Peak snowdrops

The snowdrops are probably at, or just past, their peak now, and are the highlight of the garden at the moment. Once they've gone over it'll be a long haul while they set seed and the foliage dies down, but the daffodils and tulips will mask that sufficiently for it not to look too bad. Top right of the picture is cornus Midwinter fire, which is at its best in the cold weather. 

The lawn is looking a mess the moment, and even a thorough raking out of moss and dead grass won't restore it that well. The stony clay we're on is perfect for moss and bugle, and over the years they've gradually crowded out the weaker grasses. The real solution would be to re-design the garden to have no lawn at all, but that may be a bit too radical. I'm not sure we're up for going that far. In any case, the lawn is a key element in the current design, and a new approach would have to suit the existing features of the rest of the garden. But maybe we should start thinking about what it might involve.