greentapestry : August Thoughts

Saturday 5 August 2017

August Thoughts


"One early evening at the beginning of August, I come back from my allotment with potatoes, carrots, shallots, beans (broad and runners), kohl rabi, and a little tomato, and soon the juice of runner beans under the knife with the smell of other vegetables cooking. After supper, through the open back door, the pale cups of the oenothera and the sweet Turkish smell of the night-scented stock, the clovey smell of other stocks, and the deeper clove of carnation, took over. Then there was the fresh astringency of a perfect unfurling bud of 'Golden Showers', lemon balm up the path, and then phlox.

But what had drawn me in to the darkening garden were the night-scented stocks, and it is the one smell that, inside comes to me on its own without seeking it out. This is one of the high points of the year - the quiet house, the lamp on the table with the bowl of sweet peas, dahlias in a jar on the shelf. It's so still that there's hardly the flap of a moth. It's warm enough again, after the dip we took at the end of July, to relax and think of another day's activities ahead in and out of the house, pegging down strawberry runners, taking cuttings of honeysuckle, remembering not to miss the time for sewing spring cabbage ; drying shallots and then onions in the sun, cutting down the broad beans for a second flowering , and being reminded, by the smell  of your hands when you touch stalk and leaves of excitement at the emergence of those grey-green leaves at the beginning of the year if you had done a sowing the previous November".

~ An extract from 'Led By The Nose' by Jenny Joseph.
~ Illustration by Lena Anderson.

8 comments:

  1. Isnt this a well written piece Anna - so evocative that reminds us of why we enjoy gardening - I liked it so much I have ordered the book - thank you

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  2. A wonderfully descriptive piece about this time of year. It certainly makes us realise what all the hard work at the start of the year is for and how worthwhile it all is.

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  3. How to turn work into romance and soothe that aching back.

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  4. I had to Gooogle to check this was the poet Jenny Joseph. What a wonderful piece of writing - I too shall be ordering the book so thank you for alerting me to it, Anna

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  5. These words and the imagery they convey are simply breathtaking. I love it.

    Angie @ Pitchfork & Pistil
    https://pitchforkandpistil.com/blog/2017/8/6/in-my-vase-monday

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  6. A lovely description of August, so evocative.

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  7. Thanks for all your comments and welcome Angie. I'm glad to be responsible for some book shopping :)

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All your comments are much appreciated and treasured. I wil try to reply to everyone who leaves a comment, but it may take me a few days, especially when I start spending more time in the garden and at the lottie. I know that you will understand :) I am sure that I will also visit your blog if I have not already done so. If you have any specific questions I will either reply to them here or you can email me at : thegreentapestry@gmail.com

Namasté

- Anna.