Let's grow together and get social this September

September 1, 2019

I’m a big fan of pottering in my greenhouse, nurturing seedlings and getting lost in the moment. For me it’s very relaxing and can provide a welcome relief from a busy life, and provide some time for mindful contemplation. But gardening doesn’t have be a solitary affair, for the big jobs in our garden, it’s always much better when MOH is involved, but it can be more than that too. Gardens and gardening can bring people together to share their experiences, and on allotments also the crops and flowers they grow.

Togetherness too has great value for our mental wellbeing, relieves boredom and provides social contact. Gardening clubs or events at the local garden centre are a good place to look for events that bring people together. But more community gardens are popping up around the country too, providing the opportunity for people to harden together, and it’s no wonder gardening is recommended for therapy and rehabilitation by health professionals.

Whether you’re swapping seeds, seedlings and spare plants - at work we have an online community for just this, trying to offload a glut of courgettes, or as in my previous job a colleague’s Bramley apples (yes please!), or asking for help to solve problems, sharing our love and knowledge of gardening helps us all grow together (and yes, pun intended)

Volunteer your gardening skills

Many of the finest gardens in the country welcome volunteers who can help in their gardens, if this is something you’re interested in, these links are a good starting point:

The gift of growing

Plants make a great gift, and are more sustainable than cut flowers. This month garden centres and nurseries are full of beautiful plants with seasonal colour, fruits and berries - yes, summer is on its way out for another year.

Look out for:

Long-flowering Alstroemeria (pictured above)
Hydrangea
Hebe
Pansies and violas
Heathers
Bluebeard and Chinese Plumbago - both blue plants, which I’m sure you’ll recognise.

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Cascades of colour

August 30, 2019

The flowers today are full of colour, and were a welcome burst of colour as we turned one of the corners on the second day of our Portuguese walk earlier in the summer. I didn’t know what they were at the time, but have since identified them as a Lantana.

The multi-coloured flower head is completely natural, they open yellow and mature to red. So the close up of the one above indicates it’s been flowering for a while, as there’s little yellow, much more of an orange. But it’s exquisite isn’t it?

Stepping back, the effect is stunning. Imagine facing that as you emerge from a cork forest, which was completely fascinating for other reasons, though obviously not as colourful.

Definitely a welcome burst of colour.

Post Comment Love 30 August - 1 September

August 30, 2019

Hello there and welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo a friendly linky where you can link any post published in the last week. Both Morgan and I know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked and share some of that love.

I’ve had a bit of a break from my blog this past week, and though not planned it was clearly needed. I’ve been in that overwhelm funk where you’ve lots to do but you’re not quite sure where to start, so in fact do nothing. Which doesn’t help when you review the mental list (or in fact the real one) but sometimes it’s just space that’s needed, and fretting or forcing it doesn’t work.

So I’ve read some books, got a bit further behind on all sorts of lists I have, but with some prioritisation changes I’m sure that everything that needs to be done, will happen. And some of it might not. But it’s not the end of world, and that’s both blog and work things.

I’ve made progress in other areas though including starting to edit my photos from Portugal, which is where this one originates from. I’ve many pictures of the tiles in Lisbon, some with ‘additions’ like the one below. I’m still figuring out if it’s graffiti (probably) or adds to the charm of the area close to where we stayed (also probably), or something else.

TILES, WITH A QUESTIONABLE ADDITION IN LISBON

Blogger Showcase

This spot is empty again this week, but you could feature as a future Blogger Showcase. All you need to do is answer our questions, or as many of them as you want, and send them to either Morgan or I. You can find details on my #PoCoLo page.