December
December began with the launch of Flowers From The Farm Diversity Scholarship; a culmination of 5 months of work from the newly formed DAG, aiming to diversify the flower farming sector, with five scholarships, including mentorship, classes, conference passes, and a starter kit, up for grabs. We really proud of this as a starting point, and the applications are open until Jan 4 so keep spreading the word.
The mists that arrived in November stayed for the final month of the year too- thick blankets of it that kept the frosts at bay; which, with no iced hands to contend with, made the big job of mulching the plot bearable, and on some days, it made it very beautiful too. I waited and waited for the frosts to come, but with none on the horizon, and on a particularly balmy, winter’s day I made the snap decision to plant out my hardy annuals that were already clambering out of their pots. More fool me. Three short days later, the weather turned, and the forecasts mocked my optimism; the frosts came sharply and quickly, the final leaves fell, and the branches of the great oaks were etched across a watercolour sky. I don’t know if my hardy annuals will make it- with such a short time to settle into the ground before the great shock of ice, but it’s not the end of the world- and certainly not even a scratch on the rest of the shit-storm that 2020 bought.
I had intended December to have a manageable workload, and only took on a few wreaths to make for clients, but the DIY wreath-making kits proved so popular, that the late nights carried on to harvest, wrap, pack, and ship them all out on time. By the third week of December, I had finally figured out an efficient system of creating them, so maybe next year will be more straightforward! It was such a joy seeing the pictures of what you had created at home, that it was totally worth it and made up for a year of missing out on the festive workshops! The shop remained open for most of the month too- with seed bundles and bouquets going out until Christmas Eve, the studio was a Christmas shipping hub, and not much time was left for anything else.
Gifts were finally wrapped a few days before Christmas and sent out to loved ones- with ribbons dyed from the garden. Simple and beautiful. I’ve been trying to convince my youngest sister to come and make ribbons for me for the last three years. There’s only so many I can make in snatched time during the year, and I never have enough. My bets are on that I can finally get her to say yes this coming spring. She’s a pro-natural dyer, and uses the fabrics she creates in her design work for her degree at CSM. If I get her for just a week, I reckon we could get 100’s of ribbons made, and then have enough to offer them to you guys too. Our grandmother GJ (who turned 92 yesterday!!) had a ribbon drawer when we were little- filled to the brim with ribbons in every shape, length, colour you could imagine- and the aim, I think, is to re-create the magic of that.
We decorated bit by bit, with the motto being, if you passed the tree and you didn’t smile, just keep adding more. This was the first Christmas with the Pups, and they made it utterly joyful; from the walks in the crisp frosts to the hugs by the fire. Jimmy turned one this month too, and he has been, without doubt, my saving grace to 2020, he silly and stubborn in equal measure, sensitive and funny, he’s such a gentle boy- I feel so lucky to have him as my friend.
It was just the three of us for Christmas day- myself, my partner, and my sister (the middle one) who’s been living alone. We had roasted Brussels sprouts with chestnuts, spiced red cabbage, swede and carrot mash, and some lovely chicken from our friend George. It was a quiet day, with some calls to loved ones, endless snacks, and a fair few glasses of wine. Boxing day was spent walking the pups in the cold and getting warm again by the fire. Then the land called and said it was back to work, planting the last bulbs and fixing the growing spots with perennial weed problems with more cardboard and compost. I found a few hours to sit down and write too- working on that big, secret, exciting thing, which got even more thrilling this month when someone I hugely admire, and whose work is so, so, so beautiful, agreed to join the project; ecstatic doesn’t begin to cover it. I can’t wait to tell you all about it in 2021. In the meantime, here are the final few photos of the plot this year, taken at dawn this morning. Sending love, courage and strength to see out this perpetual challenge of a year- may the next one be filled with beauty. Happy New Year. x
