What's been happening?

The main preoccupation since returning a month ago (really? a whole month ago?) has been getting everything organised for the opening of The British Flower School at Mapperton Gardens. I believe we're getting there, and I believe it's going to work. It's certainly going to be huge fun and a wonderful place to be.

And there have been weddings, and hellebores and anemones and ranunculus galore and tulips tulips tulips. I never have been able to resist a tulip. And my own new gardens to sort out (complete with tulips, ranuncs etc). These are also getting there, plants that were planted or re-planted last year are bulking up and there is virtually nothing left in the acre and a half original gardens that cannot be cut, from akebia vine to cherry blossom at the moment, with lots of narcissi, tulips, cilla, camassia, tellima, phlomis, honeysuckle, clematis,  lysimachia, lily of the valley, nepeta, solomon's seal and now early annuals such as love in the mist all crying out to be picked and made into beautiful bouquets. All good fun.