My garden - indoors and out

Followers will know that last year I had a garden that I'd known for twenty two years, this year I have a different garden. This year's garden belongs to an Edwardian terrace, so is tiny or 'bijou'. A miner's cottage after all, built to provide the basics for a family. The correct term for the garden would be a yard, so I have just enough space to home my plant pots on the lower paved section, a position that I can see from my writing room window. Though sadly, I can't see my bird table or bird bath. I have a potted tree that takes up a fair amount of space, which has sprung into life, yet again. But I make the most of everything I have, that is me!

The last few weeks has seen the transformation of a bare yard into a bright, happy space as my violas and bluebells have bloomed. On warm days, my three tortoises have plodded around their enclosure munching on dandelions and the dog has played ball, at every opportunity. This year's garden reminds me of my first garden back in 1994, when everything grew in a ceramic pot and was lovingly watered by me each night. As I write this, I can hear the birds chirping. Yesterday, I had a black bird and its scruffy youngster land on the fence panel right by my writing window - as if chastising me for slacking on my feeding duties! I immediately apologise and redeemed myself with a hunk of torn bread.

​I believe in C.S. Lewis' quote, though I would add animals to the list. Humans, not so much - sadly,  the majority have let me down in life but animals never have!  

You won't be surprised to hear that my garden extends into the house. I have a collection of aspidistras that I tend alongside my 30 year old, bird of paradise plant, which I showed you recently - when she bloomed. I have several smaller plants which fill the gaps, my peacock plant, my prayer plant and a jasmine plant - who is proving to be a complete diva, much like my peace lily! A recent addition to my collection, is a small Easter cactus called 'Simon', who was propagated from a huge specimen from Tamworth library, who sadly rotted after many, many years residing in the fiction section. Thankfully, one of the librarians was green-fingers enough to save and propagate sections of leaf - resulting in my tiny cactus, who is thriving. I believe all the youngsters have their parent's name, hence 'Simon' was a gift from the library. 

We all reside at the miner's cottage, quietly doing our thing each day. I write and teach, Teddy sleeps and plays while the plants, indoors or out, slowly bloom and offer beauty to my world.     

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