It feels like the hundred and fiftieth post in this series should mark a momentous occasion, and in a way it does, sort of. A Covid kind of way, of course, what else? Even though the restrictions had changed before now, this past weekend was the first time we’d visited a garden since they had. Mostly that’s because, despite being a planner, this planner prefers a bit of spontaneity. This was severely tested though when I tried to book entry to a garden, any garden, on the Early May bank holiday, which is how we found ourselves with a booking at RHS Wisley last weekend. There were no bookings to be had at such short notice and so the planner in me kicked in.
The forecast was for wet weather, which also dampened my plans for a picnic. While soup would have been the optimum choice, it’s hardly normal picnic food, and I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. As it turned out we were relatively lucky with the weather - warm showers - and after a treat steak dinner (the delivered, cook at home sort) we weren’t that hungry in any case, so a coffee and a warm sausage roll did the job just fine.
It was odd, but good, to see people giving each other a wide berth and with the glasshouses and alpine houses still shut (we visited before 17 May when they reopened) we discovered new paths and spaces, in particular the area full of flowering rhododendrons and camellias, which at this time of year was a great time to visit.
The colours! Not even MOH calling them Rosie-dendrons (as he does) could detract from their brilliance.
There were paler tones too, this very pale lemon one was spectacular but there were also pale pinks and bright white rhododendrons too. They’ve certainly cemented their place on my plant “to get” list, which in their case is a plant to get list when I have a garden that’s appropriate, so I’ve a little while to wait just yet.
The only thing that could out-dazzle the rhododendrons was the lichen - so to get both, and plenty of it - no words! There was of course much more to see and these delicate succulents tumbling out of an urn were right at the start of our visit and it’s such a calming photo I had to include it here.
As we were walking around the gardens I was marvelling that things were “out already” and then quickly realising it’s May already and it’s perfectly normal for plants to be flowering. It was the Lily of the Valley that made me stop and think, ours aren’t close to flowering so it was good to get a glimpse of these. Dad has also said that his clematis is about 3-4 weeks behind where it normally would be, it’s not surprising though really is it, given the weather.
A few weeks back you’ll remember I set my word for this year and set about making my priorities my priority. I knew then that one of my big challenges would be logging off more timely, and on more reflection the very obvious came to me. That’s that we all always have choices and often we are the ones that can make them happen. That sounds more cryptic than it’s meant to be, but it’s true and not exactly rocket science. It’s not necessarily easy, and knowing how much I like a target I’ve set myself a target of logging off by 6pm four days a week. It really isn’t easy, the first week I didn’t manage it at all, but a target’s a target and something to work towards.
I’ve not picked up any crochet for a while, and I really should. I have plenty of new projects I want to try, but I’ve also plenty of projects to finish off - and so my priority really should be to finish those, it’s just that perhaps I’ve not fully signed up to that. Instead one night last week I got out my colouring book and pencils, and while MOH cooked tea had a thoroughly enjoyable time with this mandala. It’s not perfect, or even that symmetrical, but was great to do.
And I found them. These hooks that is. I’ve been looking for them for a while and then on Sunday I looked in a place I’d not thought of before and found the hooks we’d bought last year safely stored away. Now we stand a chance of getting our garden lights hooked up outside, just as soon as the weather behaves.
