These are my Top 10 colour combinations of 2018. Chartreuse and magenta? Vermillion and Violet? Fuchsia and tangerine? You saw it first on The Mindful Gardener!
Category: My Cup Runneth Over
Sometimes it just does. These are the posts I write when I am completely overjoyed with the wonders of the world.
Pure Envy
Sarah Raven is the reason I am so obsessed by flowers. Anyone who has her catalogue plop through their door will know why. On the ‘Grow your own cut flowers’ Facebook page last week, the lovely LP posted a picture of the newest catalogue with the comment “Well this is dangerous”. We all knew exactly…
Cook little pot, cook!
My cutting patch is reminding me of ‘The Magic Porridge Pot’ and I have forgotten the magic words to make it stop!
I review my top-performing annuals and cut flowers this year, including Dahlias, Zinnias, Scabious, Nicotiana, Nigella and Cosmos.
Into the Jungle
My mum and I went on an expedition to the jungle. We didn’t fly there. We drove there in a little red mini. We went unprepared, without a mosquito net or insect repellent. But we were wearing plenty of sun-cream. We’d set out for Great Dixter. The expedition leader (me) failed to check whether it…
Club Tropicana
Let me take you to the place Where membership’s a smiling face Brush shoulders with the stars Where strangers take you by the hand And welcome you to wonderland From beneath their panamas Club Tropicana, drinks are free Fun and sunshine, there’s enough for everyone All that’s missing is the sea But don’t worry, you…
Highlights of Hampton Court
As I said in Worthy Causes at Hampton Court, my favourite three gardens were not show gardens. The ‘RHS Grow Your Own’ was my out-and-out favourite garden. Whilst it was largely about food production, there was delectable companion planting. I suspect this rather stunning living wall might need daily watering in summer… This garden had…
A Rainbow of Roses
Yes, I did get carried away. No, I am not sorry! OMG, it was fun! It was Stevie’s fault really. I had collected five or six blooms and was getting him to sniff too, so we could compare ‘tasting notes’. And Stevie said, “we should get the super-taster in.” Super-taster/Super-sniffer daughter helps Stevie identify wine…
Origins
As this week has been our children’s half-term holiday, we travelled Up North to spend time with family in Yorkshire. On the way, we stopped off in The Peak District. I have been exposed to hiking since I was little, but never particularly valued it until I was a student at University in Leeds. Every…
Boing, boing, boing!
I just thought I would share a moment with Zig. This video expresses the essence of Ziggy. It also expresses how I feel at this time of year. The hedgerows are effervescing with hawthorn and cow parsley. The birds are burbling and chittering and pulling up great juicy worms. There are beetles, bugs and butterflies…
Lupin-otropolis
Before I get carried away with the peonies, I think I should just pause to appreciate the lupins. I cannot deny that the peonies are keeping me on the edge of my seat. Look at ‘Red Charm’. It’s like its peeping out from under the covers deciding whether to put in an appearance today. So…
Darling Buds
In the gap between the end of the tulips and the start of the poppies and the peonies, we can bathe in the lush growth of May. In February there was bare earth, just the odd clump of snowdrops. The growth in March was ankle-high, with crocuses and primroses. April, knee-high, with the tulips. In…
