Sharing.

One of the pleasures of our small corner sanctuary is to be reminded of friends and family as I pootle around the wild garden plot, digging up the endless weeds and squeezing edibles and perennials into random gaps as they appear. While embarking on my green-fingered adventure I have discovered the joy of plant swapping (more collecting and less swapping at this stage) and so my jumbled beds are now a growing patchwork of the various plant-people in our life...

In the early days when nothing else would grow in our weed-infested jungle, Andrew's Golden Marjoram took hold and claimed a patch of ever increasing land as it's own, now adding a Mediterranean highlight to summer salads and stews.


My Mum came into force at an early stage in the garden development and through her extensive network of plant lovers and many years of hard graden labour, she provided us with Crocosmia, Rubekia, Aqualegia, Forget me nots, Verbena, Poppies, Ferns, enough Feverfew to plant a meadow and a multitude of border creepers that I am yet to identify. Not all are in season just now but these provide a flavour...


She also brought me plants with particular memories...

Aunty Ruby's Irises which had always grown outside her front door and the Strawberries that held the main domain in her Birmingham back yard.


Aunty Blanch's Primulas herald the beginning of spring each year but are now happily dormant, awaiting their photo opportunity next year alongside Anna's Primroses.

As I started to understand what could be grown in the dappled shade of our eight adjacent trees, other Mum's filled in the gaps...

Zena's Mum's Rhubarb, much loved by me and the local snails.


Sadly Zena's Goosebury isn't fit for a photograph, it carries a long fox story for another time...

The plant women of my own generation emerged at my birthday two years ago after the aforementioned Fox saga and Rosie's Lemon Balm now rules the garden and provides abundant cups of tea, bottles of vodka and the odd wobbly jelly.


A year later, my next birthday brought Martin and Sabine's Sweet Woodruff which I am yet to make into Maibowle.


And after this years birthday, Rosie and Emily's Lavender is just starting to establish...


... alongside Becky's Heartsease.


The season is only yet midway, still to come are Clare's Beans which I sowed ridiculously late this year, my fingers are crossed for their swift development...


...to be continued.