Daffodils for St David’s Day (from last year as none are flowering in my garden yet)
I spent Tuesday in London meeting my publisher. Now that’s not a phrase I ever thought I would utter. I still have to pinch myself when I’m in a meeting with my editor chatting about gardening that this is actually happening. None of it feels like my natural habitat. For a start I always feel like a country bumpkin when I visit London. The noise, the traffic and so many people is such a contrast to where I live that I tend to find it all a tad overwhelming. I love the amazing choice of shops and restaurants, the incredible architecture (the old buildings and not all those glass monstrosities) and excellent museums but I generally feel like a fish out of water.
Then, on top of all that I get to have a glimpse inside the world of publishing and I feel like a whale out of water. I was pretty nervous meeting my editor for the first time. Strangely more so than the day I went to London to pitch my idea for the book. My entrance to the office was pretty ignominious when I couldn’t even grasp how to open the door, someone inside saw me struggling and had to open it for me. Defeated by a security keypad didn’t feel like the best entrance I’d ever made but at least I wasn’t wandering around with my skirt tucked in my knickers. It has happened before.
I suppose for some, publishing doesn’t hold much fascination and I’m sure there are boring bits and frustrating elements just like any other job. But for someone who went to a school where the words ambition and creativity didn’t really exist, it does feel exciting to get the opportunity to see into this world. My careers teacher did nothing to show us the world of opportunities out there. There was a handful of brilliant teachers but, on the whole, you either went to work in a local factory or, if you were able to get to university, you would become a teacher. Now there’s nothing wrong with either of these occupations, it’s just frustrating that the expectations were so restricted. Wellyman read this quote on twitter recently from the philosopher Alain de Botton, ‘Most of us still caged within careers chosen for us by our not entirely worldly 18-22 year old selves.’
My natural habitat though is in my jeans and wellies, in the garden or on the allotment. It’s where I feel most comfortable, but the weather recently has meant I haven’t been able to get much done. Nearly three weeks of no rain has allowed the ground to dry out but the bitterly cold wind and freezing temperatures have driven me indoors where it’s warm. I’m aware though that time is moving on and whilst the garden may have had its spring clean the allotment has been in need of some attention.
Topped up paths
Last Friday we spotted a pile of chipped bark left behind by the council after a spot of tree shredding. The paths on the allotment were in need of a bark top-up and so on Saturday morning we were gathering bark chippings and filling green waste sacks and rubble bags. Fortunately we didn’t have to make as many trips as we did the first time round.
Then I spent yesterday weeding, edging paths, trimming back autumn raspberry canes and generally making the plot look tidy again. I have to admit a certain degree of vanity has crept in, with regards to the plot, as it will be featuring in photos this summer and I want it to look good. I’ve also joined the allotment committee so I need to be practising what I preach. I can hardly complain about someone else’s plot if my own is a mess.
Inevitably, at this time of year, my body isn’t used to the sort of exertion needed to keep the plot in shape and so there are very few bits today that don’t ache. Signs of buds breaking on the blueberries, shoots of new raspberry canes and the first flowers appearing on my stocks are so exciting though, they make the pain worthwhile.
Despite the generally mild winter the recent cold spell has made a big difference. I know it’s only the first day of March and St David’s Day but my ‘February Gold’ daffodils haven’t flowered yet. Even after the recent severe winters they still flowered in February. It certainly looks like it is going to be a slow start to the growing season. I’d love to know if plants are late to show in your gardens too or is it just mine?
wellywoman 
I can well imagine the excitment of meeting with your own editor about your own book! The closest I’ve got was a listing as a contributor… What’s the book on? Ok, assuming it’s gardening, but what exactly?!
My daffs are getting closer to blooming but still holding out on me. I do have my first primula vulgaris flowers, which have set my heart a flutter. On the whole though, growth is slow in my garden too. Not just you.
The daffs are finally flowering here and I spotted buds on a cherry tree on the way back from the plot. It’s such a lovely tree in blossom, I can’t wait to see them again.
Love your account of your mixed week that took you from publisher’s office to allotment. Very exciting that you’re working on a book! To be honest I had that slightly uneasy ‘have I tucked my skirt in my knickers’ feeling every time that I put a suit on for the corporate life I used to be a part of. Now I feel much more at home in wellies, normally caked in mud.
Our garden is a bizarre mix at moment, still waiting for signs of life in most areas but the cowslips have been flowering for ages.
Thanks Andrea. My primroses have been flowering since Christmas. It is strange to see how some plants have been knocked back by the cold whilst others seem oblivious.
Yes it’s a bit slow here BUT in the last two days my Tete-a-Tete daffodils have flowered and look gorgeous en masse in a shady bed. And a pot of Iris Edward is flowering by the kitchen door. Spring has sprung.
My tete a tete in the front garden have just opened up and so too have a few February Gold. Must have been the lovely sunshine yesterday, back to gloomy grey today.
We live in Gwynedd where daffodils really matter on St. David’s Day and I have only two heads in bloom (very small variety which have to remain nameless!) Lots of bigger ones will soon follow as heads have begun to drop over. I picked 5 of them to go in warm water in a warm room so I am hoping for results in a couple of days – not today though :o(
Hi Chris, We were in Cardiff a week ago and there were lots of daffs in flower around the museum so they were well timed for St David’s Day. Some of mine have opened now, it must have been the sun yesterday.
I do know just what you mean about visits to London. I love going but after about a day and a half I’m exhausted and want to return home. It is nice for us to share in your excitment about your forth-coming book. Christina
Your beds and paths look great. I’ll show the photo to HunterGatherer in the hope he, too, will be inspired 🙂 Hope you enjoyed your visit to the Big Smoke.
Thank you. 🙂 They were exhausting to put in but I’m glad I did. I was a bit fed up by the last few beds and you can tell because I didn’t do as good a job on them. They have made the plot much easier to manage though so were worth it in the end.
Just been to the plot, mostly clearning away copious amounts of strawberry runners from what I thinks is Lipstick which I put in because I liked their deep pink flowers. It’s strangling my blackcurrents, so has to go! But, was worried that I’ve planted my bulbs too deep as nothing is surfacing. A closer look showed some glimpses of green. – hope it was the flowers coming up and not couch. – I’ll take my specs next time! So yes, I think it’s slow too. Good luck with the book. Lesley
Hi Lesley, I thought I had planted my tulips too deep. I thought I was going to have to do a little poking around to see if there were any signs of life but I spotted a few poking through yesterday which is a relief. Everything does seem further behind than last year even though the winter hasn’t been as bad. Hopefully things will warm up a little as we move into March. Thanks for your kind wishes about the book. 🙂
I always have February Gold in flower on my daughter’s birthday on 3rd March, but not this year – there is barely any colour showing on the flower buds today. The colour in my garden is restricted to snowdrops, iris reticulata and hellebores, which is more like early February than March. Your allotment looks lovely and tidy – a reminder that I must get on with things!
It does feel more like Feb than March. I don’t just think it’s because it has been colder. We’ve had so little in the way of sunshine. Even in the relative warmth of my greenhouse seeds are struggling to grow. Thank you, the allotment has had its spring clean now. Just need to keep on top of things. That’s always the hard part. 😉
Hope the book is proceeding well
Hi Stephen, Things are going well. Trying to organised. I’ve got notes all over the place. 😉
I feel like you whenever I go to London, definitely a fish out of water, can’t get home soon enough!
Daffodils are just starting to open with us, even so, I think they are a bit later than last year. They seemed to come through quite early but then the cold spell held them back, another week maybe should see plenty open.
A lot of plants seemed to push through early because of the mild January but have then just sat there. Sometimes it’s better to have actual seasonal weather though rather than plants growing too quickly and getting caught by a late frost.
I haven’t got one bulb flowering yet, they do seem late this year. I’m hoping for a fine day tomorrow as I want to get to the allotment and have a look if it’s dried out at all. Ideally, I’d like to start on some work down there too before time ticks on any more.
Hope the sun shined for you yesterday and that you got a chance to get to the plot. It was lovely here so got lots more done.
Are you keeping quiet about the content of your book, or was it in an earlier post? Sounds exciting, and well done you! I noted that your friend’s book was mentioned in the new issue of Which? Gardening. You are right to be proud of your neat paths and beds at the allotment 🙂
Hi Cathy, Yes I am keeping quiet about the book content at the moment. Hopefully I’ll be able to say something about it soon. It is exciting and I’m finding it hard to not say anything about it. 😉 Thanks for your compliments about the plot. 🙂 I do like the feeling of order and tidiness that the beds give the plot. Even after a two week holiday the plot doesn’t look overgrown and unkempt.
I obviously don’t live in the UK, so I don’t know if it’s relevant, but things are massively late here. The last two months everything has been buried under piles of snow and we’ve barely had a day with temperatures over zero, these last few days have been different. The Alain de Botton quote: I’ve often thought it very weird and constraining, that children, well if you’re 15-16 I consider it to be children, have to take decisions that will for most shape their futures. How can one at that age be expected to know what one would like to do – or be suited to do – later in life.
Hi Helle, It’s always good to hear how gardeners in other countries are affected by the weather. We have had quite a mild winter really with some snow but not much. However, February has been a cold month with the weather coming from the continent rather than the Atlantic. I used to live in Germany so know how much colder winters can be in Europe but you do tend to get much better summers than us at least.
I’m a big fan of Alain de Botton and think this quote is so right. Unfortunately by the time many of us do know what we want to do we’ve got a mortgage to pay and life is too complicated to change career.
I smiled wryly at your description of how London makes you feel, I a much the same, I have to gear myself up for such visits nowadays, though I do love it. But I too am more at home in scruffy trousers with muddy knees topped with however many layers of fleece the weather requires. Your plot looks admirably tidy, do you find a wheelbarrow runs easily on shredding paths? I am thinking about using shreddings on our kitchen garden paths, at least I will be able to top it up each year from our own trimmings. As to whether things are early, late or on time, I have no idea, though if you and others are right and I have February Gold daffs, the ones that were growing in the middle of a fuchsia are out and have been for a week, while everything else bar a few crocuses is still tightly wrapped up against the cold.
Thanks Janet, my wheelbarrow runs fine on the paths. As path toppings go it has to be the cheapest and even better if you have your own supply. I think it looks nice too. You do still get the odd weed push through but they pull out easily. I did put weed membrane down though. Here’s hoping for some warmer weather soon. 🙂
Us London dwellers are just ordinary people you know. Next time you are up we should meet for a natter.
;)I know. Although not sure about the man who walked past me with a bright pink Liberty’s bag in one hand and a can of special brew in the other. Seemed a weird combination to me. It would be nice to meet up. 🙂
It has been freezing here even in London and my narcissi have been about to flower for about 3 weeks now which is very frustrating. Just got my first crocuses out this week and the iris reticulata have been out for a while, otherwise everything is at a standstill.
What is your book going to be about (gardening I guess!)? It sounds very glamorous anyway, saying you are off to London to see your publisher. I would throw around that phrase as much as possible while you have the opportunity :-).
It’s strange that in London plants have been held back as well. It’s generally warmer in the city. I’m sure it’s something to do with the lack of sunshine as well. It has generally been so grey and dull this last month. Lets hope for some sun in March.
I had to smile at your big city exploits, and rest assured that plenty of people have problems with doors like that.
Well done on joining the allotment committee. I bet that you’re were pleased to get some proper plotting done.
No it’s not just yours as generally plants are late to show this year but they won’t be long now if it gets sunnier and warmer. xx
Thanks Flighty. Looking forward to some warm sunshine tomorrow. I’m sure the plants will appreciate it too. The allotment committee is going to prove a little stressful unfortunately. Lots of politics and local problems which I dislike. I just want to get on with making the allotments a more welcoming place but there are other things to sort out first. 😦 Hope you’ve had a chance to get to the plot this weekend. WW x
Excellent de Botton quote. My 18 – 22 self locked me into the Civil Service for ten years, damn him. (Wish he’d sent me to horticultural college instead)!
If it’s any comfort, WW my February Gold never, ever flowers in February. Not ever. Dave
Think de Botton is brilliant. Like you I wish I had studied horticulture, or even botany, much earlier. You can change careers but it can feel like there is a lot of time to catch up on when you meet others who have been doing their job for 15 years already. It’s harder to take up opportunities when you have a mortgage and family commitments. At least you took the plunge and are now doing what you love. So many people don’t have the chance or aren’t brave enough and stay in a job they hate all their lives.
I feel like February Gold has been mis-sold. A name change to March Gold I think is necessary. WW
The plot is really looking good now 🙂
Hello Wellwoman! Really enjoyed reading about your trip to London! I love going to visit and I’ve also done a bit of work down there too and it was so exciting and brilliant to be there. I actually think it is one of the best cities in the world in terms of its history and diversity. There’s so much more I want to explore in London but I do love coming back home too!! Totally amazing news about your book, can’t wait to hear more!! In terms of daffodils, none of mine are out yet but I’ve spotted a couple out along the street. The mild weather this weekend was just great : )
Hi Anna, I do like the vibrancy of cities and there’s always so much to see, I just find it exhausting. I think I find the scale of London too much but then it is the capital. I’m much happier in smaller cities such as Bristol, Bath and Oxford. The daffs have started to appear now but it appears the taste of spring has been and gone. I hope it comes back soon.