The Garden Year: November 2024

Welcome to the last Garden Year linky of the year as realistically there’s little to post about over the winter months, and so this linky takes a break. Thanks to everyone who’s joined me throughout the year - enjoy the winter, let’s hope it’s kind.

This past month I’ve been trying to catch up in my garden - I’ve still lavender that hasn’t been cut, and realistically much of which remains uncut is likely to stay uncut. I’ve got some done on the nicer days, but with an unexplained pain in my wrist I’m trying to do less of what aggravates it - and it seems chopping and secateur use is on that list. It gets better when rested though, so that’s good news.

I am hoping to do some small tree tidying work, though may have to enlist MOH to help with that - which will be good, but also trying as explaining exactly where to cut things can sometimes get lost in translation to a not-so-keen gardener!

Leave a link below to share what you’ve been up to in the last month, or add a comment sharing your plans for the upcoming month.

Advice, inspiration and places to visit

“TheGardenYear

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Post Comment Love 1 - 3 November

Hello there, and welcome back to this week’s #PoCoLo - a relaxed, friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any blog post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked, comment and share some of that love.

Please don’t link up posts which are older as they will be removed from the linky, and if older posts are linked then please don’t feel that it’s necessary to comment on those. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here this week we’re pleased you’ve joined us.

Take care today, and make sure you link up to the correct linky on my blog - as it’s that rare occurrence when Friday is the 1st of the month, the day my gardening linky also opens!

This week we’ve managed to tick quite a few things off our list for our garage gym - nothing too fancy, but getting hooks up and a picture and the blinds, which make a huge amount of difference. They’re also a much smarter option than my Heath Robinson style pile of cardboard boxes - and my insistence was justified yesterday as I spotted MOH had pulled them down during his workout, despite him thinking there weren’t needed! The space itself is coming along nicely and it’s great to have, especially as the colder weather arrives and exercising moves indoors.

Have a great week - and Happy November!

one blind up, one down - orange to bring a spot of colour to the dark grey doors

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A Problem Shared is a Problem Halved

* I was invited to the press preview of Gardeners’ World Live and provided with a pair of tickets to visit the show, therefore all my posts will be marked as 'Ad’ though as usual my views and opinions are very much my own.

This beautiful border is one that I featured briefly in my highlights post, so it feels right to share more about it in a separate post - though I’m not sure that any beautiful border really fits into the problem category!

And it doesn’t, it’s designed as a space for sharing problems and thoughts while surrounded by nature. The Yin/Yang paving reflects opposing forces and these colours are fed through into the planting in a way that makes this a very special place indeed.

The deeper tones change to lighter colours signifying how our moods can lift, and together it's such a calming, welcoming space - that, as I said earlier in the post it’s hard to imagine a better place for taking a raincheck on our wellbeing and being at peace within its space.

I loved how the planting was so distinct, and while white plants are much more easy to find and use in our gardens, there were some surprises there too - just look at the pale, almost white fatsia by the chair leg. I’m a fan of the fatsia’s more usual green cousin, but this one was just beautiful - and it’s one I’m seriously thinking about for our garden, or at least working out how I can fit one in, if it’s something that will suit the space we have. I’ve too often in the past gone for plants that might just work, but they haven’t really been happy, so I’m not sure it’s really worth it - however beautiful they are!

And don’t you just want to reach out and touch the velvety dark petunias? They look great alongside the dark leaved heucheras (bottom right of the picture - just), which I already have a pot of. Petunias are one of those bedding plants that seem to have fallen out of fashion, but this dark version could just change that I think.

* With thanks to Gardeners’ World for inviting me to Gardeners’ World Live, it was just as good as I expected! I’ll be sharing more from my visit to the show - I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.