New Year thoughts…

January 2022

How can it be that I feel more inclined to compose a letter to my local MP than to paint, garden, draw or write this? Would switching off the news be wrong and should I keep these thoughts to myself and off this page? I’ve rarely felt so conflicted and hope that writing about the garden will steer me into calmer waters…and a calmer state of mind.

There are already signs of spring. Aconites and snowdrops were first to appear and in a sheltered corner of the garden flowering stems of hellebore are heavy with fresh foliage and flowers, reminding me that now is the time to cut back their large leathery leaves. Undemanding woodland fringe plants, hellebores thrive in our well-drained soil here and are happily self-seeding which suits my preference for informal naturalistic planting.  Once the flowers are over the evergreen foliage takes over and is quite as dramatic as the flowers - I couldn’t be without them.

The big spring clean up…

Current advice from the RHS is to hold back on the big spring clean up and let last year’s fallen leaves rot down in the borders naturally. I don’t plan to follow this advice as in my experience they just become a convenient hiding place for the tiny black slugs that do so much damage to newly emerging growth.

Mine are already on the compost heap:-)

Another theory that is becoming more widely followed is the ‘no dig’ method of gardening and this I may give a try. The principle is that digging upsets the natural balance of worms, fungi and micro organisms that make naturally fertile soil and encourages weeds by bringing seeds to the surface. Instead the recommendation is to feed the soil with a layer of manure or compost in spring or autumn, carefully pull out weeds as soon as they appear and disturb the surface as little as possible. Less weeding means more studio time and 10 sacks of organic composted manure from Mr Muck have just been delivered. I will report back on results!

What I’m following…

I first saw Dan Pearson talking at a Capel Manor lecture about 20 years ago and I’ve admired this inspirational designer and garden writer hugely ever since. Ten years ago he and his partner Huw Morgan moved from London to Somerset to create a new garden called Hillside. Should you feel like following its progress I recommend Dig Delve Dan and Huw’s online magazine about gardening, cooking and making.

What I’ve been doing…

The start of January was taken up with days at my computer working on designs for 2023 Garden Days calendars by adding newly created images and refreshing the pages. And to everyone who bought 2022 copies I can’t finish this page without thanking you, your loyalty is truly heartwarming. This will be the 26th year of publication!

P.S. In the last week of January, I caught Covid. No one was more shocked than me! Good news is that I’m now recovering.

Happy spring gardening all.