Whenever I read a chapter of a gardening book or look up how to prune a shrub or train a climber or whatever, I realise how much there is to learn and how little I still know. I also know that once I've read how to look after it there will be something else demanding my attention and then I won't recall the first lot of advice. The good thing is that there is always somewhere to find out the best course of action in dealing with gardening queries.
I suppose I wanted this blog to be all things to all people but I'm no expert and it would be wrong of me to try to dispense advice, especially as you may be so much more experienced than I am. Gardening depends on many factors; different soil conditions, the weather in different parts of the country, where you place your plant; all sorts of things. So I am keeping my blog simple - it's literally just a wander through my garden and me sharing my plans for it with you. Nothing more, nothing less.
I'd really like you to come along; to walk beside me and see what I see but I realise that what I love may leave you unimpressed. So, all I can do is explain what it means to me; what I see, smell and learn whilst I dig, weed, plan, dream of and love this brown earth that is home to so many amazing plants.
Right now, the little 'Trail of Tears' bean that Luke planted to replace a half eaten one has just poked it's head up out of the ground. It is still wearing it's little brown cap which was the shell of the planted bean. It will shrug that off as it reaches up for the blue of the sky and grows each day into a tall, climbing youth of a plant. It's all magical, if you look for the magic.
The first potatoes were dug on Sunday. Two plants were lifted and shaken from the ground to feed Luke's Mum and stepdad. We dug the egg-sized spuds, boiled them quickly in bubbling, salted water with two freshly tweaked stems of garden mint, drained and replaced over the heat whilst tossing them in butter and coarsely ground salt. What a glorious meal that first bowl of new potatoes always is. It reminds me that food doesn't need hiding under a thick bechemel sauce but can be simply served to let it's real flavours sing out. A cherry tomato, plucked straight off the vine and savoured in the mouth as it bursts like a sunray on your tongue - it's just bliss. It is also cheap, healthy and fresh. Oh, and did I say something like tomatoes or potatoes can be grown on a high rise balcony or in a handkerchief size courtyard?
No comments:
Post a Comment