This is my fourth New Year at Bluebell Cottage. I spent the previous three champing at the bit to get on with major structural changes to the nursery, the gardens or both before the spring opening. But this year I decided that we would make our major changes in the autumn and keep the weeks after New Year clear to improve what we already have. So the much needed revamp of the canal border and the redesign of the grasses garden will have to wait, again.

But I hate not having a new project on the go. If I haven’t got one, my brain keeps me awake at night until it thinks one up. And the one it has come up with this time is the completion of a book that has been brewing for a while. ‘A Year at Bluebell Cottage’ will trace the shape of the year at the nursery, give a behind the scenes perspective on our work here, talk about plants and propagation and tell the story of how we came to be here.

I can’t say it will be any good, I don’t even know if it will get published. But I do need to write it. I’m telling you about it here to make it harder for me not to do it. Encouraging comments and general bullying are very welcome. And if you happen to know a friendly publisher or agent who might be willing to read a synopsis and a couple of chapters do let me know.

My blog posts have generally been quite lengthy in the past – but they’ll be shorter (and probably therefore better) for the next few months as I need to keep my pen sharp for the book. But I will keep you up to date and post a few pictures
The snow and frost has gone now, leaving a wake of collapsed and blackened stalks across the garden. The only evidence of the cold snap is the huge slab of ice still under the melted top surface of the pond and a ripple of snow between two of the polytunnels from where the snow slipped off. The snow and ice was a pain and I’m glad it’s gone, but the world is a less attractive place now. I can’t see anything nice to photograph now, so I’m going to cheat and post a couple of shots from last week when the world was much prettier.
A very Happy New Year to you all.

Fennel in the snow

Miscanthus gracillimus. Never flowers here but makes beautiful arching shapes.

Verbena bonariensis stands amazingly well in winter. Yet another great feature of this ubiquitous plant.

Eupatorium – the white one as it happens. Great winter structure.
January 2, 2011