, mostly in a desperate bid to curb the burgeoning slug population. I just knew they'd be out and about and ever so active as soon as the temperature would hover around 10ºC. More of the cheapest possible lager from Lidl, this time offered in a variety of receptacles was again very popular, but at the same time I worry it'll have made hardly a dent to the teeming, slimy masses closing in on my few ailing brassicas - and the Digitalis.

The top plate sits on the sticks.

I've also sorted through my stash of seed packets and sowed some; a few perennials, sweet peas, and a winter lettuce. They're all in the little completely unheated greenhouse outside for now, while I figure out a way to cat-proof a window sill: being sat upon or dug at will not improve chances of germination.

~~~

I'm on Suttons' mailing list, and today they entice me with this:

Ribes aureum 'Fourberry Black Gem'

Apparently it'll only grow to 1.2-1.5 m tall, with presumably similar spread, so I just might have room for *one*. I'd dearly love to have some soft fruit, but space, especially sunny space, is an issue. Shall think upon this.

Additional images for Plant ID

Choisya ternata blooming in a park in Glasnevin.

My plant ID test nemesis, Elaeagnus x ebbingei.

The delightful autumn colour of a
 Cotoneaster horizontalis.

Aucuba japonica

Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' does not
look like its "big brother" P. laurocerasus.

Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' in park, badly
maintained and poorly (note chlorotic leaves).

Stipa tenuissima 'Pony Tails'
(source)

Fatsia japonica in bloom at Dublin Zoo

Fatsia japonica

Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price' in bloom
in December.

I wanted to make a whole separate post on trees, but ended up spending my afternoon worm wrangling instead. Here's a picture of the avenue length of the North Circular Road, with the vista carefully aimed at the Wellington Monument in the distance. This is the kind of thing I worry about replacing - will the future city horticulturists follow the footsteps of their Victorian forebears when the time comes, or just give up?

The trees are probably Platanus x acerifolia.

And finally another tree not included in our lists, but one I particularly like: Garrya elliptica:

It stays relatively small and isn't particularly demanding, making it a perfect plant for modern urban and Celtic Tiger housing estate gardens.

...which reminds me that I'm also fond of the smaller Sorbus spp. and vars, especially those in the Aucuparia section [Hillier 1998] with their delicate-looking pinnate leaves and variety of berry colours. Something like Sorbus vilmorinii is definitely on my "one day when" list.