Tuesday 23 November

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The frost that finally did for the dahlias. There have been three or four nights when I thought that was it and it wasn’t. But this morning, there is blackness on the leaves and the petals have taken on that beautiful outline of frost.

Wednesday 24 November

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The earliest of the hellebores, Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose, is flowering in the trough by the back door. I want to tell you this as a joyous and remarkable event but I just don’t like them. I don’t know if I got an odd variety (it is a planted out specimen from the ones I had in urns at Forde Abbey when I dressed it for Christmas many years ago) but it just looks rather plastic. I’ll hold out for the slate hellebores. Then I’ll be excited.

Thursday 25 November

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I pack orders. Truth be told, I could have written this entry for every day this week. It has been absolutely amazing, and I am grateful to every single person who chose to ignore all the increasingly frantic exhortations to engage in Black Friday, and have bought Christmas presents from me and any other small business.

Friday 26 November

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As we go to bed, there is hail rattling on the thin leaded windows, and a draft coming through the thatch. Hugo usually sleeps curled up at the end of the bed like a cat. Tonight, he is up by the pillows, making the most of the warmth.

Saturday 27 November

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Half the village is in darkness, the other light. A tree at the top of the hill has brought down a power line and we are divided into those who can boil a kettle and those who cannot. I drive to Axminister to drop off and collect stock for Christmas orders. The views are as breath-taking as ever, but there is evidence of damage too. Branches across the road. Debris scattered. The landscape has changed colour overnight. From warm, coppery bronze, to deep mossy grey.

Chilly.

Sunday 28 November

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I still have roses. Can you possibly believe it? Four perfect, speckle-backed Mme Alfred Carriere’s with more to come. If this goes on much longer (and the weather is predicted to warm up again after one last, bone-chilling night tonight) there will be roses on the Christmas table.

Another thing from this week: Here is a little film that I made in Bex’s studio to go with the interview and tutorial that we did for Gather…