Winter garden

Winter wonderland

Iain Ferguson Cold days, dark nights, frost and perhaps snow amidst the usual rain can all be expected, maybe even with some dry days.

So what to do? It is a good time to start tidying up the garden, clearing away all the withered plants, raking up leaves - but leave some for bugs. As the weather has not been too extreme to date, you should watch out for hedgehogs who may well be doing some of their last foraging trips before settling down to hibernation.

In my own garden, I’m fairly certain one lives under the shed and, of late, it has appeared in the garden more and more, sometimes at the door, where bird seed falls from the feeder, or in the front garden near the fat ball holder, perhaps to take advantage of the crumbs which the birds make when pecking at them.

Late at night, I happened to disturb a little hedgehog doing

just that, who, rather than curling up into a ball, ran for cover in nearby ferns. Hopefully I made this up to him by rolling the fat ball over to near the point where he vanished.

As in mentioned in previous issues, do try to feed the birds to help them through the cold, sharp days and nights when the usual insect larvae or other natural food sources are in short supply. Seeds and fat balls are still relatively inexpensive, but these days it is perhaps also quite a struggle to keep human families fed and warm.

Free to everyone are walks in the wonderful Lochaber countryside, no matter the weather and to stare up into the sky for even more of nature’s wonders. Hopefully, if you get some time off during the festive season, the weather will be kind enough to enjoy a peaceful outing on foot.