Berberis japonica hyemalis...............

....................known to most of us as Mahonia and formally known as B.j.Bealei. It is an evergreen shrub with lethally prickly leaves. Each individual flower is only about the size of your thumbnail and grows in clusters along almost horizontal racemes. This one came into bud in October and I noticed that this morning first flowers were open.You can see the frost on it is now melting. As it opens more, it's perfume (a bit like lilies of the valley) will develop. It is a great shrub which will last into January if the birds don't peck off all the petals and , because it is very prickly, is a good burglar deterrent if used as a hedge.

There was a very hard frost this morning and it'still there where the sun hasn't reached. It has been brilliantly sunny all day but very, very cold indeed.

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NEWS UPDATE - "Goodbye Sun" reached the spotlight thanks to everyone. Got notification just 5 minutes ago (17.45) and I am so very pleased. Thank you so very much for your comments, stars and faves!! Alma