Nicole's GardenThere is no greater pleasure than the joy which a garden brings, so simple yet so satisfying. It nurtures the soul and provides a little piece of paradise in this hectic world we live in. It took me many years to discover this but now there’s no going back.

In my teenage days I used to scoff at people gardening and wonder why they would do something so boring: how naive I was! Now I cannot imagine life without a little greenery in it, whether it’s a houseplant, outdoor plant or just a little patch of grass to call my own. There is nothing I would rather have than a garden: my children use it as a play area, we ‘try’ and grow our own things to eat, we plant things for the birds, bees and butterflies, we even made a lacewing hotel and it is the by far the most peaceful place ever. Our garden, our little haven, is what makes our house a home.

During a little sunny spell today we (all 4 of us) ventured out and found a couple of surprises in our garden much to our excitement. Leek seeds sown and long forgotten (we actually thought they’d failed) have germinated growing happily away in our little greenhouse so they’ll be planted out soon; a cranberry plant bought on impulse is flowering and the mini pond is being used as a local bathing/drinking area for the birds which are a delight to watch.

I’m so glad the gardening bug bit me, I hope everyone has time to wander around and enjoy finding little surprises in their own garden. Come rain, hail or snow, just take 5 minutes to escape the world and revel in your own personal haven.

Nicole 🙂