Inspiration

The garden’s gone a bit bonkers in my absence in Scotland last weekend. I’m not sure if it is super-happy-exuberant or bordering on municipal authority flowerbed, but the tulips are coming out with a vengeance. In fact since taking these photos I’ve got to admit to picking some of the brightest orange and yellow varieties, so it’s all a little calmer now, but there’s nothing like a bit of good bad taste to wake us up at this time of the year.

More subtle are the auriculas and tulips on the grass bank.  And I love this time of year to be able to nip out into the garden and bring some spring flowers indoors.  Most exciting? My first asparagus crop – three seasons after I first planted the crowns. Worth the wait – but what is interesting is how quickly time flies – it seems only a moment ago that I was first making the veg garden and planting rhubarb and asparagus.

In Bridport this morning I found this lovely old bit of typography in the market.  I think it must be rather reassuring to know that as the world was tumbling slowly into the dark days of the Second World War, such beautiful cards were being handed out by the Weymouth Meeting of the Royal Counties Agricultural Society.