Unexpected inspiration

Sometimes inspiration does come along unexpectedly. I’ve been reading the book by Alice Vincent Why Women Grow. Some weeks ago, I was having coffee with a friend In ReadingLasses, my favourite Bookshop/Café in Wigtown, when the title of this book on an adjacent shelf caught my eye. A quick flick through was enough to persuade me to buy it

The book told the stories of a number of women who had found their lives changed in some way by getting involved, and in some cases getting others involved, in creating. developing or restoring a garden. In some cases the garden started simply with a window box and bringing on seedlings in yogurt pots on a kitchen window sill.

Then last Sunday, I was listenng to Private Passions on Radio 3 and Michael Berkley’s guest was Olivia Laing who has just written a book The Garden Against Time where she writes in some detail about the old walled garden that she restored, along with references to Milton’s Paradise Lost and an intriguing explanation of the origin of the word ‘Paradise’. (I also bought this book.)

I didn’t expect the casual glance at a book when I was having coffee plus listening to a lunchtime programme about music would provide me not only with inspiration to be bolder with the development of my garden, but also give me food for thought with my writing.

There is an old Quaker saying ‘that speaks to my condition’. These two books certainly do speak to my condition. Between the two of them I have been fired up to create a garden that is not only wildlife friendly but also one that will give the impression of freedom, show creative use of colour and paint an exhuberant picture.

Nearly nine years ago my husband and I moved into our new home – one that was definitely going to be our ‘forever’ house. Initially, the house needed a lot of work dong to it but eventually we started changing the garden. There’s about a third of an acre which is divided up into ten different spaces or ‘rooms’.

Initially the work in the garden was divided between the two of us. When Les died in December 2022, I was left with the realisation that I was now in charge and had to make of it whatever I could. This seemed daunting at first but gradually I realised that I had freedom to create something different and I then began to feel more relaxed and confident.

Those two books have given me even more confidence, have given me inspiration. Remembering the varied challenges that other women have faced and the way they have found that they have not only been successful with the gardens, but they have also found peace of mind, solace and a sense of achievement. Being creative with a garden can mean that there is less time to be creative with words, but it is certainly rewarding and is also providing a stimulus to write!