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 […]
Croft Gardener
Finding 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 […]
Three Gardening Rs
Renew, Repair, Restore I’m not quite sure where the term “maintenance-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 and the vegetable beds are gradually […]
12 Days of Christmas
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 […]
12 Days of Christmas
Day 11: Green Fingers and Fairy Dust I have never lost the sense of wonder and excitement that is generated when I plant seeds. From opening the packet, to placing the seeds in the earth, the gentle application of water and then the growing sense of anticipation as I watch and wait for the seeds […]