Potting Up...

I was delighted to be given a pass to spend the day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show on Monday. Chelsea is a show that everyone complains about, but no-one can deny that it is THE horticultural event of the year in this country. It can be maddening, puzzling, frustrating, impressive, disappointing, hot, cold, crowded, repetitive [...]

The last couple of weeks have been a bit bonkers - all of a sudden there were flowers everywhere, despite rain, sun, rain, sun, thunderstorms, hail, swirling squally winds and more rain. Days when the light has been nice for photography have been rare.
Ahoy there!
At least we now have a floral working environment. Here's Brian [...]

We have spent so long wishing for spring I am nervous about stating that it finally is here. But it is. Isn't it?
Anemone blanda in a nicely weathered shallow basket pot

Aubrieta, hebe, pansies and drumstick primula in a Frilly Lily pot

I want it now
Garden centres and nurseries are bursting with colourful goodies, so [...]

By mid-March we are supposed to be knee-deep in primroses and daffodils, bursting buds, boingy lambs and so on. Humph. The expression on Puss-Puss's face says it all.
Spring? Pah!

Garden sleb meets garden slob
When Chris Beardshaw arrived on the 15th March, straight after the phoney spring,  I did the classic "You should have been here [...]

February is a month which raises your spring hopes only to dash them again. Luckily at Whichford there are plenty of indoor jobs which can take my mind off the greyness. I helped with the brand new catalogue, which always involves a lot of picture research, agonising over blurb, endless proofreading and the production and [...]

Blogging has been slightly lost recently in snow, preparing the new catalogue, pruning, snow, developing plans for 2013 Whichford events, a bit of time off, and snow... Anyway, I thought I might give you a little report about my recent excursion to The Netherlands.
A customer at Bingerden last year carries a lovely armful [...]

I resent cold weather for making me feel old and creaky but I have to admit that it is picturesque.
Brave viola in the snow at Whichford Pottery

Exposure
People new to Whichford pots sometimes ask me what I do with the pots during the winter. My reply is "Nothing!" I finish planting the winter/spring displays in [...]

As the temperature drops so I find more reasons to be inside the pottery. While I shed a fleece or two I appreciate all over again what a busy place this is and how diverse the range of skills is which goes into our pots. Every single one is hand made on the premises.
Let me [...]

My camera is back from the cleaners, just in time to catch the tail end of autumn, so welcome back to the courtyard garden at Whichford Pottery. The strawberries I featured on 6th August are still in position partly because I am not strong enough to shift the strawberry barrel off the pedestal by myself [...]

My camera is at the menders because it was so filthy (occupational hazard, I suppose). So I am unable to show you what I've been up to recently, but with the help of Miss Babs I am in the process of emptying pots, saving summer plants and filling more pots with bulbs, perennials, shrubs and [...]