Well we live in strange times – sometimes it feels like a bad film. As I’ll be less busy with work I’ve decided to really go for growing vegetables this year – a lot more than I normally do. I usually don’t have the time. Gardens can help us relax, push the rest of the world away for a few hours (I can really do with that just now) and they can feed us. I wish you strength and health to get through these difficult times.
here’s something to cheer you up with this miserable weather- as spring will come sometime!
The russet tones of winter can be enchanting in their own right – and if the plants are not cut back until spring this provides a habitat for the wee beasties too!
Landscaping by Bill Collins
If you are wheelchair bound getting around some gardens is impossible
landscaping by Brian MacLennan of Urray Maintenance
Some gardens produce amazing finds. I am working at a lovely garden project in Elgin at the moment and look what was found digging up an area to create a border! (The stone – of course – the dog is for scale!)
This will be used as a stunning part of the design of the garden. Watch this space!
Is your garden established and overflowing with plants that are outgrowing their space? All your friends gardens are already full with these plants too? Here are a couple of options to get flowers to other people’s gardens: You could go on freecycle and/or facebook and advertise them there (for free) or – if you have some passing traffic put out a sign next to some bags (old compost/pet food bags for example). Free plants – I tend to leave it up to individuals to put a donation to their charity.
That’s the spare plants sorted rather then going to the garden waste bin!
Taking time out – even or maybe especially in the busy spring time is really important. We do, in the end, create gardens for ourselves, so we should sit down and enjoy them too – not just weed and dig and prune – though that’s obviously important too!
Do you have enough seating in your garden? Having different perches in different parts of the garden (sunny / shady / secluded / with views / near the house) is important for your time out.
Do you have a water feature? Water is important for wildlife – and magical for ourselves.
If you have a pond – do you have access to it? There is nothing (in my book) like being close to the wildlife in your pond -maybe taking all the time a frog takes to watch a particular fly, stare at it some more and for a bit longer and then SNAP it up, shut it’s eyes for a second and then lick it’s ‘lips’ and swallow. The privilege to be close to wildlife is really life enhancing.
I’m delighted with all the help that Konia has given us for our garden. It’s a process that began last summer with an initial visit from Konia to my garden. Lots of ideas came out of that visit and a list of work required. Konia also provided details of local tradespeople who would do the work although we prefered to do it ourselves. In the spring, I arranged another visit from Konia to make up a planting list. I’m very keen to have wildlife friendly plants in the garden and Konia suggested a selection of plants that would benefit wildlife at different times of the year. Once I was ready for planting, Konia visited again to place the plants. I’ve really enjoyed the whole process. Konia has been very encouraging and understands the type of garden that suits me. I now have a plan for my garden and I’m looking forward to watching the plants mature. Next years project is a pond (a garden is never finished!) and I’ll be asking Konia for more advice.
