I love Monday mornings. The start of a new week. A time for getting back to work. A time for new ideas and resetting habits. For the first time in months, this was a Monday morning that actually involved sitting down at my desk in my studio with a cup of tea and getting through my to do list on my own terms (as opposed to slotting tasks in between the needs of my best small people or various rennovators).
Today I start planning out my new book for Harper Collins, designed to help people find the right indoor and container plants for them, matching plants to lifestyles, personalities and passions. I’m looking forward to getting loads of herbal advice in there as well as evergreens, perennials and plants for wellbeing.
It’s very easy these days, with so much inspiring imagery of gardens at our fingertips to want to attain a certain look. It’s also easy to forget that some if not many of these gardens have been created by professional designers on a high end budget. Putting gardens together like the ones we see at Chelsea is expensive as plants need to be specially tended or included as mature specimens. The designers who put them together also have a wealth of knowledge and experience and work with teams of landscapers and horticulturalists.
Most real life gardens of that ilk take at least a few years to establish and even then there are many instances of trial and error. Gardens are also not a one size fits all kind of thing. Factors like size of plot, soil pH and texture, aspect, climate, shelter, sun and shade, seasonality, cost and time all make a difference and need considering alongside personal taste and style.
It’s been great to see a new raft of images coming to the fore recently that show the reality of gardening, from shots of gardens through the seasons to those that have just been planted out. The before and after shots of the garden world. The weeds and all variety. Because at the end of the day gardening should be a pleasure and part of that pleasure is related to slowing down, to working with nature.
On that note I had a great chat with a potential new client today, who is thinking along these lines too. Making gardening more accessible. Showing how to make the right garden for you. Can’t wait to get started with that.