Although the title of this post contain the words 'A Plan', this is more of a brain dump, general thoughts and musings about garden related stuff... a pre-plan let's say. I'm determined to be more prepared this year. I often plant things later than I could because it takes the temperature to rise for me to even think about planting seeds.

I asked for, and received, two propagators for my birthday last year and they've been sitting in my greenhouse patiently waiting to be filled.

Sophie alerted me to the fact that coral coloured sun flowers exist and I've been itching to plant seeds ever since. I grew sunflowers for the first time last year and enjoyed them so much I'm going to grow a lot more this year.

I'm also planning on growing more peas, not one single pea made it to the kitchen last year. They were all eaten, sun-warmed, directly from the plant. Delicious!

Cabbages will be planted again and this year but I'll be covering them up to protect them from being eaten by caterpillars. Cucumbers always grow well and I won't plant so many tomato plants this year as Andy is the only one who likes them. I always end up with many more than I can use or give away. 

If I'm really organised I'll get into a routine of planting spinach and lettuce leaves at regular intervals.

I have Bunny Tails grass Ammi, Honesty and Amaranthus seeds left over so they'll be planted again. The Bunny Tails I'll dry and pop into small vases around the house. I want to find other flower varieties that are good for drying too.

I need some more shrubs around the patio, and some for containers. I think box shrubs for the containers (which will stand either side of our patio steps), and I'd like some grasses to sway in the wind, and a few small trees for the hedgerow, but I'll need to investigate which varieties will stand the rigors of our open garden and not grow too big - any suggestions would be gratefully received :)

I was given a Magnolia plant for Christmas and wonder if it can be grown in a pot as rabbits, hare and deer eat almost everything planted in our front garden (they don't seem to venture into the back garden but the front is constantly being nibbled, we provide quite the buffet for local wildlife).

Strawberries! I want strawberries for the summer. And if I can get a fruit cage organised I'd love some raspberries and gooseberries too. This might be a step too far for this year, but we'll see.

I have some holes in the Beech hedge that need filling, which I think will need to be planted in early spring. And I want a lot more snowdrops for next year, and some more crocuses, I need to find out when to plant these, it's a piece of information that always escapes me. My forget-me-nots don't seem to do very well, they often get mildew, so I need to investigate. And after trying, and failing, to grow Erigeron from seed last year I might see if I can buy some plants instead and dot them around the garden.

I was given some solar lights for my birthday last year which need to be given outside homes, some will festoon (what a great word) our new pergola, others will hang in the trees.

I think that's enough to keep me occupied. I'm off to write a list and figure out what I need to do and when. I have a feeling that, with March almost upon us, some of these things can be done imminently so I better get a wriggle on!

The thought of spring arriving, and all these garden plans have put a smile on my face, I'm excited to get started!

xx

I spent a while reading some of my old blog posts, do you ever do this? I came across a post, written in 2016 about things I thought I couldn't wear. Since then I've tried some of the combinations with varying degrees of success.

I talked about how I couldn't do ankle boots and bare legs, I still can't, I feel a complete idiot. And wearing tights and open toe shoes has never happened in public. I did wear this combination at a wedding dress fitting once, but that really doesn't count (it does give me the opportunity to share a wedding dress photo though - never like to miss an opportunity, even 6 years on).

I mentioned wearing shirts under jumpers, at the time I couldn't make it work but I've obviously figured it out as it's something I do regularly now.

Head scarves still baffle me (I can't get them to stay on), but they are something I'd like to master. I did try neck scarves, and although I love this look on others, I didn't love it on me. I think perhaps the fabric was too stiff and that made it feel uncomfortable.

Others things are tights over shorts, coats worn over shoulders, slouchy beanie hats or berets worn on the back of your head (how do they stay on?), shirts knotted at the waist, and shirts buttoned all the way up. Although I've done the last two more than once since writing my original post, and they were things I though I'd never do.

It just goes to show we never really stop experimenting - and Yay for that!

Part of my plan to tackle impulse purchases for my Year of Less is to write down anything I think about buying and waiting before making a purchase.

So far this year I've not purchased a few things.

Everything I thought about buying in January would've been an online purchase due to being in lockdown which makes shopping easier to resist. I'm still not sure how I'm going to deal with impulse purchases when standing in a shop but for now, with essential shops still shut, this approach seems to be working.

1. Book

There was a reference book I wanted to read but the library was shut, I really didn't want to buy another book and then inspiration struck - an audio book. I checked the library app (thanks for the tip Betty) but the book I wanted wasn't available so I joined Audible for a month and downloaded it. Yes, I parted with some cash, but saving money isn't the goal, consuming less is the aim and a digital copy creates no clutter.

I don't think I'll ever abandon the printed page entirely, I love the feel (and smell) of books, but a few audio books won't do me any harm.

2. Phone chargers

Once upon a time we had three phone chargers with long cords, only one now works and it lives in the lounge for both of us to use. I wanted one by the bed so I could charge my phone and scroll. After some thought I realised I could use my power banks instead of letting them sit in a drawer largely unused. Now I keep them on my desk so they're not out of sight, out of mind. I've got into the habit of keeping them charged. Problem solved and no purchase necessary.

3. Pens

We used to have loads of pens floating about the place but we seem to be down to the last few. I decided a good quality refillable pen would be an eco friendly alternative to the stockpile of plastic disposable pens we've been using. When I started looking online I realised that if I was going to buy a pen to use long term I'd need to try it first, some pens just don't feel right in your hand do they? Others don't write nicely. I decided that I'd spend a while in WHSmith after lockdown. I haven't been yet obviously but it's something I am weirdly rather looking forward to. At some point I will make a purchase but it'll be one that lasts, until then I'm fiercely guarding my one remaining Biro.

4. Notebook

I wanted a notebook for a specific purpose. I had a very clear idea of the qualities it needed to have. I found one on the Paperchase website that ticked all the boxes but I stuck to my rule and waited a while to see if I still felt the need to buy it. I have plenty of unused notebooks, and having waited a while I decided to stop being so pernickety and just use one of those.

5. 2021 Diary

I buy a diary every year and write in it daily for a few weeks, sometimes into February or early March if I'm lucky, and then it's forgotten. I have a calendar to write appointments, birthdays, to keep track of deadlines and hours worked, and this gets used daily, all year round. But my diary just gets ignored, so for the first time in many years I decided not to buy one. I'm using last years as a notepad so it doesn't go to waste.

This wait-and-see system has stopped a few unnecessary items from entering our home, and I've saved approximately £50.00. Yes I'll probably spend some of that on a new 'forever pen' but in terms of using what I have, and limiting purchases I think I can call it a win. I just need to keep it up for the next 11 months, by which time I'm hoping it'll be second nature and impulse purchases will be a thing of the past.

In the summer a friend turned to me and admitted that she thought gardening was actually rather fun, as if admitting to liking something she shouldn't. I smiled and admitted in a conspiratorial fashion that I loved it.

I've always dabbled in the garden. It started when I was a child, I'd help my parents plant, weed, dig, and water. When I left home I wanted to add some colour to the concrete back garden of the shared house I was living in. My three male housemates had no interest so I had carte blanche to do as I pleased.

I can't believe that there are no photos of the little garden I created. It was a random collection of shrubs and flowers in container pots, that I lovingly watered every night and added to with addicted regularity. I was so cross one day when I realised that someone had walked in the back gate and stolen my newest plant, in it's brand new (and very pretty) pot. It was Mother's Day so I can only assume that a Mother somewhere received it as a gift. I hope she looked after it.

These days I have a bigger garden to play in. Whilst I still have loads of things I want to add, change, and develop it's seen quite a transformation since we moved in 9 years ago. Although a lot of what we have done I call anti-gardening - digging things up rather than planting them. And we're still not finished.

My love for container planting is still with me, some play host to evergreen shrubs, others to seasonal plants and flowers. Some of the shrubs that I transferred in pots from my old house have now been planted in the ground and it has a lovely feeling of continuity. I remember where I bought all of my plants, and I'm actually (and perhaps weirdly) rather fond of a lot of them.

I have a great fondness for shrubs, especially evergreens. I love that they have interest all year round, often transforming themselves with flowers at different times of the year. Not everything I have planted has been a success, so my gardening ethos is simple - if it thrives, leave it where it is, if it doesn't dig it up and find it a new home (which can sometimes be the compost heap). I'm learning as I go along.

I dabble with growing flowers too.

In recent years I've discovered the joys of growing edible plants from seeds in my greenhouse. We've eaten lettuce leaves rather a lot in years gone by thanks to my heavy handed sowing. I've had chives growing in pots since our first year here, which are the icing on the cake of scrambled eggs.

It's exciting to see a seed you've sown grow into something that thrives. I want to grow nasturtiums again this year, one because they are really pretty but also because I can add them to salads. One of my hanging baskets has been reserved for sweet peppers, and my brother is saving me some strawberry runners.

Getting up and watering all of my plants and seedlings first thing in the morning is a lovely part of my day, it's so relaxing.

And I enjoy the days when the cats join me either for a garden wander or falling asleep whilst I potter in the greenhouse.

The thought of spring's arrival is keeping me going through these dull, grey days.