Uncategorized – Page 38 – Off The Edge Gardening

Quick

I have just noticed that I have done 666 posts. “Quick” I thought “do another”. Six hundred and sixty seven, a far nicer number.

Today I had lunch with Lavinia. I haven’t seen her since December and we had a good old chin wag, so much to catch up on. For various reasons, which do not include her discovering the family silver in my handbag, I will no longer be gardening for L & L. This is fine, things moveContinue reading “Ladies that Lunch”

Question

What is better than the first camellia flower? A glint of cerise catches your eye in the distance. Abandoning your wheelbarrow you tentatively investigate, non negotiable curiosity drawing you towards a hint of something special. In a scrappy hedge of hardy fuchsia, self seeded ash and buddleja, tucked in behind a lodge, the discovery of anContinue reading “Question”

Ancient Wisteria

It is easy to imagine that all kinds of sprites, piskies and imps live in the bole of this ancient wisteria. In fact, if you look very carefully, you might convince yourself that you have seen one. I did. There is little doubt that is all kinds of less fanciful creatures (also) live here. Hibernating ladybirds, butterflies and perhapsContinue reading “Ancient Wisteria”

Pockets

There is something very special about a gardener’s pockets, more specifically the contents. As the week progresses, the pouches are crammed, culminating in a weekly unloading ceremony. I know I will not be alone in this custom, when the jettisoning of the weeks detritus is undertaken. The mishmash of items extracted consists of things to be thrown away whenContinue reading “Pockets”

Foundling

Just as I had packed up for the day (the gloves were off, the weeds disposed of and I ready to load my tools and head home) a visitor arrived. The sweetest little Jack Russell you ever did see came a-calling. She had no collar, nothing to identify her, she was a foundling. So after aContinue reading “Foundling”

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

This was my first proper week back at work. Last week was a gentle introduction. It didn’t really count. The weather and my burgeoning cough necessitated a slow and steady pace. We needed to re-aquaint ourselves. This week was fully-fledged, back to normal, let’s get going, shake a leg, gardening. Wonderful. It might seem contrary,Continue reading “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”

Hopefully

Today is a day of celebration. I am happy to announce that overnight I have become a proud mother to a dear little Carthamus tinctoria seedling. Hang on a moment, what is that coming up behind? A double reason to celebrate, we’ve got twins! Hopefully. Actually I am planning for a much larger brood of the safflower or falseContinue reading “Hopefully”

A Day in the Life

After an uncommonly frosty start it was business as usual at The Farm. We kicked off with a little rabbit herding (domestic), then went on to some rabbit cussing (wild). The better part of the day was spent undertaking the wondrous triumvirate of weed, chop and mulch. This very rewarding work was interspersed with a little plantContinue reading “A Day in the Life”

The Early Bee

If I were a bee, hunkered down against the winter gloom, I would have risked a short foray out into the big bad world today. The blue sky and the fragrant mahonia flowers, advertising their wares with perfumed wafts, would have been provocation enough. If I were a bee I doubt I would be one ofContinue reading “The Early Bee”