As the seasons ebb and flow, so too does the ever-changing beauty of our founder Lucy’s cottage garden. Each month, she shares quiet musings from among the borders - small joys, new discoveries, and the gentle rhythms of nature as they unfold. From the first unfurling petals of spring to the mellow glow of autumn, these notes offer a glimpse into a garden forever in motion.
The tulip will forever be the highlight of the spring garden. But as the weeks go by and we near summer, tall, delicate irises are beginning to unfurl and take their place. Their time is fleeting, which makes their arrival feel even more precious.
We have a cluster of bearded varieties dotted about the garden, both front and back. My absolute favourite has to be the Iris ‘Indian Chief ’ – the depth of its plummy petals sitting on a bed of fuzzy saffron yellow is almost impossibly beautiful.
The unseasonable weather has brought with it a couple of late frosts. Now that we’ve put them behind us, the time has finally come to plant out the seedlings, which are at last ready for life outdoors. First out are my Orach Ruby Gold. They’ve been ready for some while – I’ve held onto them a little longer than strictly necessary, overly protective of those first tender seedlings heading out into the great outdoors.
The appearance of the first clusters of foxgloves in full bloom always makes for the sweetest sight. They are such a cottage garden staple, and never more so than when peeking out from the rose bush at the front – two classics side by side. We layered in a few different varieties last year, and it’s lovely to see them appear again. One of my favourites is the Apricot Beauty, whose soft peachy tones go hand with the lovely Rose Desdemona.
At last, a sprinkling of rain! Much of May has been very dry, but as soon as it arrived the garden instantly pepped up, looking greener and much more content. With a hot spell on the horizon, hopefully the timely drenching it’s had will stand it in good stead.
