Letter to the Garden June 2022

Dear Garden

Well its been a bit of a busy time hasn't it?  Lots going on in the garden and lots going on all around in general.  Feels more like old times despite I am not being totally convinced it is like old times.

There is such a lot to do at the moment isn't there?  Yet you still feel like my place of calm.  You have always been my oasis: before and during the lockdowns and now I am back in the office more it makes time with you even more precious.  Suddenly having my time more restricted again as my commute resumes into a more frequent pattern, focuses the mind to get on with what needs to be done.

I have been feeling more connected to you, my dear garden, than I have for a while.  I say this as if I knew I was not feeling connected to you; but this is not how it has been, I think we drifted.  I did not realise that I was maybe just a brief step of disconnect away from you, just like the satellite delay the message was coming through but it was taking a little longer than it should and was not quite in sync.  Only when we are completely in sync do I realise that the disconnect was there.  It's like when buttoning up a shirt and you get to the top and there is a button left over, you have to look down to see which button has missed being in the right button hole.  The shirt is done up, but there is an unseemly draught.

And I even know what the disconnect is/was.  I know that I am not great at maintenance, I like new ideas and I like new projects.  In the last twelve months there have been new developments in you my dear garden and that has made me realise how much I care about all of you.  It also makes me look at the front garden in increasing despair, but less of that, that is for another day.

The Exotic Border has been developing quickly since the arrival of the tree ferns.  Suddenly it has the focus that I lacked.  I have planted a couple of Musa bajoo into the border and also a few (yes more than one) hostas to be underplanting.  Who knew I would ever willingly plant hostas?  This never seemed on the cards, but there they are, looking rather good.  The border itself is increasingly shady due to the large upper foliage so this is making me have to think more creatively and I like this, I like being made to think.

The Pond Border has been giving me moments of unhappiness, you know this dear garden.  Over a period of several years it has not quite pleased.  Bits of it are fine, but the middle bit just is not working; the middle bit that is the majority of the border and faces most squarely the back of the house.  At first it was over-rosed, well, I am not sure you can really over-rose. I had too many roses of the same colour close together and it made a block/barrier that was not good.  I removed a couple of the roses and it opened up the space nicely, but now the border is too flat in that section. Also it lacks the amount of colour that I like.  It is all a bit too green a lot of time.  So purchases have been made as what I really needed were more blues.  Dear garden, you are somewhat pink and whilst I have no issue with pink, I need something to set it off and give it more oomph.  Dear garden we all benefit from a little oomph don't we?  Time will tell how successful this is but I am very excited at the prospect of how it will look.   Next year I hope will see the planting come to fruition, next year.....

So dear garden we are in love again, I know we never fell out of love and I did not think I could love you more, but I do.

Until the next time my dear garden,

Your loving garden xx

Take care and be kind.

For more from the Blackberry Garden follow me on Twitter Facebook and Instagram

Comments