Garden Journal 1997

My very first garden scribbles, found in scruffy old notebooks, are rather minimalist - they contain lists, lists, and more lists. In early 1997 I was an unimaginative garden chronicler of few words. But my trip to England in July of that year is better recorded, and finally in December the first of my 'proper' Gardening Journals appears. As well as the bossy lists of things to do, I start writing about my dreams and schemes for my garden, and my thoughts and feelings about gardening. Phew! I hope you'll enjoy these very early journal pages - please try not to get 'listed' out!

Start a proper garden diary...Start a proper garden diary......
My gardening friend has inspired me - I have decided to start a proper garden diary. In it I will write of my garden experiences, my successes, my failures... day by day even... starting with today.
Christmas garden presents...Christmas garden presents......
A cotinus, a miscanthus and a variegated cordyline are welcomed into the Moosey Garden. My Christmas garden presents (some rose archways) are installed. Merry Christmas.
Bursting with garden ideas...Bursting with garden ideas......
December continues - I'm busy improving the soil, watering, and I'm bursting with garden ideas. Most involve buying new plants, or shifting existing plants around - not a good idea in the hot summer sun!
Summer Garden Notebook...Summer Garden Notebook......
This is my Summer Garden Notebook. In the front, lists of 'things to do today' will be found. In the back, I will write down quotes and ideas from books...
Rationalising the Dahlias...Rationalising the Dahlias......
I am rationalising my Dahlias. They are far too random. I've sorted them into colour groups, which are as follows: lemons, yellows, brick reds, magentas, mid-reds, bluey-reds, soft oranges, lilacs. This seems sensible.
Things to do in May...Things to do in May......
Things to do in May - dig out any frost tender plants remaining in the garden. Put compost in the Island Bed and all up the Driveway Border. Take cuttings of penstemons, daisies and roses...
English Gardens TourEnglish Gardens Tour...
It's the English gardening summer of 1997, and I've been zooming around visiting open gardens, navigating from e.g. Oxford to Devon via the scenic B-roads. Non-Gardening Partner started off with me, but he didn't last the garden-visiting distance!
Three Norfolk Gardens...Three Norfolk Gardens......
Today I enjoyed my first BIG open garden touring day - three Norfolk open gardens, with Non-Gardening Partner in tow. He was really bored with the idea initially, but the driving and navigating gave him something to concentrate on, hee hee...
Devon Gardens...Devon Gardens......
Now I'm staying in Devon for a week, on my own in a Bed'n'Breakfast. Devon is world famous for its gardens, but all I really want to do is fly home and work in my own. Hopeless!
Hestercombe and Home...Hestercombe and Home......
My final day in England has been spent driving from Devon across country to Heathrow. My journey has been well-planned, with a couple of famous English gardens and an ancient historical site to visit en route. And I'm so much closer to going home to my own (not-so-famous) garden...