Last year I planted 3 red stemmed dogwoods in front of the mahonia japonica in an attempt to put in some dramatic impact behind the pond in winter. I think this has been successful, but to a limited degree as although the colour and structure combination is effective, they don’t mingle properly – I’m going to have to move the dogwoods from their position in front, to alternately in between the mahonia – hopefully that’ll work to full effect

Meanwhile, as I was trimming and pontificating, my little friend Alfie’s started following me around the garden again, firstly settling in the bare branches of a cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple” and then over to the aforementioned mahonia – deserves a few meal worms, don’t you think!