Finally making it to the tulip fields
I have wanted to see the tulip fields for years, so finally making it to Keukenhof and Amsterdam this week felt a bit like a bucket-list flower trip.
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The first spring bunch makes everything feel better
I do not think there is much that lifts my mood more at this time of year than picking the first proper spring bunch from the garden. It always feels like the reward for all the months of waiting, protecting and planning.
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Dahlia tubers on the bench and spring starting to show
It finally feels as though spring is beginning to show itself properly now. There are more bulbs open, the days are milder and I have reached that point where the dahlia tubers come out and start taking over every available surface.
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Trying not to panic about all the rain
I think most of this fortnight has been spent looking out at the rain and wondering what on earth it is doing to the garden. Everything feels soggy, slightly battered and a bit behind, and I am trying very hard not to catastrophise.
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The crocuses are out and I am already thinking about dahlias
The crocuses are finally out and I had the loveliest little bumble bee wobbling around in them this week, which felt like the first proper hint that spring is inching closer.
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More ranunculus, more snapdragons and a bit more faith in shade
The end of January has arrived and I am already sowing too many things. The latest batch has been more ranunculus, more snapdragons and probably more optimism than is strictly sensible.
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Still tucking everything in against the cold
The cold spell has meant one main job this week: fleece on at night, fleece off again in the morning, and trying to remember it before bedtime. It is not glamorous, but it matters at this time of year, especially when I have got ranunculus and other autumn-sown things I am trying to shepherd through winter.
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