I would absolutely love, love, love to be able to paint my fruit and vegetables like this. This is a painting by Susan Hillier, a very successful botanical illustrator who has worked for British Rail and holds exhibitions of her work regularly.
I’m not sure I’ll ever be that good but I’d like to have a go at just recording some of the produce that I grow, if nothing else. It looks like fun!
I remember when I did Art A Level at college and while everyone else was doing abstract paintings in a Georges Braque style I was hunched quietly in a corner doing a watercolour of a beefsteak Tomato. Ha ha! I was a strange child.
Anyway, the nerd in me wants out. Enthusiasm I have. But I’m currently looking into doing a course to get me pointed in the right direction regarding skills. Anyone have any experience of botanical illustration? Tips, links?
Yesterday I suddenly noticed how beautiful my shed is. The sun was streaming in through the window and catching on the Coriander seeds that I have hanging up to dry. My lone pumpkin has pride of place on the bench making everything look Autumnal and just a little bit orange and my pruning saw looks positively vicious (must remember to keep that away from the kids!). Even the tub of Rooster Booster and Tomorite adds a certain 21st century charm. I just love it.
There’s something very Autumnal about sheds too. Maybe because it’s slightly warmer in there and a good place to retreat to when your fingers get cold.
But also I realised that I love the colours, shapes and texture of my pots, tools, wooden seed trays and the whole feel of the place. What I’d love to do is fix the roof and put some reclining chairs in there – beat up ones that were just really, really comfy. Then I’d have some electricity run down there and plug in a heater. And then I’d sit there with my seed packets, and tools and read gardening books. Not the ones that tell you what to do every month but the ones that tell you about real gardens and the real people that tended them. I love those ones.
My little one is crawling. Hence, I don’t see much of him these days. He’s busy either going this way…
…or that. Chasing the cat out of the catflap, investigating the cat bowl. Eating fluff. Trying to open the dishwasher. The important things in life.
Even trying to get a photo of him is a blurry impossibility.
And when it comes to changing his nappy – no chance.
Devon, I love you and your little wiggly bum.
I often think that I’m giving Jackson, my eldest boy, a great and varied experience in the garden. I grow a bit of everything and so he can see where most vegetables come from. What I failed to understand is that he gets to see my garden and the way I have laid it out every day, but as a small boy he wants to explore new gardens and see how they look from his perspective.
He wants to water sunflowers until they’ll never need water again. Heck, even the hosepipe with its ‘different’ nozzle was a hit.
He wants to wash veg in a bucket – not in the sink like mummy does it.
He wants to scrummage around for Potatoes under plants that are taller than he is!
And rummage for Broadbeans…
…with someone who will happily carry his harvest in her skirt.
What a lovely morning we spent at our local community garden in the park. An enchanting place that is completely different to my garden and that’s why I love it.
I went to Kilver Court Gardens recently. I had been to the gorgeous farm shop many times for coffee and cake in the wood panelled room with the open wood fire but I’d never been to the gardens.
It was smaller than I expected, very tranquil with a huge disused viaduct running through the middle. Not usual for your average garden huh? Although the main planting is a little bit 70s style (think rockeries, heathers, and conifers of every shape) it’s totally mesmerising with its tiny pathways bridges and water features – and for kids nothing short of garden heaven.
There was also a hidden kitchen garden, tucked away behind some impressively old wooden gates. Although a bit sparse at the time it did sport some Martock Bean seedlings.
The Martock Bean, first mentioned in the middle ages, is a type of small broad bean from Martock in Somerset. It was rediscovered in the Bishop of Bath & Wells’ vegetable garden. The owner of Kilver Court was given six beans and has since grown over 6000 plants. Quite impressive. I just wish they had sold some of the seed in the shop – I would have bought some!
The small herb garden had, I counted, four different types of Chives, including this flat leaf, small flowered version (I don’t know the variety).
Are you growing Runner Beans this year? I seem to flick from one extreme to the other with Runner Beans. One year I’m in love with them and the next I’ve had enough.
They are very easy to grow and can in some cases take over your garden and they are certainly prolific producers as anyone who works in an office will testify – bags and bags of Courgettes and Runners being swapped around.
But… they do taste great when they’re home-grown and far, far better than the shop bought ones. And this year there is even a campaign in the UK to get us growing them. Now is the time to direct sow Runner Beans, and erect that epic bean pole structure that will be the envy of all your neighbours.
I recently visited a garden where there was such a crazy structure for Beans that I simply had to photograph it.
I just love the way it is strung together in such a haphazard way. I suppose eventually you won’t see it as it will be covered with Runners but it still made me laugh.
If anyone can beat this for craziness I’d love to see it!
I love this photo of my little garden helper. He likes to carry plants around, but never plant them! Notice the wellies on the wrong feet. Priceless!
This is my desk. I don’t get to sit at it much these days as most of my posts are done sitting at the kitchen table while bouncing a baby on my knee but… today is different. Today I have two whole hours to work with as my husband is looking after the kids. And today I’m sitting at my lovely desk with all my books around me, some of my Tulips in a vase and nice hot cup of coffee next to my laptop.
Of course I’ve tidied it for the photo – everyone wants to look good in a photo, right? It’s normally a bit messier than this, but only a bit since I’m quite a tidy person.
Today I’ll be working on an article that I’m writing for a new magazine that’s coming out here in the UK, called Handmade Living, out on 28th April. I’ve already written one for them on growing Tomatoes and this is the second one which will be all about growing Salads. I’m really enjoying getting back into magazine writing. Although, my first love will always be my blog!
Happy Friday and may you all be as productive as I plan to be :)
Devon went for a walk yesterday and experienced his first snow! Well, when I say experienced, he participated. He seemed to enjoy it and responded by sleeping. What more can you do when you’re only 6 days old!
Jackson, couldn’t believe his eyes and was amazed that his new favourite story book ‘Charlie and Lola: Snow is My Favourite and My Best’ had actually come true.
I had my baby yesterday. Here he is, his name is Devon. He was a week early but I was expecting him because my first born, Jackson, was three weeks early and the midwife told me that this baby would come on Saturday – I don’t know how she knew, lucky guess I expect, but she was right!
For those who are interested it went a little bit like this:
- 5am woke up with mild cramps coming 20 minutes apart.
- These lasted for around three hours.
- Called the hospital and they said to wait another hour and if they get stronger to come in.
- They did and I did.
- By 10:30am we had arrived at the hospital and my contractions were around nine minutes apart and the midwife confirmed that I was 4cm dilated. She suggested I go for a walk and come back in an hour.
- As she walked away I had another contraction and my waters broke.
- Within 10 minutes my contractions were two minutes apart and getting too painful to cope with.
- The midwife came back and suggested we go to a delivery room. The time was 11:50am.
- I had requested a water birth and so they were filling up the birthing pool. However, I never made it to the pool because I couldn’t stop myself from pushing and after just three pushes Devon was born at 12:04.
The midwife said she would have liked a little more notice, I said, ‘So would I!”
But despite his quick arrival Devon is just perfect and actually looks exactly like Jackson did when he was first born. He’s doing the usual newborn thing of sleeping a lot and making us all think he is a little angel baby. Something that I’ve no doubt will change over the next day or so.
But at the moment we’re enjoying his snuggles and doing a lot of lazing around and eating ready-meals from the freezer. Jackson meanwhile is intrigued by what has happened but is very happy with his new doctor’s kit that Devon bought and wrapped for him on his way home from the hospital. Clever baby!
