I love May. It’s the time of year when our gardens are getting into their stride, there’s the chance of some fine weather and, for many of us, the two bank holidays allow us to extend our weekends and be outdoors more – whether that’s in our own gardens or visiting others for inspiration.
I find that time spent in my own garden can be a bit of a balancing act during May – between allowing myself to sit, relax and enjoy being outside, and frantically making sure I feel on top of all the necessary spring tasks. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy getting stuck into all these jobs, and there’s so much satisfaction, joy and creativity to gain from gardening just now, but I know I need to just stop and take a breath more often. Many call it being mindful, including Ashley Edwards on p106, so check out his wise words if, like me, you could do with slowing things down a bit.
When it comes to visiting other gardens, I have a simple goal for this year – to do more of it! Admittedly, not everyone in my family is a garden lover, but we do all enjoy a picnic and a cracking day out, so I’m determined to make the most of all that our legendary 2 for 1 Gardens scheme (and the fab new app) has to offer. I love how visiting a garden always fills me with masses of planting and design ideas, and the very act of getting out for the day forces me to relax and spend more time interacting with the people closest to me, which can only be a good thing.
So, hurrah for gardens! Whether you’re spending time in your own or somebody else’s, be sure to soak it all up.