Natural Engineering!

These are the stumps of the fennel stems I cut down a month or so ago. I like the way you can see their structure so clearly. I'm not sure what the big hole in the middle is for - perhaps to provide strength to the tall stems.

I'd left the plant unpruned until then as it was giving off the most lovely scent in the cold air. However after being battered by numerous frosts it was looking very bedraggled and had to be cut down.

Another very cold day but we had clear blue sky and sunshine for much of the time, and the wind has dropped. Good for the soul!