Waking to news this morning of expected gale force winds was not what I wanted to hear….as today was earmarked for cutting and transporting armfuls of plant material for propagation, to my delightful new friends at The Secret Garden, Richmond (and the road betwixt here and there has many a tall stand of eucalypt along the way). But as I could hardly contain my excitement at the prospect, I decided to go ahead anyway!
You see…whilst I’ve actually planted much of the garden here from cuttings I’ve coaxed into plants over the years (and it’s a task I much enjoy), I just don’t have the capacity to prepare enough cuttings for something like our open garden. And though I’m not talking huge quantities….I’m really thrilled about this collaboration.
And so it was that I set off in bright winter sunlight, with baskets packed full to overflowing with bundles of some of the most aromatic plants from the garden here. The kind of plants I rarely pick in abundance for the house (for fear of leaving large gaps in the garden!). Oh but I wish I could! The smell in the kitchen after tying them with string….and the heady perfumed journey in the car had me floating on a cloud! I just hope the Secret Garden folk get as much pleasure from snipping and potting tomorrow morning, as I did today.
This mad adventure is in anticipation of our next Open Garden, on 2 & 3 May 2015!
I first encountered the Secret Garden & Nursery at last year’s Collectors’ Plant Fair, where their beautifully presented stall left an indelible mark on my mind. I was thrilled to find them there again this year, and that was when the idea that they might be prepared topropagate some of my plants crossed my mind.
‘A community garden and nursery set on five acres in Richmond, where the focus is horticulture therapy, offering a safe, supportive and educational environment for people with a range of abilities’. The garden and nursery are open to the public Tuesday to Saturday, 9am – 5pm, and I highly recommend a visit. You will find a wide range of plants, many irresistible, and you might even notice some wee plants from Glenmore in their early stages on the propagating benches! (But I hope you’ll save up for those ones ’til next autumn at Glenmore). And, of course, you can catch them again at next year’s Collectors’ Plant Fair.
I send a very big thank you to Marianne, Karen, Travis and all the team – I can’t wait to see the plants progress!