Tuesday 18 June 2013

Green Fingers

"So then," says Younger Dad, "the garden is your responsibility, I will mow the lawn."

"Oh," I replied.

My fingers certainly aren't in cahoots with the earth. No, definitely not green. I don't enjoy the gritty sensation of soil particles under my nails. The idea of worms wrapping around my fingers. Slug spittle gobbed on stems.

I can't remember the last time I had a garden. I think it was nine years ago. Brambles and nettles. Nettles and brambles. Before that? My home of origin. Sycamore trees. Bluebells. Fat peonies.

When I surveyed our new garden, all I saw was a massive tangle of overgrown weeds. When was the last time this poor garden received care and attention? The previous owners had let it go somewhat, the scene before me mirroring my dark chocolate habit...

Out. Of. Control.

Creeping buttercups - advancing armies of assaulting yellow - choked the flower beds, attacked the gravel pathway. Gangs of dandelions glared with 'what'ya look'in at luv' malicious intent. Tall green villains bullied the remaining shrubs maybe once planted with an 'English garden' vision in mind.


























Tools were bought. A pokey prodder thing. A shovel thing. A fork thing. Little A had her very own yellow bucket and blue watering can. Then a week ago, project weed began in earnest. I donned my gardening gloves and began uprooting the green invasion with fervent abandon, hacking away a few feet every day. And while my hands dug in, pulling out wiry white roots, dismantling the intruding infrastructures, Little A collected snails in her bucket, named the ants crawling around her ankles, made brave attempts climbing the silver birch.


























And then I made a delightful discovery. One that took me by surprise.

It turns out I love gardening. 

And it works wonders for PMS.

My gardening gloves grew holes. And I didn't mind the crumbs of earth that fell inside. Or the worms my flowered-fabric fingers touched. As each unwanted weed was thrown in the bucket, another bad thought was tossed away. Turning the soil grounded the hot coals in my toes. Cool, calming, stable earth.

The flower beds are now cleared. The soil, dry and naked. A big shop at the gardening centre beckons.

I can't wait.

So far, I have placed the gift of a lavender tree beside the garden fence, planted French lavender papillon - their feathery heads like Native American head dress, potted burgeoning tomato and courgette plants.

Next week, Little A's Jack-and-the-Beanstalk sunflower will find a new home in the borders.








Mammasaurus - How Does Your Garden Grow?


69 comments:

  1. I find gardening to be very relaxing and fruitful.

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  2. It looks beautiful. I dream however of a plastic garden, astro turf, and purple polythene trees, and giant pink flamingos. And a hawaiian themed bar. And a fountain with a huge statue of Elvis. Luckily I live in a flat with no garden, so the world of the outdoors is safe. For now...

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    1. Loving the vision of your plastic garden - Hawaiian Bar = yes! That's the thing with gardens, it's like an extra room to tidy!

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  3. I love it Sarah, your plants are looking fabulous. Gardening is definitely my therapy. You'll love it even more when you can just sit out with a glass of something cool in your hand and enjoy all your hard work x

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    1. Thank you Nichola! I hope I get the chance to sit out this Summer - it hasn't been the best weather so far! Maybe I shall drink wine and admire from the window. X.

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  4. I'm so thrilled you have discovered a love of gardening! I find it myself totally lost in my garden, so theropeutic. I can't wait to see how your garden progresses x

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    1. Thank you lovely! It's any excuse to get outside now! I am looking forward to digging in and creating something lovely! X.

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  5. Oh this could have been written totally about me lovely. I too discovered that I find gardening therapeutic and works wonders for my PMT!! Beautiful shots as always xx

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    1. I don't know how but it just helps the monthly mood swings and temper. What a great discovery. Thank you. X.

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  6. That really is the best discovery! Gorgeous pictures, and words, as always! :)

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    1. It certainly was! Thank you very much indeed! :o)

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  7. A lovely post and gorgeous pictures x

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  8. Yay Yay Yay - lovely garden, gorgeous pics. A life time of enjoyment x.

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    1. Thank you very much. It is incredibly enjoyable. X.

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  9. I love the photos and 'gangs of dandelions'! Unfortunately my green-less fingers have killed to many plants for me to have a go at gardening ;-) x

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    1. Thank you very much - I've made dandelions threatening! X.

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  10. I grow things because it's cheaper than therapy. It's an addiction, but at least it's not a harmful one. Happy gardening!

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    1. And you are quite right - it is cheaper than therapy. I couldn't think of a nicer thing to be addicted to!

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  11. So pleased you are hooked. I happened to me too - said I had a life not a garden but bought a flat when I had a hangover and so got a garden then got the bug.

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    1. It just grabs you doesn't it? Something very satisfying about pulling up those weeds.

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  12. Lovely post and one I can identify with! I was at a loss with our garden when we first moved into our house too, but once you get stuck in it can be amazingly therapeutic as you say. At least Little A had the creepy crawly job!

    Fab photos too xx

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    1. Thank you very much! It's so calming, and I always feel I've done something worthwhile pottering in the garden. Little A keeping the creepy crawlies entertained is fine by me! X.

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  13. It's so rewarding so quickly, I'm discovering too. I love your photos. You're making it beautiful and yours! Mine is also transformed - tell you about it soon. So glad you're enjoying your new home so much :)

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    1. Tell me about it! It's such a tonic for the soul. Well done you on getting your students to sort the garden out. De-weeding makes such a difference. Thank you lovely! X.

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  14. It just goes to show - in amongst the tiredest of gardens there can be beauty and if we try new things, we might be surprised! I'm slowly beginning to take an interest in our garden - perhaps we're getting old?! So lovely to get Little A involved and I love her cute little bucket and space :)

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    1. I must say, that's it's been a complete revelation to me - gardening! Today I broke the bank balance and have bought a garden playhouse for Little A! (she doesn't know yet - it's a surprise). :o)

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  15. I was the same, never liked gardening until I tried growing some herb seeds and got the bug. Hubby and I spent that first year totally redesigning our garden which used to be just grass, weeds and a rubbish pond and ended up with a place that relaxes and delights me :)
    The first thing I did this morning when I got up was go into the garden and give the plants in the pots some water and pulled up some weeds. I used to get up and do nothing until I'd had coffee but now I can't wait to get out there every day :)

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    1. Sounds like you have made your garden look absolutely lovely now.... it's a great project to have - and how nice, that the first thing you do on a morning is water the plants.... and now you have reminded me, I need to go water mine! :o).

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  16. I love lavender, but mine haven't flowered yet. Lovely photos!

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    1. Just the best smell isn't it? Thank you!

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  17. Gardening rools! Not that I do that much at the moment but I do love it - I find just walking and looking at plants to be really therapeutic lately, may be I am getting old. *that's your cue to tell me I'm not...*

    I love your photos - especially the lavender - my favourite plant of all. Mainly as Papasaurus hates it so I have planted it everywhere ;)

    See you tomorrow! EEEE!

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    1. ..... Your not old! And you will never be as old as me :o). Me too - I just love spending time in the garden - it just chills me out. I just love lavender. The aroma is just heavenly.

      It was so lovely to meet you at Britmums. Wished I could have chatted more to you! X.

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  18. Loving your green-fingered work! I'm hoping to pick up your skills when we have a garden of our own later this year. When I was younger, I was horrified at the thought of gardening but now I think I'd quite like it.

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    1. Thank you my dear! I can say with confidence that I think you will really enjoy gardening, especially the one in your new home - it can be come quite an extension of the interior, you just want it to look nice. :o).

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  19. lovely pictures. ha! gardening is the new pms savior :)

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    1. Thank you! And it really, really does help with the pms! :o).

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  20. Gorgeous pics and so glad you're enjoying gardening! Doesn't always come easy - my sister just assumed she'd like it when they moved to a place with a garden, but it didn't happen, she never felt the love. I did though, when we first got here. Quite sure it kept me sane when OH was away, the kids were tiny and I was tied to the house. Hadn't a clue what I was doing, but it always made me feel better! Still have so much to learn.
    Best of luck at the weekend xx

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    1. Thank you very much, and I am loving it. I'm really feeling the love now - have been out in it most of this weekend planting all sorts of new things. I feel the same way as you - don't really have a clue what I am doing - but it makes me feel good! And the weekend was great, thank you. X.

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  21. Lovely post. Love the flowers!

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  22. I would not like to do it all the time but I find gardening sessions quite therapeutic too!
    Now living in a top flor flat I only have a terrace to tend to but have managed quite a few plants, herbs and flowers.
    Who knows, I may have a garden again one day...
    Hope you will post photos of your "finished" garden. xx

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    1. They certainly are. Like you, I'm not out in the garden all the time. I think terraces make lovely places for lots of lovely urns and pots, and by the sounds of it, you've made yours look lovely!

      My aim is to photo diarise my garden project. X.

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  23. Wow you have a beautiful garden there and I love your photos. I am a rubbish gardener and end up killing stuff mostly. I'm lucky with our creeping ivy though, it makes everything look very pretty :)

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    1. Creeping ivy is lovely! I am but a novice to all this gardening malarky but so far, I've found it very, very relaxing. :o)

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  24. Beautiful as usual.
    Are you better honey?
    x

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    1. Thank you. Feeling better. And great to see you at Britmums. X.

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  25. Lovely, and how therapeutic! I like a bit of hacking back the garden when it's needed. The satisfaction of 20 or so heavy duty rubbish sacks full of garden waste, lined up to take to the tip! Lovely photos.

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    1. Thank you, and it is indeed, very good for the soul. I love hacking it all back too - so satisfying.

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  26. Oooh French lavender you lucky lady, I can't grown that in my garden your garden looks fab

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    1. It was a gift and so far it's growing nicely - my garden is a bit of a blank canvass at the moment!

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  27. What a beautiful post. I do the same with gardening but actually I enjoy getting stuck in and making it look nice. I love taking close-ups as you've probably gathered! Yours look great. See you at BritMums!!

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    1. Thank you very much! At the moment my garden is like a blank canvas - I look forward to getting stuck in. Fab meeting you at Britmums!

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  28. What a wonderful discovery! I wish I had a garden not that I would be any good at it but I would try and the wee man would have the space to explore. Good luck with it all.

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    1. It was, and took me by surprise too! You have some wonderful parks around where you live don't you? Thank you.

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  29. well you know how much I love my garden, so pleased you have a space of your own now! At least YD will mow the lawn, I am in charge of everything, its hard work! I should really wear gloves shouldn't I. Lovely photos xxx

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    1. Your garden is gorgeous. I am very pleased to have one now! You don't wear gloves - are your hands very dry per chance? Thank you. X.

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  30. Lovely lovely lavender - and it looks like your Japanese anemones are looking healthy too. There is something very wholesome about pulling up a bucket full of weeds x

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    1. Thank you very, very much. Oh so that is what those red dangling things are!!! Now I know - thank you :o). X.

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  31. It's fabulous to discover you really enjoy something new. Lucky you.
    I love the photos and I definitely approve of Lavender - gorgeous smell. I'm with caught writing, I like the pruning - very theraputic :0), you can always rely on me to give the garden a really good haircut/slash everything to stumps!

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    1. I am! Very therapeutic indeed. Lavender is one of my favourite smells. I cut things down to stumps too. Was meaning to get out on the garden today but still too tired from the weekend!

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  32. Yay! You've got the gardening bug! Hooray! Stunning pictures. We bought some tiny baby lavender seedlings to grow a lavender hedge. Hopefully it will be alive with the buzz of busy bees.
    A lovely post x

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    1. I certainly have! Thank you. A lavender hedge sounds lovely.... it smells so nice. X.

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  33. Looks like you've been bitten by the bug, so to speak! Your photos are fabulous and I have no doubt your garden will be too!

    A great read, thanks :-)

    xx Jazzy

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    1. Hey Jazzy! Thank you - I have. But apart from the above, I haven't much else to photo. X

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  34. Exciting! I love gardening. Well, I love cultivating - it's the artist in me I think. Our garden is in a semi-neglected, ready to be ripped out and started again, state. i can't wait until it's the place I designed, so that I feel the excitement again...

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    1. Thank you! I've well and truly caught the bug now - when it gets to a Sunday evening, I am always thinking about another trip to the garden center during the week!

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  35. So beautiful!! You're inspiring me to tackle the jungle outside my back door!

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    1. Thank you very much. I highly recommend it - you will feel really good about it afterwards!

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