Making mistakes and going with the flow

Underneath the spreading apple tree.

I messed up in a costly fashion in the garden… I lost my dahlia bed. I don’t know what possessed me to leave them in overwinter, I think I wanted to put winter and my dahlia tubers to the test, like a game of dare… I lost. Still, I’ve learnt my lesson, especially as I’ve just ordered a load of new tubers, that made my eyes water a bit. Sometimes we need to push things, we need to make mistakes, get stuff wrong, even if it’s only to drill home something we’d already guessed might be a bad idea, like leaving out dahlia tubers overwinter. I’m one of those people that pushes boundaries and actively seeks learning new skills. I love learning stuff, with learning comes failure as you never get something right first time, maybe not even the second or third- it’s called learning. Take painting for example, no one picks up a paintbrush for the first time and creates a masterpiece- unless they’re five years old. I’ve been an artist for years and I’m more than capable of knocking out a lot of rubbish but it’s those crappy artworks that get to the next masterpiece. It wouldn’t be fun if I was painting something amazing every single time, it would get awfully dull. You need the naff bits, the learning, to get to the good bits. Then, when you’ve accomplished something you’re proud of, you can move on to create something new and fail at that for a while before you get it right again. That’s how I see it anyway. And that’s a lot like how I treat gardening.

Anyway, that bit of insight aside, I just wanted to show you the gorgeous blossom on this very old apple tree. The Mr has pruned it back to glory over a couple of years and now it’s the most wonderful shape. I’m clearing the area underneath it so I can put a little coffee table and chairs there. The Mr also planted my new rose- Madame Alfred Carrier to ramble up it. I think it’s going to be this weekends garden project. I’m also starting on the long border that’s been in the pipeline for well over a year. I’ve kept changing my mind over the size and planting, not because of indecisiveness but more to do with the fact I am learning more about our garden, where it gets damp, what time the sun hits during the different months, that sort of thing. I think I’m there now and we’re ready to start.

I also had a lovely walk up Wrest Park this week to see their wonderful wisteria which is out in full bloom. I miss my old one so much! I did plant one at the front of the cottage when we moved in but it’s still a baby, it does have two flowers on it though which is a good sign- it’s tiny still but obviously happy, so once it gets going it will be glorious. I was tempted into buying a David Austin rose that I’ve been admiring for the past year- Rosa Dannahue. I want to trial it before I buy more. I have plans to plant lots of them but I just want to see how it behaves first. Anyway, that’s enough of my ramblings for a Friday afternoon. I think a glass of wine in the garden is calling.

Have a great weekend.

Emma x