Category: The story

Spring, Sussex, The story

Chionodoxas: a sparkling thread linking my homes across the years

Just four days after my 22nd birthday I moved into my second house, one I was to stay living in for almost 39 years. 13 days before Christmas, cold and dark, life remained mostly on the inside. Christmas Eve brought the arrival of a 9-week old Irish Setter, a surprise Christmas present (not something I would either recommend or wish on anyone). The puppy arrived … Continue reading Chionodoxas: a sparkling thread linking my homes across the years

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener4 Comments
Spring, Sussex, The story

Snowdrops and me; is this a virus?

We had many snowdrops in our Surrey garden from where we moved nearly five years ago, as the first stage in our French adventure. Mostly they were Galanthus nivalis (i.e. the common snowdrop) but I’d also introduced a few choicer cultivars. I don’t remember where the first snowdrops came from, whether they were already in the garden in 1975 when we moved there, or whether … Continue reading Snowdrops and me; is this a virus?

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener3 Comments
France, Mowing, Spring, The story

Compost, communication, and pain

Taking on the development of a 3-acre garden in another country was never going to be for the faint-hearted. At the best of times we can only be there between a third and (absolute maximum) half of the year. The land is fertile, the rainfall plentiful, and the temperatures temperate throughout most of the year. So the plants grow fast. We can only do what … Continue reading Compost, communication, and pain

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener3 Comments
Musings and observations, The story

The best laid plans … calamities and change

The best laid plans of mice and men … (Robert Burns, so Google tells me). These were the plans: 14th October, arrive at the French house, stay for three nights, back to the UK, final preparations for my final event, draw breath briefly and then get stuck into a new life that some call retirement. Well, change has occurred but with it has come some … Continue reading The best laid plans … calamities and change

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener9 Comments
France, Spring, The story

A fortnight in April: cool, damp, and much progress

We set off from Sussex with a car packed to the gunwales with the usual random collection of items, this time mainly plants.   Our drive to Portsmouth is quick and straightforward (apart from the 11 roundabouts around Chichester) and we were smoothly on to the ferry. where we quickly dumped our small bag in the cabin and went straight to the restaurant for dinner. … Continue reading A fortnight in April: cool, damp, and much progress

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener10 Comments
France

A car packed full with random things … including plants

We are driving to the French house tomorrow. We will catch a Eurotunnel train around 8.30am and then drive like the wind for about 12 hours, taking it in turns as we tire. The weather has been dreadful across much of France for some time so we are hoping we don’t encounter any flooding or other problems. When we drive we always have a car … Continue reading A car packed full with random things … including plants

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener2 Comments
France

Christmas, a frustrating and sad winter season, but progress in the end …

Doing Christmas differently Our immediate family decided that we would do Christmas differently many years ago. Both my children have lived abroad, either working in an industry where Christmas was a key busy period (skiing) or in out of the way places where travel back home wasn’t necessarily available. As a family we approach each new year afresh, not expecting anything of each other and … Continue reading Christmas, a frustrating and sad winter season, but progress in the end …

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener9 Comments
France

A sense of arrival

We hear architects and garden designers talking a lot about “a sense of arrival”, how to make an entrance feel important or welcoming. A range of different devices are offered from matching topiarised bay trees in square faux lead pots, one either side of a glossily painted front door, to sweeping driveways and avenues at the other extreme. Event organisers and holiday tour companies also talk about … Continue reading A sense of arrival

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener7 Comments
Autumn, France, The story

Grinding, harrowing, and musings on blog frequency

Like many bloggers, the gaps between my postings have been varied and often far too long. I have sworn to myself that I’ll never use the words “sorry I haven’t posted for ages”, “wow, I’m back at last”, “It’s been far too long”, or similar. I’ve spent some time considering how to write, when to write, how often to write, illustrations to include. I’ve known … Continue reading Grinding, harrowing, and musings on blog frequency

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener5 Comments
Autumn, France, The story

The tree work draws to a close, vineyards, badgers, and glorious autumn

My four nights at the house last week went all too quickly. There is always so much to pack into the time over and above our normal life which doesn’t go away  (i.e. work which I mostly do from home, whichever home I’m at). On this particular trip I also wanted to visit a couple of vineyards, Chateau la Verriere because the red wine we’d bought in … Continue reading The tree work draws to a close, vineyards, badgers, and glorious autumn

Unknown's avatarThe Renaissance Gardener10 Comments