the kindness of gardeners

I'm pretty sure that gardeners are the kindest most generous people you'll ever meet. All the ones I know are anyway. They'll give you seeds they've collected, cuttings they've taken, posies they've picked, plants they've grown or divided, tips and wisdom they've learnt and so much more. I started gardening just over a year ago and have been humbled by how much support I've been given, by how much gardeners want to share advice and even their own garden with you. 

For instance last Sunday Maria (Alex's Mum, whose garden I've photographed here and here) very kindly gave me a small posy of flowers from her own garden which is brightening up my mantelpiece with its bright colours and the delicious scent of the tiny Narcissus and the bronze fennel. 

On the very same day my neighbour Mrs P. gave me a selection of divisions and cuttings from her garden. Including the lovely white Phlox below, which doesn't look like much now but just you wait and see. 

She also gave me the plant below which I must admit I can't remember the name of and I can't find out what it's called anywhere. If you do know please do tell, I would be a very very happy lady to find out.

I also received some Geraniums, Lily of the Valley, Anemone and Rose of Sharon. I was thoroughly spoilt on that day, I'm just hoping and praying that all the plants take. That's what my neighbour Mrs P. is like though, such a beautiful soul who takes great pleasure in talking to me about her garden and telling me about all the plants. At just over 90 she also does all her own gardening and weeding, refusing help from anyone who offers, a true inspiration to us all.

When I first started gardening April last year it was gardeners like Mrs P. who encouraged me and who helped to turn my interest into a full blown obsession. 

I have so many people I owe thanks to for all their kindness, mine and Alex's family all came around and helped me clear years worth of overgrowth and taught me how to garden (thank you to Mumly, Pops, Nanny, Grandad, Maria, Matt, and Kevin). Maria gave me a stack of her gardening books to borrow too which I devoured and memorised as if my life depended upon it. My Nanny and Grandad Brian not only helped me garden but they also gave me my first gardening implements; the watering can and the small border fork and spade below (this photo is what the garden looked like when I fist moved in, oh how it's changed), the fork and spade are such beautiful things to use and I really do treasure them dearly. 

My Nanan and Grandad Ron recently gave me the growhouse which I use to raise my seedlings in. My Grandad has also given me, among many things during my year as a gardener, cuttings from his rose bushes, sweetpea seeds he's collected, a raspberry cane which I'm looking forward to picking at this year and a care free attitude to just stick cuttings into the ground and let nature take its course.

I just hope that I can be at least half as kind and generous as any one of the lovely gardeners I know. After all, it feels good to give doesn't it...

I hope you all have a lovely bank holiday weekend x 

P.S. If you're in need of some new music, look no further than here. It has absolutely zilch to do with gardening or gardeners for that matter but it's a blooming good song.