I’ve been a little remiss with my Instagram summaries. Nothing since March – it’s almost as though April and May didn’t happen, and now here we are at the end of August, having sighted the outriders of Autumn as the next season makes its way inexorably toward our gardens. But it’s always good to pause and take a look back at where we’ve been, just for long enough to inform the next steps we take on our gardening journey.
Read moreMarch in the garden
March 2018 – what the heck was that? Just as we were beginning to enjoy the first signs of spring, the Beast from the East brought snow and cold weather from Siberia. Twice. Thankfully for us, rumours of its return at the end of the month proved to be groundless, though our friends in the north were less fortunate. We just got very wet instead.
Read moreJanuary & February in the garden
From a dull grey start to a bitter, snowy end, winter has been topsy-turvy, and is now in the throes of a tantrum at being asked to go home. We may struggle to keep up; the garden, of course, takes all this in its stride.
Read more#thatwinterspringthing hashtag project
To the uninitiated, hashtags are probably the most confounding aspect to social media. But a little delving reveals them to be a powerful tool for cutting through the online flotsam and plucking related content out from the relentless flow of global chatter. As winter turns to spring, I’m launching a hashtag to encourage Instagram users to share their seasonal images.
Read moreNovember & December in the garden
It’s new year’s eve, but I’ll leave the annual gardening retrospective for others. For me, that doesn’t feel right till winter’s done and sowing seeds can begin in earnest, and we’re not quite there yet, although the seed catalogues are beginning to look well-thumbed. But I’ve not yet had a chance to look back through November and December in the garden as seen through my Instagram feed, so I hope you’ll join me as I review the past couple of months.
Read moreOctober in the garden
October has been mild and mainly dry in Kent, many trees still in leaf at the end of the month and no sign of a frost with sufficient bite to blacken the stems of the dahlias, which have flowered right through. There’s even some colour left in the borders, with salvias performing particularly well, and annuals like cosmos continuing to bloom with gusto. How long can it last?
Read moreAugust & September in the garden
By now, Autumn has well and truly got its feet under the table. With characteristic tardiness, I’m taking a look back at the past couple of months – the height of summer recently departed, as portrayed on my Instagram grid. Here’s my pick of the best images.
Read moreJune & July in the garden
The year is flying. We’re already weeks past midsummer, the days are beginning to draw in and early morning mists have arrived. June whisked by so fleetingly, Hampton Court was upon me before I knew it and I didn’t have time for a review of that month, so I hope you’ll excuse a double shot in this post. And before you ask, no, my yoga practice is still non-existent. Though I have been leant a kettlebell, which so far I have carried from the car to the front room. That should do it.
Read moreMay in the garden
May brought us sunshine and rain, burgeoning borders, a late frost and, of course, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It’s the month of the gardening calendar when everything goes a bit bonkers – in a wonderful, exuberant way. Always quite nice to reach the end with your sanity intact, and your body parts functioning, though by the final week I was being reminded of the need of a good stretch, and that its about time I really ought to be getting some serious yoga practice in.
Read moreApril in the garden
The sky threatens a downpour. Another four weeks of dry weather, and once more, just as the calendar flips over to the new month, the longed-for rain arrives – this time, to dampen the May Day festivities. But before we get to the glory and abundance of May, I’m taking a few moments to review April. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join me.
Read moreMarch in the garden
While the garden enjoys a drizzle of much needed rain after a glorious start to April, I’m taking a look back at March through my Instagram gallery.
Read moreFebruary in the garden
As trailed in my previous post, I’ve decided to start a series on the blog using highlights from my Instagram gallery to chart the garden through the year. And so, without undue ceremony, let me welcome you to the first post in that series. This week, as we get ready to leave winter behind, I'm taking a look back at February 2017.
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