Lighten up - it’s only the dark heart of winter . . .

LAST

Friday, on the shortest day, the sun rose at 8.44am and set at 3.49pm.

If I had a gloomy disposition I would say we were now in the dark heart of winter, but I actually like this time of year, when the world seems to pause and we enter a state of semi-hibernation, fortified by tins of Quality Street and mulled wine.

On days when the weather is gruesome, watering houseplants and fussing over bowls of bulbs helps satisfy the gardening urge, so surround myself with poinsettias, hyacinths and scented Paperwhite narcissi, which require turning regularly to prevent them leaning towards the light.

Neglect to do this and they will take on the appearance of being caught in a high wind.

As we are protected on all sides by woodland we seldom feel the effects of winds here, but a few nights ago one blew in from the Atlantic and cut a path through the garden, reducing my tiny polytunnel to tatters.

Not only was the covering ripped but the frame was warped, so the whole thing had to come down. I had to try to salvage the contents, tidying up cuttings that had been tossed around and finding sheltered spots where tender plants might have some chance of surviving the winter.

I also had to pick up the trays and pots that had been scattered around the garden before they had a chance of being washed into the streams that feed the River Doon.

This flows into the Clyde just a couple of miles from here so anything carried along on the current would add to the burden of plastic that floats around the oceans.

The wind also found the last of the autumn leaves and spread them across the lawn, so these will need to be raked up a second time and dealt with before the next gusty spell sends them flying again.

While I was sorting out the pots that had been knocked down like skittles, I discovered many of the these now need attention.

They contain geums, heucheras and other perennials that were split earlier in the autumn and the roots are now showing through the bottoms, a sure sign they need potting-on.

In a bid to recycle some of the plastic that passes through my kitchen, I’d put them into large yoghurt pots but now they’ve outgrown these I was planning on switching to terracotta.

Then I discovered a range of pots made from bamboo and rice, which last for five years and are fully biodegradable. (See haxnicks.co.uk or call 0117 934 1795.)

I will see how I get on with the first batch before deciding whether to opt for this new material or stick with traditional clay pots.

Meanwhile the yoghurt cartons have been washed and stacked, ready for the next time and I’m hanging up my gloves until after Christmas.