I am excited to announce that after months of looking, and then what has felt like months of moving, we have finally found ourselves back in my home county of Somerset.
This has meant the kids moving schools and endless boxes to unpack; so please excuse my longer than planned absence from the world wide web. Now that I have finally found my way to emptying the last box in the living room I feel like I am ready to make a return.
Leaving Dorset has meant that I had to give up my much-loved allotment, my local radio slot and an ensuite bathroom. I have had to quickly think of other ways of fuelling my plant obsession. Once I’d acquired far more house-plants than is (probably) acceptable my Mum agreed that it would be lovely if I could help her out in her gorgeous cottage garden, just a couple of villages from where I now live. So, that is where I have been. Busily planting seeds, potting things on and absolutely relishing in the fact that she has a greenhouse! My gosh, the things that you can do with a greenhouse!
Mum’s garden has a dedicated vegetable patch, a herb garden, lots of cottage plants (foxgloves, peonies, roses, lavender), a wildlife pond ( more on that another time), a small knot garden and a patch that is multi-use; this year it will be used for growing peas and beans. After that we have a wild area, the greenhouse and the compost heap.
The weather here has been absolutely spectacular for over two weeks now. We’ve been meeting in the mornings for breakfast (and a vital coffee) before heading out to the garden and working until lunch time. By then it’s too hot to do anymore so we’re retiring for the afternoon before the garden needs putting to bed (greenhouse closed up, tender plants brought in, everything watered).
This week we have had our first harvest of radishes, spinach and lettuce leaves. I was able to make a salad in which about ninety percent of the ingredients were things we’d grown. The feeling of achievement is awesome! Honestly, it never gets old.
If you’re considering growing your own…do it! I hope that you too discover the joy of being in the garden, being part of your environment and stepping away from your busy lives. Green spaces and gardens have been shown to improve physical, social and mental health. It’s great for the environment and wildlife too. You don’t have to have a big garden. Apply for an allotment, grow in pots or see if you can borrow a patch of garden from friends or neighbours. With so many benefits what are you waiting for?
Green-fingered Mum 