When I first thought about opening my garden under Scotland's Garden Scheme, the 28th June 2020 seemed a long way off...and all of a sudden the day has arrived. Not the day that was intended though. Through the numerous changes and developments over the winter, I never imagined that the emerging health crisis in China would reach Scotland's shores effectively shutting down the country as we joined the rest of the world going into lock-down. Initially, the open days were going ahead but as the effects of the pandemic unfolded and it became apparent that lock-down was not going to be a short-term occurrence many regular gardening events fell victim, from garden open days to botanical gardens to the Chelsea flower-show among many others.
But something else strange happened. As it became apparent that to try to prevent the spread of the virus all but essential workers were advised to stay at home, work from home, make trips out limited, suddenly gardening became a major factor in many people's lives. For some, being furloughed meant time to start and finish jobs around the home and garden. For others who now found themselves home-schooling their kids, growing plants became part of education. With garden centres closed, immediately supermarkets quickly sold out of plants and online suppliers of seeds were overwhelmed with orders as the whole of the British Isles became obsessed with gardening. Garden forums became awash with new gardeners looking for advice and swathes of pictures of lock-down projects being completed. Even our favourite TV gardening programmes 'rose' to the challenge of lock-down, presenting to a whole new audience.
In the meantime, I planned to have my garden open ready for the date organised even though I knew it wasn't going to happen, it was helpful to have a deadline to get work done. I still watched anxiously each day as its not just the pandemic that has turned the world on its head, we have also have some weather anomalies, perhaps the effects of climate change, that is altering the growing season and the development of some plants. As far back as Feb/March the Sidalcea was in flower while the Mecanopsis betonicifolia which would normally being going over by now has just flowered this morning. The cottage border has looked like a lush jungle of green for weeks since the end of the tulips, with a few verbascum lining the edge but I've only had additional colour in the last few days with the yellow loosestrife and a lupin appearing. In April we were in drought conditions, followed by wet and cold in May, then, before we knew it we were in scorching temperatures.
I always like to think that I have some control over the garden, and to some extent I have been able to place some plants where I thought they should go, but one element of gardening that I still have not managed to get to grips with is predicting plant growth. I still put plants too close together. I still underestimate just how much spread there will be. One case in point is the hosta by the side of the wildlife pond. Based on the spread last year, I planted some iris and Echium russicum beside it. The hosta is much bigger this year and the iris's have been swamped and I'm probably going to have to move the echium a bit too! To attempt to maintain a bit of order in the flowerbeds I have been staking and containing plants to prevent them flopping over their neighbours with a fair bit of success, but I know that at some point I am going to have to clear the beds and replant. I can see that some plants will also be offered up for new homes to create space for some of the other specimens I'm keen to have a go at growing.
So we are now here at the date I was due to open. The garden is looking ok, there is plenty to see. My plans for the courtyard to become a tropical garden have not progressed far as I still have a limited selection of suitable plants for there. I'm still looking to add more structures in the front garden in the form of archways, just so you can't see the whole of the front garden in one go. But in a way I'm glad the open day was cancelled. After a week of scorching summer weather, its cold, dull and absolutely pouring with rain....not the best day for a garden visit!
