My vegetable patch is looking rather unkempt at the moment.
It looks OK from a distance. Up close, you’ll spot grass growing through the perennial kale, nettles peeping out of the hedge, leeks about to flower, bolting radishes and borage seedlings in the path.
And I’m trying not to think about the perennial bed too much (yes, that is a self-seeded foxglove in the middle of the edible perennials).
With my attention split over four gardens this year, my garden is definitely following a path of its own.
On bad days, I envy the immaculate, perfect vegetable gardens of Instagram. I love the idea of neat rows, carefully trimmed plants and weed-free beds.
It doesn’t usually take me long to remember that I’m not that sort of gardener.
For a start, I don’t have the time for immaculate. With 3 children and a range of hobbies, gardening is just one of many demands on my time. I generally refer to myself as a lazy gardener, because I favour no-dig, ground cover and other low maintenance practices and I love plants that self-seed or return year after year.
I compromised my ability to plant in rows long ago with various choices. For example, I’ve planted sun-loving lavenders and thymes along the south-facing edge of one bed. I love the way they spill over the bricks and add permanence to the ever changing beds but they do get in the way of rows. I also allow nasturtium, Welsh poppies, poached-egg-plant, violas, calendula and French Marigolds to grow wherever they appear which saves me the trouble of finding somewhere to squeeze them in later.
If I was tidier in my gardening, I know I would have missed out on a whole host of happy accidents. I probably wouldn’t have discovered that bolting radishes are not completely wasted. I might not have learnt quite how easy it is to save brassica seed. I almost certainly wouldn’t have found out that chicory has the most amazing blue flowers. I might not have known that Orange-Tip butterflies lay their eggs on the seedpods of Jack-by-the-hedge (aka garlic mustard).
Although it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, my gardening style brings me so much joy. The garden is endlessly changing and full of surprises.
I’d love to know how you garden! What’s your gardening style and what brings you joy in your garden?
Kirsty
– Having way too much fun!