Today has been a day of positive journeys. A long early morning run, unplanned but rewarded with the most delicate shimmering sunrise of pale gold. The start of my new book, contract agreed and signed, a new folder made for presentation, planning, copy and design and the beginnings of a flat-plan. Acceptance into the Garden Media Guild, which I’ve been meaning to submit work to for ages and thus felt validation on the work front plus this opens avenues for other work. A walk with a lovely friend, who I’m able to help on her journey back into work too. And an evening drink with a friend on The Flats, sitting down on a piece of tarp, still with the thermals on but so good to actually relax while catching up. I love walking but there’s something about being able to ground yourself and just hang out, no mission required.

The front garden has also come on, having done a good session yesterday moving Eurphorbia and pheasant grass seedlings from the back. Plants can be expensive so it’s always good to transplant from self-seeding specimens, filling up gaps and creating structure without breaking the bank. There’s also a lot going on now the sun is shining a bit. Drifts of alliums, oxyeye daises and foxgloves in their early vegetative state are highly visible now, as are last year’s border plantings of Heucheras and Alchemilla mollis.

The yellow tete-a-tete daffodils also make me realise that this quite dark north-facing garden is really brightened by the addition of yellow or light catching plants so going to make a plan to add some more of these elements in. A witch hazel in the far right corner by our kitchen window should bring us some late winter colour and scent or I may go for gold and get a mimosa tree, which would flower at the same time as the daffodils. All to play for. A day of journeys and a day of just rewards.