Life in a Brittany Garden

Last year there was hardly an oak leaf that wasn’t tattered and almost skeletonised by caterpillars. This year the opposite is the case. Almost every leaf is pristine and perfect. These reminded me of jigsaw puzzle pieces… A puzzle of oak leaves with the puzzle pieces cut into oak leaf shapes… The light through the…

This has been, (so far), one of the loveliest April’s I can remember. I know memories are short, deceptive and often just plain wrong. But I know 2003 and 2012 both had amazing April’s. 2003 I spent most of in either Pembrokeshire or Devon and Cornwall – which, to be honest would transform the shittiest…

The purple haze is provided by the Early Spotted Orchids growing in the far side of the field next to the garden. It’s a bit of the field that, since we arrived was never cultivated. It was cut to keep down the weeds and the Willow which pops up at the first opportunity. It’s damp…

It’s that precious time of year when the garden is full of potential; nothing has disappointed, gone wrong, been voled or not been planted or looked after… In fact, it’s all waiting to happen. And the madness of Spring hasn’t yet overwhelmed me and I can look at all these lovely things without thinking, ‘help,…

Showing my age with that title. Child in the seventies! However, if you have no idea what I’m referring to no matter. Having seen the forecast for big seas and wind, today seemed a perfect opportunity to go and watch some waves. Plestin, Beg Douar, at about 11am. Just after the low tide had turned.…

Four nights of frost and cold. No rain. The ground was starting to dry. There was a bit of wind. I’d got two loads of washing dry. The heating has been turned on. But will it stay on? It’s gone from -1 to +11 (centigrade). That’s a big difference. It rained virtually all day today,…

Red Waxcaps (Hygrocybe coccinea) on green moss. And the same Red Waxcaps in amongst this afternoon’s haul of Hedgehog Fungus, Amethyst Deceiver, and Tube Chanterelle. All from Les Landes de St Maudez. And collected without getting rained on – although it was sodden underfoot. Hedgehog fungus (Hydnum repandum) is called ‘Pied du mouton’ – Sheep’s…

The rain has really taken its toll on the garden. Only plastic flowers could’ve coped with the constant wet. So, not much to show… However, these Acidanthera have finally flowered after three years of waiting. Delicately, sweetly scented and so pretty! They’re in pots to protect them from the voles. Salvia Armistad. I will be…

You have to hide away for so long? First time that the Sky has been so blue for what seems like ages. It was accompanied by some strong breeze so it felt like some good drying weather was happening. All undone now as I hear the rain pattering on the roof as I write. So…

Well the rain continues – obviously not absolutely non-stop, but every day there have been some showers/drizzle/sustained pouring… There have been a couple of interludes where the sun has appeared albeit briefly, and the difference that burst of warmth and brightness makes to my mood is remarkable. But everything is still sodden, squelchy and muddy.…