One of the many things I love about gardening is being able to occasionally bring homegrown produce into my home, or share with friends and family, produce that doesn't cost the earth, produce that I won't have to travel miles to get, and isn't going to be covered in chemicals.
The spontaneity of growing your own is also a lovely bonus, many of us lead busy lives, so it's handy to be able to just grab something from the garden at a moments notice, it can be anything from a basket of delicious apples fresh from the tree, to a mood lifting bunch of fragrant tea roses, even a humble handful of homegrown fresh green herbs can feel like such a treat after a long dull winter.
Outside of the growing season I've even been known to stick a bunch of hedge cuttings and a few leek tops into a vase, anything to just bring a bit of green freshness into my home during winter.
I don't know about you but I'm always desperate to see some greenery by the time January comes along, and by late February I'm usually looking for signs of life and growth in my garden or in the hedgerows near my home.
So if you fancy having a go at organic gardening and have a small garden, a balcony or patio, or even fancy lending a hand with a friends garden, I'd heartedly recommend wild gardening for wildlife and for yourself, you might find the rewards suprisingly bountiful.
Every plant, flower, vegetable and fruit that you see in my images I've grown organically.
I love to grow all kinds of things but my favourites are what I refer to as my double whammy plants, by that I mean plants that have multiple uses or benefits, chives for example, these humble little plants are ridiculously easy to grow, they look pretty in both garden and vase, they're edible and the bees like them too. What's not to love!.
I never pick too many flowers or plants, I leave much of the bounty in the garden for the wildlife to enjoy, my rule of thumb is - two for them and one for me.
Gardening has certainly been a godsend in my life whenever I've needed a lift, and let's face it we all need a little lift occasionally.
Bringing a few flowers from the garden to give to a friend or loved one shouldn't be about the bunch looking designer perfect, they don't need to look like "shop bought" bouquets, it's more about the simple act of growing and giving.
When I'm gifting flowers to friends I try to choose blooms that are fragrant, or blooms that I know are their favourites and mean something to them, I focus on those things rather than arranging a meticulously designed bouquet.
Whether you're a crafter, a cake maker, a painter or a knitter, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Giving something that you have made yourself feels so much more personal than just dashing to the shops and grabbing something off the shelves.
Happy gardening everyone, I hope it brings you some positive vibes this summer, and maybe even a few unexpected rewards along the way.
L J
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