A second Spring
Monday 19th August. People always talk about how lovely it must be to have the flowers alongside my day job. I used to try and explain, but now I don't bother. Running a business on your own is a different sort of stressfulness. This day was one of the days I was happy to go to work. I adored every second of the flower farmers' big weekend, but I was glad to shut the gate, put on proper shoes and just go and do something easy at a desk for the day.
Tuesday 20th August. Oh my goodness, the Newt. I'd made it as far as the car park twice but never through the gate. Me and the boss went for lunch and could not believe our eyes. Write up on instagram caption, but the punchline is it was incredible. The shop was stunningly beautiful and I was bursting with pride to see my seeds there. I created something that I loved, that I wanted. If I didn't have a studio full at home, I would have bought them all.
Wednesday 21 August. The atriplex is heavy. There are seeds which have sown early this year which are elegant and tall and dappled with the most beautiful colours, greens, pinks, streaks of burgundy and copper. The reds that we selected from the overwintering self sown seedlings* to go into the matrix planting are further on and have set seed abundantly and thuggishly. As beautiful as the boughs of seeds are, they have fallen under their own weight and are lying over everything else. I start by cutting off stems and lifting them out, but many of the plants I just remove all together. I don't appreciate their contribution to the design until I look back; even with only a third of them removed, the planting looks peakier, less dramatic, less rich. The compost heap on the other hand, is a lot fuller.
*the Americans call these volunteers. How wonderful.
Thursday 22 August. Summer party in the orchard. Candles on the long table with wild clematis wound between. Home baked bread and Babylonstoren olive oil. Pizza and gin. Plums with star anise and chocolate brownies. It started elegantly, at least.
Friday 23 August. I will draw a veil over Friday.
Saturday 24th August. There is talk of a second Spring. A time rich in gerimination and strong growth. The grass puts on a green spurt. My squash vines have put on metres of growth in what seems like hours. As the heat of the Summer starts to abate, everything seems to perk up. Even the heat of today seems to invigorate rather than wilt. I harvest and clear and weed all the beds in the house garden, ready for sowing of winter crops. Some things are already in (the leeks for Christmas went in weeks ago) but chard, kale and beetroot will still be happy to be put in the soil now.
Sunday 25th August. An early trip out to buy a trestle table and to fill up the bottle bank after Thursday's revelry. An old article by Bunny Guinness suggests re-topping wooden garden tables with galvanized iron rather than zinc, as zinc expands in the sun. I'm not convinced but will trust her judgement and give it a go. The rest of the day is spent designing, printing and packing bespoke orders. Cambo. Paradise Found. Weddings. Preparing for a very special stockist come Spring. After a day inside, the girls and I walk along the hedges in the back field. The shadows are long and the light beautifully golden. They snuffle at blackberries but still insist it is warm enough for a swim.