Gardening in a Gale
"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near one"J.R.R. Tolkein We might not have dragons, but we do have weather. Over the years we have learnt how to storm-proof the garden to the best of our ability, but as soon as I hear the shipping forecast… Continue reading Plotting and Planning
Creating a Garden 2: the Grand Tour Although we have clear blue skies, the sun still slinks low over the horizon and its weak winter rays are insufficient to penetrate the frost. This is a garden tour that bears no resemblance to a wonderful Sunday afternoon amble around a perfect English Yellow Book Garden. There… Continue reading Realising the Vision
Creating a Garden 1 In the beginning there was a house in a coastal meadow, then there was a shed and then there was a garden. Originally, I thought that the house sitting amongst wildflowers with panoramic views required nothing more. Unfortunately this was a romantic illusion. In winter there are no wildflowers, the sunny… Continue reading Finding the Vision
Renew, Repair, Restore Compost - bursting at the seams I'm not quite sure where the term "maintenace-free gardening" originated, but in my experience gardening is often an Augean labour of love! After 10 years of hard toil, parts of the vegetable garden are in need of renewal, repair and restoration. As autumn progresses into winter… Continue reading Three Gardening Rs
Day 12: Anticipation I have been watching this flower for over a week now with growing excitement. According to the label it is Narcissus fernandesii grown from seed planted in 2014. Each day I monitored its progress, watching as the perianth elongated and slowly started to open. Yesterday I could see the anthers and the… Continue reading 12 Days of Christmas
