My Fledgling Garden

When I first began to take a real interest in my garden, it was because I had been inspired. It's a powerful motivator. I was inspired by a toddler wandering around the garden, and loving the outdoors. Olly inspired me to stop, look, see and do. And I have never looked back.

The start of my gardening journey 2011

Of course inspiration can only get you so far. I am not one for meticulous planning, and I can find it difficult to trust my own judgement. I am easily distracted. I don't follow instructions well, if at all. I am not a rebel. I am just not good at seeing things through. And I think that's why gardening is the perfect creative outlet for me. A garden is a never ending creative project that can be changed and altered at will. There is no point at which it will be finished. Not my garden anyway.

Mostly I find the whole gardening process a relaxing and absorbing one. But if I do get bored, I can walk away for a while, and return later to find that nothing terminal has happened. If a plant doesn't thrive, I pull it up and put it on the compost pile. I haven't failed. It just didn't work (thank you Laeticia for shining the light on that theory). I can create a tapestry of colour and texture just outside my patio doors.

Nowadays inspiration comes from many different places. I have collected quite a lot of gardening books, mostly from charity shops. Last weekend I added to my collection with this book by Sarah Raven that I bought for a pound at a table top sale. It has been by my side all week. It is a fantastic reference book with lots of hints and tips, and I have already written down some ideas for my garden.

I follow loads of gardening blogs. My favourites are My Tiny Plot, Garlic and Sapphire, Common Farm Flowers and Out Of My Shed.There's also lots of stuff I follow via Facebook, including The Enduring Gardener, Garden Naturally Group and DirtWorld Girl. I love all that free advice and information you can get from these sites. I am one of Pinterest's newest members, and my lust after portfolio of plants, design, landscape and ideas is rapidly growing (so is my Duran Duran board, but they can't be potted up to look all lovely in the garden. Shame). I love this resource, because it is the best waste of time on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

I buy the Gardener's World magazine every month (I know, I am 95). I think that it's the best out there. It's packed with seasonally relevant articles from greats like Monty Don and Carol Klein. They have a website and a weekly television programme too. Oh and I do love Gardener's Question Time on Radio 4. I find it inspiring to know that there are experienced gardeners who are still learning about their own little patch of land. And while I'm at it, can I just plug The Great British Garden Revival? It was a wonderful series heralding our gardening heritage here in the UK. It's on I-Player at the moment. My favourites were Kitchen Gardens with the rather scrumptious Allys Fowler and Stumperies, which has inspired my latest garden project.

Nothing beats wandering around our wonderful historic houses and their gardens for inspiration. We are National Trust members, and this year I have made a solemn pledge to myself to visit at least five gardens in our local area before the summer. Next week we have free passes to visit The Eden Project. I always find that an inspiration. I have written here about having a nosey at the gardens of my neighbours. I think that might be one of my favourite ways to walk the dog on a summer's evening. I have taken a lot of pictures leaning over a wall or a fence or a gate.

My inspiration takes many varied forms, but perhaps the biggest is my garden itself. Walking around my garden, and getting down on my hands and knees to inspect something closer. Or sitting in the sunshine and soaking up the beauty on a July day. Learning from my little space a little more each season. Nothing will ever inspire me more.

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The winner of last week's giveaway is Amy at Love Made My Home. Congratulations Amy! If you could email me your address, I'll send the bulbs to you. Thank you to everyone who took part, it was great fun to do.

And thanks for reading!

Leanne xx