The Gardener's Almanac by Alan Titchmarsh - a book review

There's something about an almanac that I find quite comforting. In an uncertain world, especially at the beginning of a new year, there are certain constants in an almanac. There is advanced information on what time sunrise and sunset will occur, the times of the tides, should you be going to, or living by the sea. Anniversaries, planetary activities, and all sorts of other snippets and facts in a variety of subjects are there in bite-size pieces to inform and entertain.

That's why I was pleased to receive a copy of The Gardener's Alamanac by Alan Titchmarsh in the post to review, and for the past week or so, I've been going to bed with Alan's book and rationing myself to a chapter or so per night. 

This is comfort reading, to be savoured, even if you may be au fait with some of the topics featured.

Yes, each month features weather information, lists of flowers and vegetables to eat or store, as well as observations on a flower, a tree, a bird of the month, plus feast days. If you are a Scot though, you might take umbrage at the rather unfortunate typo in the first chapter which declares that Burns Night is celebrated on the 5th January rather than the 25th.. 

That one niggle aside, and moving swiftly on, Alan's choice of the tree of the month for February is Witch hazel - just one example of why I find his writing so engaging.

"The witch hazel hamamelis x intermedia has aspirations to be a tree, but in most gardens, it's a large shuttlecocked-shaped shrub. The fact that it flowers on bare branches makes it an exciting plant to grow. The flowers are large spiders consisting of a cluster of narrow, strap-shaped petals which may be rich crimson-"Livia", or yellow in what I think is the best variety - Pallida", quite simply because on a dingy, grey day when the darker varieties merge into the mist, it is more readily visible.

The flowers are scented of citrus and if the weather is too cold to detect fragrance, exhale on the blooms through your mouth and then inhale through your nose. Unless you have been heavy on the garlic the night before, the warmth of your breath will relieve the fragrance."

A lovely description, which makes me giggle too. Not only do I now want a couple of witch hazels in my garden, I also have visions of a rather hungover and garlic breathing Mr Titchmarsh propped up against a witch hazel and trying to inhale with gusto.

A list of appropriate advice on gardening do's and don'ts is accompanied by Alan's personal suggestions of music and books to enjoy each month. Some pieces I know, but in June, he recommends  "The Banks of Green Willow" composed by George Butterworth who died during the First World War. It really is a beautiful piece of music that I've not heard before, so am rather thrilled to make its acquaintance and am following other recommendations which are featured in each chapter.

Alan also highlights a famous gardener for each month and during his long and varied career, he's met and has been friends with so many. So, I like his personal anecdotes about them and personally am so pleased he included David Austin, the rosarian, who I managed to meet just before he died.

There is a quote at the beginning of each chapter of the book, and so aptly Alan quotes his friend Christopher Lloyd who was talking one day about November,

"The great thing about the garden in November is that no one expects anything of it."

How very true!

I also like Alan's suggestions for a garden to visit each month when it is at its best...and he has even illustrated the book. How on earth does he find the time?

After all, he’s written novels, countless gardening books, and even three memoirs in addition to the TV programmes he presents so well.

Throughout the book, Alan's chatty style distills his years of gardening experience and know how in a very accessible way to both those at the beginning of their gardening journeys, and to others along the way who fancy some inspiration.  

This almanac is perfect for bedtime and fireside reading during the long winter nights and an ideal Christmas present which will make you long for the gardening year ahead. 

The Gardener"s Almanac. A Treasury of Wisdom and Inspiration throughout the Year" by Alan Titchmarsh is published by Hodder and Stoughton and costs 14.99.

The RHS Chelsea Flower show 2019

It's Bank Holiday Monday, and the early morning sunshine disappeared ages ago. I'm in and out of the garden dodging the short, sharp showers as I try to catch up on some weeding.

My garden needs quite a lot of attention, but as I look out over a few swathes of cow parsley and the "wild area" at the side of the cottage where the bees are madly buzzing in and out of the hardy geraniums, lemon balm and forget me nots, I don't feel as guilty as I normally would.

Why? Well, I can see hints of this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show in my own garden.

This time last week I was at the outstanding, the most must see flower show in the world. It was Press Day and once again there was that familiar flutter of excitement and anticipation as I walked through the gates.

The first garden to view was the Wedgwood Garden, a quiet oasis designed by Jo Thompson to mark the 260th anniversary of the pottery company.

Arches, water and a pleasing pastel palette of blues, pinks, creams and apricots made a welcoming and peaceful impression - but there was great excitement when a young woman wearing nothing but a Wedgwood blue, embroidered body stocking arrived to pose for photographs.

On Main Street all the gardens are of a very high standard... triumphs of design and in the past I've seen some very showy gardens, some designs of such form and precision. This year though, the gardens are so much more naturalistic and wild, so much more accessible with  the key themes of gardens being havens to escape into, to relax and to have fun.

There was no time for relaxation or a leisurely stroll through the show though... there were interviews to do and features to record, so I didn't take half as many photos as I wanted to.

I adored the eye-catching and oh so evocative "Welcome to Yorkshire "garden featuring a canal and lock gates, a vegetable plot and a cottage garden. Beautifully done, as was Andy Sturgeon's M and G garden - a vision of woodland, water and new growth.

I was particularly taken too with the Resilience Garden which celebrated a hundred years of forestry, with its message of how trees and forests will have a leading part to play in the fight against climate change.

Another garden that stood out was the CAMFED Garden. As soon as I saw the packed red earth path winding its way through a vibrant garden full of edibles, I was immediately transported to Africa. To Zimbabwe, where the Campaign for Female Education is helping girls in poor rural communities to stay in education. Banana trees, sweet potatoes, cassavas, ground nuts and grains were all jam packed into huge oil cans in the soil, just like in Zimbabwe, where they are showing how women are being taught to grow their own food and develop their own agricultural businesses... this was an inspiring garden.

In the Great Pavilion, perfection and plantsmanship were celebrated as always by around eighty different nurseries... I loved the Stihl Hillier garden which won a gold medal.

From the pastels to the vibrant colours on the Grenada stand... and this Richmond Red knocked my socks off.

So did the aroma of all the spices from this lush Caribbean island. The designer Catherine John certainly knows how to win another gold.

Whizzing outside again, my heart sang when I caught sight of this completely riotous and glorious 

display near the artisan food stalls, 

My heart missed a beat though, as I found the D-Day 75 Garden.

It pays homage to the last surviving Normandy veterans, and the centre piece is a statue of Bill Pendell who died in December. He's seen looking across the shingle and sea thrift at a statue of his younger self with his colleagues, as they rushed up the beachhead at Arromanche all those years ago.

Stark and poignant and so sincerely done, many of us looked on quietly.... and I'm so pleased that this garden is now being rebuilt overlooking Gold Beach in France as a lasting legacy.

By now it was time to leave and on the train home to reflect on such a different Chelsea this year. Oh and to look back through the photos I took... one of my favourites being this one on the Sarah Raven stand. I was about to interview Joanna Lumley when Rachel de Thame appeared... happy air kisses and a short chat later, Carol Klein popped up and they all wanted a photo together. Three wonderful, talented and lovely women enjoying the moment, and enjoying Chelsea.

So did I... a wonderful day at a a fantastic show which highlighted the natural, the wild and as always,  the beautiful.

Press Day at RHS Chelsea in the Grand Pavilion





Even though it was hot outside at Chelsea, it was beautifully cool inside the Grand Pavilion. Less densely packed than previous years, there was an unusually airy feel and individual stands were easier to find.

Mind you, you couldn't miss the Hillier Nurseries stand which dominated the pavilion, and no wonder it won another gold from the judges, just as the Hillier stand has done so for the last 72 consecutive years.. What looked like a cool grey, giant, helical spring slinky toy, provided an usual bower to sit and ponder.

The surrounding planting of trees, shrubs, climbers and perennials was lush and plentiful and there were two paeonies which I wanted to dig up and take home. "Sarah Bernardt", with the palest of pink blowsy charm was really showing off and I also liked this "Krinkled White.



The Burncose Nursery stand is always worth a good look and this year proved no exception.



My favourite stand however was the David Austin Roses rose garden which also was awarded a gold medal. A delicious drift of the scent of hundreds of roses  on the air wafted my way, drawing me to the stand....



So cleverly designed and planted, seeing so many roses at the peak of their perfection was an absolute delight. I wanted to sit awhile, to inhale the heady scent and feast my eyes on the pretty pinks, the calming whites and creams and the pale yellow and apricot shades .

But no, there was far too much to do - I did manage to catch Alys Fowler, one of my favourite gardening columnists, for a quick interview under the rambling roses on the stand though.

I adored the Guernsey Clematis Nursery stand too. Beautiful waves of clematis cascaded at shoulder height as I walked through the stand. The pink streaked "Corinne" and the deep lavender "Parisienne" from the Boulevard collection caught my eye.

It was there that I met the delightful Rosemary Powell and her son Tony, who were admiring the clematis. Apparently Rosemary has been a customer of this nursery for many years, and cross bred some clematis creating new plants, naming them after her grandchildren.

Apparently this is Rosemary's 84th visit to the Chelsea Flower Show...the only years she didn't visit were during the Second World War when Chelsea was cancelled. Now I'm not one to ask a woman's age...after all, it should be classified information. But I did have to ask Rosemary how old she was, and the answer was 102.

Rosemary and I have agreed to meet up next year.

So, these were my highlights from the Grand Pavilion this year, but I didn't see it all in detail unfortunately. There was simply to much to do workwise - I couldn't even look at the trade stands let alone do any shopping. Literally, there was time for a 20 minute break to have something to eat and go to the loo. And that was it!

I'm not complaining though, because being at RHS Chelsea is a delight, an inspiration. For one week, this is the horticultural hub of the world, it's dynamic, it's packed with such creative and passionate people  and I couldn't miss this amazing annual experience.

Above all, it's fun! Where else could I have a chat with some walking and talking trees?

Sunny days now the ash has gone...

When I last wrote about my lovely old ash tree in the garden, I was upset....

http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/the-day-storm-doris-came-to-my-garden.html


Yes, this 142 year old tree had been part of the history of out cottage since 1875, and in the years we've lived here, we've appreciated it so much. Looking back through photographs though, you can see just how much shade the tree cast over our garden, especially when you can see how close our neighbour's oak is.

I didn't realise it at the time when I took that photo how sunny it was that day, especially in the fields beyond.

Back to a grey March day, and the ash tree finally came down, after a mauling by Storm Doris.

 

 

The majority of the tree was sawn up making lots of logs - let's put it this way, we won't have to buy any for a few years.

 



 

There was one part of the ash tree which stayed for a while, part of the trunk. The tree surgeons were cutting it and suddenly the chainsaw struck metal inside the wood. They tried to cut further but couldn't as there was a metal rod in the trunk, placed there to support the ash in its early years of growth.

 

 

 



 

 

Some of our  friends said it would make a feature in the garden, but they weren't going to have to find somewhere to put it, and besides, it was oh so heavy. 

 

Boo and Eric, our two terriers are rather put out though, they used it as a look out post, as they defended the south west perimeter.

 

 

We shall be doing something with what remains of the tree - we just haven't decided what the hell it will be yet. Possibly a table.



 

 

In the meantime, I can't believe how much light there now is the garden .Everything in the long narrow raised bed seems to be revelling in the light.

 

The red and white currants in particular have thrived,

 

 

 and the bees are buzzing in the sunshine all day in the middle of the rosemary...

 

 

 

 

Back to where the wood is stored though, this was originally where the 12 foot high box were ....they had been taken down last year (straggly, past their best, and under threat of box blight) and I had been planning (in a rather slow and dilatory way) what plants I should grow in their place.

 

I'd been looking at plants for dry shade obviously, but I'm so pleased that I hadn't been gung ho and planted straight away.

 

Now, there are so many possibilities  for this border. Yes, a whole border to plant against the backdrop of my neighbour's laurels . I've never had to plan a whole border before and the new possibilities are endless. I've always loved the thought of paeonies, I could have them  now. I really want lots of dahlias ( my late father's favourites), perhaps a philadelphus,, and to be honest I'm slightly overwhelmed with the choice..

 

Our cottage faces south west, so the border is south facing, but there will still be shade at the top of the garden from the oak. So, decisions, decisions...I'm reminded of the old joke "I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure."

 

 

 

 

 



A day out at Gardeners' World Live

Summer is whizzing by so quickly...and I've already missed certain gardening events that I really would have liked to go to. I wasn't able to go to the Chelsea Flower Show this year, and I had withdrawal symptoms, especially after having such a wonderful time  there last year ( see what I got up to last year  here http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/day-at-chelsea-flower-show-part-2.html  and here http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/day-out-at-chelsea-chelsea-flower-show.html)

I've not even been to visit any Open gardens either, so I've been in dire need of some botanical inspiration , I had a definite desire to see other people's creativity brought to life, and I rather fancied doing a little shopping.

So, would this fit the bill?

Well yes it did.....there were a number of show gardens which were competing to be as innovative as they could be using a set list of materials. "Metamorphosis " was the theme, which was interpreted in interesting ways.

There were also some funky gardens

But as time was running short, I made a beeline for the RHS Floral Marquee where I could admire the rows of beautiful plants and flowers from around a hundred nurseries...

It was very muggy in the marquee...I began to flag, and decided I needed some fresh air....but then I saw the David Austin  roses display stand. It called me like a siren and I came closer, the most delicious fragrance wafted along in the still air. Gertrude Jekyll is my favourite rose....yet I still don't have one in my garden. This must be remedied!

Mind you I was so taken with this eglantine rose too...so prettily perfect too with such a delicate scent...I've decided that I must make the trip upto David Austin in Shropshire to see more.

There was lots to admire at Gardeners' World Live outside, but going indoors into the main halls didn't fill me with the same enthusiasm ...overall, there seemed a lack of vitality and pazazz, a cohesiveness and staff on a number of stands looked, quite frankly, bored.

What did interest me was the bonsai exhibition

Precision and perfection everywhere....

 

Not that you'll ever see me carefully shaping something like this. Firstly, putting a pair of scissors or secateurs in my hands is a high risk strategy...and secondly  I simply don't have the patience....although I did appreciate what I saw so much.

My first visit to Gardeners' World Live was all too brief....but will I go next year? Yes I will..... I met some lovely people, especially the persuasive lot on the RHS stand touting for new blood! As for the shopping, I've got a fair few ideas, but in the end I didn't buy anything on the day - unlike others on the bus back to the car park, who were poking other passengers with their purchases and plants. Thank goodness I didn't buy my Gertude Jekyll rose...that could have been interesting....

Today's track is my favourite piece of choral music "Oh Spotless Rose". Every time I hear it, I'm lost in the beauty of the composition and the incredible sounds that voices can make. This version is by the King's College Choir in Cambridge. It's for my friends Shannon Hurst lane, Denise Dube and Susan Lanier Graham from across the pond.....on a cold February afternoon  I took them to Evensong at Kings College, something they said they would never forget.

I

A day out at the Chelsea Chelsea Flower Show Part 1

There's nothing quite like it is there? Plants, people and passion. What an invigorating, inspirational and beautiful combination.

Chelsea has it all....and as soon as I get in through the entrance my eyes are flashing right and left. This time, instead of meandering through the myriad of of stalls and show gardens willynilly, I am a woman on a mission.

I'm off to see a garden very close close to my heart....it's a garden which has triumphed over adversity, a charity garden and one which was created by friends of mine.

Dave Andrews is an old mate ...he presents the longest local radio gardening programme in the country (over forty years).Of course he hasn't been presenting it all of that time, but he's created a really good panel of experts over the years.

Dave is also involved with Rainbows, a hospice for children and young people  in Loughborough.And this year he's brought the two together to create a garden for Chelsea.Very quickly.

And when I say quickly, I mean it. Dave and his team didn't know whether they would be exhibiting until March. Yes, March! So it's been all hands to the pumps for him,  Chris Gutteridge and Ady Dayman.

The brief was to create a tranquil garden for reflection on our daily challenges or to remember a child in happier times.

The designer is Chris Gutteridge of Second Nature Gardens...he's based in leicester and a regular member of the BBC Radio Leicester Down to Earth panel. (he's also the son of a friend of mine, Alex)

And this what he and his team created....

A small garden but one which contains four amelanchier lamarckii trees for height, and a sunken bed of such pretty sweet woodruff divided by stepping stones.

Can you see the acrylic screens- well, they allow light through to create shadows and silhouettes. and there's an interactive element too. A hidden webcam can identify someone's gender and approximate age as they approach the entrance.....and appropriate images are then projected on to the screens.

I love the planting too....

Another integral part of the team  both in this garden , and as a gardening expert on local radio and television is the wonderfully irrepressible Ady Dayman. He and his family have grown all the plants in the garden

And here's Dave Andrews - who had the vision -.and I, in the garden just before nipping off for a well needed glass of Pimms ...well two actually....it was hot.

I think what they have all achieved in such a short space of time is remarkable. A garden that 's really fit for purpose , one which will bring enjoymnet for a long too, as the garden in its entirety will be taken back upto Rainbows hospice next week and installed in the hospice grounds for both children and their families to enjoy.

A wonderful visit to a tranquil garden......and it's not just me who loves it - so did the judges. So much so, they awarded the garden a silver medal!

Here's one final photo......

Obviously there was so much more to take in at Chelsea....coming up in the next post, more personal highlights from Chelsea...but in the meantime today's track is Over the Rainbow -impeccable jazz from Ben Webster....