Inspired by my gardening hero Vita Sackville-West and other journaling female gardeners, I had intended to keep a month by month diary of my first year of growing under glass. But six months in and pen has not been put to paper. Until now.
So how has it been?
As a landscape designer I spend a lot of time thinking about plants, imagining them at different stages of growth and in different timeframes, but what I do is, to a large degree, quite removed from gardening. It actually involves a lot of sitting in front of a computer, some drawing and some writing, quite a bit of crunching numbers and a never ending job list.
Gardening and growing is, on the other hand, more experiential - it is about watching and learning, doing and nurturing. There is still a job list, but it is different, you have less control over it and the outcomes are not so assured. You can do the job ‘right’ and still not get what you want.
Has it gone to plan?
There have definitely been a fair share of things that haven’t worked out in the greenhouse this year. I’m not going make excuses about being distracted (though I was), prioritising some plants over others (which I did), starting late with my seedlings (not my fault!), getting used to the space (understandable), because the truth is that there will always be some things that turn out well and some that don’t. My successes this year will probably be different to next years, and those different to the year after. My focus will shift and my understanding and expectation of what can be achieved will grow and change. This year will be remembered as the year of the Tagetes tenuifolia, 'Lemon Gem' - glorious smelling edible Mexican Marigold, Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Cosmic mix’ - all yellows, oranges and crimsons - in one plant, and some spectacular Cypress cucumbers gifted to me by a pal. I will grow everything again… probably.
Has your thinking turned to next year yet?
Although the growing season is not over, and I’m enjoying the continuing harvest and ongoing floral display, my itchy feet are propelled forwards by thinking of the seasons ahead. I hate to say, but I am already thinking about what I want to grow next year. Top of the list is some seeds that I found in the house move. They were given to me years ago by the then head gardener at Gravetye Manor and are some beautiful type of sweet pea I was obsessed by. Unfortunately I have no idea which one, as the label on the white envelope he handed me them in, has long since faded. I’ll just have to grow them and then wait and see. The impatient designer being taught by nature to take her time - definitely year one’s take away.