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Growing and Going

All those months trying to sell our previous house seem like a different age now. Home, in the end, is where the heart is, but as physical places go, this feels like somewhere to settle. We make bread and bake cakes, there’s homemade marmalade in the kitchen cupboards and we’re gradually sorting out the garden.

A year ago we discovered that seedlings don’t like to go in the ground too early here – the poor runner beans suffered especially in the cold, but now we’ve begun planting out in earnest. I was very excited this week (not sure what my younger self would say about that) to find trays of poor, thirsty, neglected bedding plants at B&Q for 10-50p per tray. We went a bit mad and spent three pounds on what should have been thirty-three pounds worth of plants; not all of them plants I’d normally choose, but we’ve rescued them and they’ll make a lovely splash of colour.

Marigolds to zap the carrot fly.
Bargain bedding plants.

The hedge is busting out all over.

The new shed in the sunshine.

Those red hot pokers are back.

Where the wild things are!

In other news. Tom and I are off to the Millennium Centre this Saturday for a big ol’ chunk of opera. Yes, it’s Tristan und Isolde, payback time for making Tom endure so much Puccini. 

And on Monday, my younger daughter, Rose and I are off to the Hay Festival where we’ll be helping to celebrate twenty-five years of the remarkable Honno Press. I’m so looking forwards to catching up with old friends and meeting lovely Juliet Greenwood there. Hurray!


Comments

Flowerpot said…
I can't plant marigolds as my cat eats them! The garden looks wonderful Chris and so glad you are settling in so well. Enjoy the summer, opera and Hay festival - sounds great!
Teresa said…
I have the same sense about my new (well, not so new now, but after moving 6 times to stay in one for 10 years I'm keeping the feeling and holding to it ahahah) house.

It was the first with garden and I'm always appaled how longer things take to grow (but for weeds) and how timings are so meaningful in Nature.

But enjoying, the same as you, the aspects of Country Life. I guess it's the ancient recolector in us that make us crave for auto-suficiency.

Enjoy the full program ahead. You are a person so full of life and energy it's mesmerizing to witness. Go Chris!!!! :)
Lins' lleisio said…
I promise not to show my bottom. What a wonderful garden and such green fingers you have, very envious. We went to an opera last year and loved it (our first time) and I've never made it to the Hay Festival yet... one year. Enjoy both events, you deserve it.
Jane Lovering said…
Oh, beautiful garden, and with proper plants in! And a shed! I now have terrible garden envy. Oh well, I shall stare at my nettles and docks and pretend they are meant to be there.
Enjoy Hay, hope you have a fabulous time there!
Jenny Beattie said…
Now I believe that the sun shines there every day! I love the bargain plants and the red hot pokers remind me of my childhood in the 70s. Ah the nostalgia.
It sounds like you are really embracing your new, well newish, country life Chris. You did well with those nifty little plants -what a bargain!

Enjoy Hay and congrats to Honno Press on their anniversary.

Jeanne
x
Your garden looks gorgeous. I love those plants and I think your shed is probably the same design as the one I'm sitting in right now.

I hope you had a lovely time at the opera and at the Hay Festival.
Chris Stovell said…
Oh, I didn't know cats liked marigolds, Sue ... I'll look out for them eating ours!

Six times, Teresa! Gohs, no wonder you're happy to be in one spot now. Yes, it's strange, isn't it, that craving to put down physical as well as emotional roots.
Oh you, you're making me blush now!

Pleased to hear that someone's got some self-control, Lins!! The garden's very much a a work in progress so I'm not sure that I've got the green-fingered gene from Ma. Fortunately Tom's taking care of the vegetable garden!

Oh,we've a pretty good crops of nettles, Jane, but I thought the shed was more photogenic! Hay report coming soon.

Not today, Jennie! Actually, we can't complain as the weather passes through quickly here(unless there's a sea mist)so there's plenty of variety.

Jeanne, we didn't really make the most of our previous garden as we wanted to move, so it is lovely to enjoy it here. Thank you.

Hi Debs, I mustn't show your shed to ours as yours is an icon rather than a shed! Thank you!

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