Mindful Gardening Newsletter No 12

Sunshine on my Shoulders Makes me Happy

This week I despaired of ever seeing the sun again.  It seems like it’s been months since I spent a sunny warm day in the garden.  I started to feel SAD.  Yesterday and today the sun has returned, and I am looking forward to catching up on so many tasks that have remained in abeyance for what felt like an eternity.

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

John Denver – Sunshine on My Shoulders

The Birthday Gift gets Planted.

For my birthday (20^th March) I was gifted a large “Bramley” apple tree.  I love cake and I especially love apple pie with custard.  So, my lovely friends Siobhan and Blaithin bought me an apple tree. 

Last evening as the sun was shining in the sky Rowena (visiting from London) learned how to plant an apple tree.  Then we walked into the village to get custard for the apple pie that Bee made as part of a birthday celebration for our friends Joanne and Morag.

I said to Rowena that when she returned at some time in the future, she could pick her own apples for the pie and assert that she was the one that helped plant the tree.

Plants from Farmer Gracy

This week I am planting up my recent order from the supplier I use a lot of which is Farmer Gracy.   So, I want to share with you two plants I have bought, why I bought them and where I intend to plant them.  This will, I hope, give you some ideas what you might do in different parts of your garden.

Iris Ensata 'Cupcake' - "Japanese water iris"

Iris Ensata are much prized as marginal plants, preferring a soil which is continually moist, and boggy. A special variety like Iris ensata 'Cupcake' will be a real jewel in damp borders, pond, or stream edges. The sword-shaped foliage will die back in autumn and can be trimmed to just above ground level for a neat and tidy display. This perennial is fully hardy and will grow back every year, eventually multiplying and treating you to more of those gorgeous blooms.

I have planted it in the ditch with the other yellow flag iris that have naturalized there and will flower shortly. Yellow flag iris is the easiest iris to grow.  Simply throw a rhizome in the ditch and soon there will be a host of yellow iris for the eye too enjoy.

Astilbe – “Cappuccino”

This is a very unusual astilbe because of its chocolate colored foliage offset by the white plumes. It looks gorgeous in photographs.  I have planted the three bare roots on the slopping edge of the ditch opposite the alder tree bordered by foxgloves.  I saw a picture of astilbe edging a ditch and I thought to myself “I have to have that idea in the garden.” The ditch does fill up with water, but it doesn’t stay.

Astilbe blossoms represent the virtues of perseverance and loyalty to a cherished one. Your gift of this flower is a declaration that you will patiently await this person's arrival. Devotion to a loved one is symbolized by the flower's long blooming period. This flower is so common at weddings—you can probably guess why!

Sharing the Garden

By the time this Newsletter has gone out I hope that we have Lily visit to plant up her packet of Sunflower seeds.  Lily is five and she has left her child wheelbarrow and child gardening tools here.  I break into a smile each time I see them.

This week I got to share the development of the garden with my two Goddaughters as we navigated between the many showers.  I showed Rowena the lovely path edging that is called London Pride that is beginning to flower.  It has become an established ground cover at the back of the cottage.

This plant is called London Pride because it grows amidst the bombed out building of the London blitz during the second world war.  That must have been a sight.  Annie and I spent some time talking about designing ideas for the small front garden of the property she rents in Glasgow. She has been sent back with large sheets of grid paper to draw up an outline of her garden for which I will then suggest planting schemes.

The Vegetable Garden

One of the fun parts of this week’s gardening adventure was the pulling of rhubarb stalks. These plants are now mature and have much to give and I had so much we needed to give half the bounty away (which is a lovely thing to be able to do). I get to give this harvest to others, and it comes back to me in different ways.

This week during the never ending showers of rain I kitted up in waterproof coat and leggings and planted Brussel sprout plugs in one of the raised beds where the winter broccoli had been.

Future Ideas for Cordressagagh

One of the things I want to do soon is to start an online plant store.  My mother had a dream of working in a plant nursery.  I think she would love the idea of her son developing an online plant supply business.  I have long been interested in selling on the internet. I tried what is called a print on demand t shirt store which went nowhere. However, its development kept me sane during the Covid pandemic.

So once the polytunnel is reskinned I will begin to bring on those plants that are successful here in Cordressagagh and that I love to see in combination here in the garden at Cordressagagh. This will be an interesting adventure.

We have had visitors here in Cordressagh this week together with several birthday party gatherings with lots of cake.  This weeks newsletter is a day late.  Apologies for that.  Hope you have a fabulous day in the garden and continue to Companion Your Greatness.