I'd Rather Have Flowers On My Table ...

I was lucky enough to win the most fabulous book in a recent giveaway hosted by Debbie on her blog, Serendipity Patch, called The Cut Flower Patch by Louise Curley.  I don't own many garden-related books and don't profess to be very green-fingered at all but I do love flowers.  I love them in the garden and love them just as much in my home.  I feel slightly bereft if I don't have a pretty posy on my kitchen table, mantelpiece or bedside table.  (Debbie reviews the book on her blog here.  While you're there, do take a few minutes to check out her crochet, it's just gorgeous.  Her spring flower blanket is in my top ten favourite blankets of all time!)

Well, this book has completely inspired me.

Did you know that approximately 80 per cent of the flowers available to buy in the UK are imported and may have travelled up to 25,000 kilometres by the time they reach our homes?  I might be being naive but that strikes me as crazy given that we live in such a green and pleasant land.

I only have a smallish south-facing town garden but I have resolved to grow as many cut flowers as I can this year.  I've made the most of the recent glorious weather and cleared a bed and several pots in readiness.  (Any tips on how to deter next door's cat from pooping in the freshly dug soil will be extremely welcome!  Bertie is more interested in sunbathing than patrolling his territory.)

I hadn't also realised how many of my existing plants can be cut and brought inside, starting very soon with my viburnum and crab apple blossom.  (Look at the colour of that sky.)

Of course, I have been trimming my lilac and using the branches for my Easter Tree, for a few years now.  Last year's.  The year before.  This year's are now in situ, all ready for decorating.

Meanwhile in the garden, I couldn't resist a bit of instant colour so I bought an armful of inexpensive polyanthus plants.

Gosh I love spring.

xxx

Something Amazing Has Happened

My 12 year old daughter has asked me to crochet her a lap blanket.

To date she has shunned every offer of something handmade.  Well, that's not quite true.  I managed to coerce her into letting me crochet her a cowl last Autumn.  I got as far as buying the wool but she ended up pooh-poohing all of my suggestions and then changed her mind.  Apparently it's not so cool to adorn yourself with something your Mum has made.

I've stood quietly by while she has oohed and aahed over very ordinary high street knits.  Her favourite winter accessories have been her grey slouchy hat and matching cowl from Zara.  If you peek in her room, it's a nasty One Direction throw that you'll see, lying across the end of her bed.  It crackles with static if you so much as look at it.  How I loathe that thing.  (It would have met an 'accidental' end by now had it not been a present from her brother.)

I wish I could have crocheted when they were both too little to have an opinion.  It must feel amazing to swaddle your baby in a blanket you have lovingly made yourself.

Anyway, this turn of events has delighted me, to say the least.

It started with her being uncharacteristically complimentary about my Spring Stripe blanket.  (My children normally refer to my crochet as "one of Mum's quirks".)  When she actually asked me if I'd make one just for her, I nearly fell off my chair.

She's drawn a picture of what she'd like (stripes again but that suits me - you know how I adore my stripes) and we've ordered the yarn.  There's no going back now.

I love crochet.  I love the whole process from start to finish.  But to actually crochet something specially for my girl which, you never know, could last longer than I do?  That is me loving crochet and some.

Have a glorious weekend.

xxx