planning
11th March 2022
After some good, sunny days this week, today’s rain has me feeling downcast. Spring is just on the edge of happening, it only needs that tiny push and it will be here. But for now, it feels chilly and drab once more.
A glimpse of narcissus amount last year’s grasses
I’ve been reminding myself that it will not be much longer by peeking at the bright flashes of narcissus coming up in the garden. The buds on the apple and cherry trees are beginning to swell, and I have brought some cherry branches indoors in an attempt to force them to flower a bit early. There are seeds on the windowsill, and more that I need to plant waiting in the back porch.
Cherry branches in my living room
I’ve spent much of today snuggled in my chair catching up on website work (such as this blog post!), and planning the house and garden work coming up. Yesterday we put down a deposit to turn the shabby, leaky conservatory into a beautiful garden room. It is exciting to finally be doing something that I’ve been on/off dreaming for years!
The ancient UPVC conservatory will soon be a proper room!
This new space is to be a studio for me, instead of the third bedroom I use upstairs. Soon the boys will have separate bedrooms, and I will have a bright airy space that is perfect for small classes as well as working on my own art.
The idea of these small classes also has me considering the garden further. I have been rewilding for a few years now, giving up all use of pesticides and unnatural fertilisers for over five years, encouraging any wildflowers that decide to grow, refusing to replace the lawnmower when it broke 18 months ago. Wouldn’t it be great if my art classes could draw from the abundance of nature in my own garden? I am envisioning a place where visitors can get close up to insects, native flower species and seasonal change through creating art.
The books I am using to plan my garden
My garden is not far from this vision as it is, but a little careful planting and restructuring could make it so much better. I’m scouring my wild garden books for all the best ideas!