It’s been a long time since I sent out a newsletter - apologies for the gap! Flower farmers are incredibly busy during the growing season, and I was no different. I tried selling at Bushy Park Market during the summer months. That was 2 full working days every week, but a rather poor return on investment, so I won’t be doing that next year. I was also running a NeighbourFood online farmers market, but demand for that has reduced significantly since the first Covid lockdown, so that has also come to an end. So a bit more time now to write something regularly. Next year I’ll be organising my time differently, so that this newsletter will appear in your mailboxes more regularly.
It has been a strange autumn - we have had almost no frost up till now, so many of the trees are still in full leaf. Some, however, have scattered multicoloured leaves on the ground, which are gladly accepted by the earth for recycling. Natures mulch. Free and effortless.
I have a lot of perennials in pots that need to go into the ground - there they will be much better insulated there, and will use any light and heat to grow underground, even if they look half dead above ground. So I have been clearing out cosmos - which is still gamely blooming - and some volunteer foxgloves - to make space for them. This breaks my heart a little, especially the foxgloves, but I’m consoling myself with all the foxgloves I have planted elsewhere. The ground is surprisingly dry, making the work pleasant physically, while mourning the plants taken too soon….
When it’s too wet for outdoor jobs, I have been updating my website with some of next years courses. In addition to courses about plants, I have been teaching some cooking courses- by popular demand - so I’ve been adding a few more of them. Check it out - I’d love to get your feedback! And in case you are interested, all the currently available courses are listed below. Next years courses are on an early bird rate until the end of November, and make a great gift!
Happy growing!
Anna