Get ready, get set , sow …

My 2020 seed box is full, have I intentionally over stocked on plants to grow ? My resolute answer to this is “NO I HAVE NOT”. In reality, this amount is the norm. When it comes to choosing seeds for my flower and vegetable garden, resistance is futile. Believe me, I spend ages, trying to whittle my list down, these are my must haves over the last few years.

There are so many fabulous seeds to try out. Three years ago, I took one look at the image of Dahlia Black Beauty in the Thompson and Morgan catalogue, and was compelled to buy a packet. It continues to be my favourite Dahlia. A sowing in March, leads to truly gorgeous flowers by late July.

Time spent in my garden and greenhouse provides an immediate and immense sense of personal peace and calm, as I focus on growing, tending and observing the flowers I have grown.

I truly love it when friends come round, we sit around our big garden table talking and laughing, and our greenhouse parties are legendary… But this has all coming to an abrupt end for the time being – I will miss these times like mad. So, how am I going to get round this over the coming months ? It is really simple, I am going to share my flower and garden images with friends on various social media sites.

For Christmas , I gave my niece, a copy of Clare Nolan’s truly inspirational book “In Bloom”. I also promised a selection of seeds to enable George to fill her home with beautiful flowers this coming summer.

George’s seeds have been being posted off. They are a mixture of tender and half hardy annuals, which I consider straightforward to grow, and most importantly incredible to look at.

The third and last part of my present, was to explain how to do this. From now on in, my blog will focus on this.

Today, I started sowing my own garden, which instantaneously provided me with something really positive to do. It was great just having a couple of hours to start thinking about planning my garden. I decided a glass of wine was required to toast the first seeds.

The kitchen windowsill is not quite full of what you might consider to be standard floral delights, however I love looking at this collection, as I wash the pots up.

Why not join me on my weekly flower and veg growing journey ? I will attempt to offer any gardening advice that comes my way.

Why not join in ? All you require is a few packets of seeds, some sort of seed tray, compost and a growing space, whether that is a windowsill, window box, container, raised bed, greenhouse, polytunnel or an entire garden.

Growing your own flowers and food is a great opportunity to contemplate lots of things including finding your own way through this rapidly unfolding unprecedented period in our life time. I have no idea what is going to happen over the coming months, but I do know I will have made my family and I a beautiful garden just to be in.

First up next week will be a list of some of my favourite flowers and veg, and a review of Clare Nolan’s great book ” In Bloom”. ( I have asked Clare’s permission to do this, and she said “yes” ) Come on everyone, lets get growing together.