Life in a Brittany Garden

It’s still a week before the ‘Saints Glaces’, or as I affectionately know them as – the Icy Saints. ‘Affectionately’ in the same sense that I have affection for voles. But tonight and tomorrow night are forecast to be -1/0 degrees. Here it is normally a degree or two below the forecast. The garden, as…

My mood oscillates regularly between optimism and despondency . I look around on a good moment and think ‘lovely’. Five minutes later it’s ‘Oh, this is shit’. There is so much that needs doing, and by the time I’ve done a little bit of it and stand back to have a look… it needs doing…

This could have been just an indifferent day. Rainy, very windy, chilly… The sun popping out every so often as the clouds scudded over the sky. Typical April weather. So, a trip out to Plougrescant. Somewhere I’ve not been before. And the wind, once we arrive at Plougrescant, is a blessing. Whipping up the waves…

The annual visit to the banks of the Aulne was as magical as ever… Wild garlic as far as the eye can see, mixed with Wood Anenomes and Bluebells. As I still have last years’ jars of lacto-fermented to use up, I didn’t need to pick much. A bag full – just enough to make…

The first direct sowings are finally done. Peas, parsnips, radish, lettuce, carrots and beetroots. It feels very late, but – putting my bare hands down into the damp soil – it doesn’t yet feel properly warm. So perhaps I’m still too early! A good day, where I feel like I accomplished stuff. And the promise…

This old fishing boat with its hand-painted numbers looked almost out of place and time amongst the sleek and expensive yachts. Lunchtime on the rocks…I put my sandwich down for a minute and heard a bit of a clatter and a kerfuffle behind me. Luckily I retrieved it before these two got too close. Sea…

It’s been difficult reconciling here and there. I’ve been back since Monday, but my head still thinks I’m in London. I guess it’s not helped by no Cat. She was always the impetus for returning. And the reason for the growing excitement as I got ever closer to home….would she be waiting? How happy she’d…

I had hoped to update this before leaving, or even on the ferry coming back, but here it is now… Winter Purslane and Chicory ‘Rossa di Treviso’: The first crocuses opening: The Camellia I posted in bud last time…. Helleborus niger. I need more of these! These snowdrops are (finally) really starting to self-sow and…