Inspired by Wellywoman’s Golden Welly awards, I thought I’d have a look back over the year and round-up some of my favourite horticultural experiences. So in no particular order (other than what first pops into my head)…..
On the third weekend every June, usually hidden Canal Gardens in Amsterdam are open to the public, so I popped over to Holland with fellow blogger Veronica (you can just see her there in the background) to have a look. (In 2013 Open Canal gardens are 14-16 June ).I have to admit, the omnipresent box parterres were slightly overwhelming by the end of the weekend, but I loved the giant curvaceous sculptural box forms in this garden at Kerkstraat 67.
Impeccably maintained, this garden was the most inspirational by far out of the 25 gardens or so that we packed in over the two days.
I haven’t been to Amsterdam for years, and I’d forgotten what a fantastic place it is just to hang out. And maybe the real horticultural treat for me over the weekend was not so much the canal gardens (although some were stunning), but the great planting that you see in the streets throughout this beautiful city.
At every turn, pots were bursting with blooms,
and roses adorned all manner of objects, seemingly springing out of deep concrete. Amazing!
To complete our horticulturally themed weekend, we dined at De Kas restaurant, a short tram ride just outside the city centre. It’s a fabulous spot. Vegetable beds surround an enormous revamped municipal greenhouse and dining in this open airy structure added to the joy of eating their delicious meals, where fresh produce from the gardens is used as much as possible.
Back in Blighty, I know it wasn’t a great year for tomatoes, but Black Krim, a beefsteak variety which I’d tasted the previous summer at Victoriana Nurseries , was another curvaceous delight. It looks wild and tastes great. Really meaty and rich. I’m definitely growing these again next year.
Another edible success was growing potatoes on top of grass. Following my visit to Charles Dowding’s ‘no dig’ farm, I experimented with a few Charlotte potatoes in April, planting directly on top of fresh grass and covering with about 6 inches of recycled municipal compost.
I earthed up the potatoes once and was rewarded with a very healthy 15lbs worth of potatoes come August.
This no dig method worked equally well with some gorgeous heritage varieties too (Arran Victory above), this time planted on top of soil at my allotment, again, with absolutely no digging. Not all of my experiments work out, but this one was a huge success and I’ll be using this ‘no dig’ method for any potatoes grown in the future and I look forward to trying it out for other root veg too in the new year.
And last, but by no means least, was the very enjoyable herb course at Judith Hann’s garden in Oxfordshire. After the course I felt truly inspired to get planting and cooking with a whole heap of herbs which I’d never grown before.
Lovage (bottom right), Sweet Cicely (top left), buckler leaf Sorrel (top right)
and Tarragon (above) are now firm favourites and I’m really looking forward to harvesting from herbs planted this summer come 2013.
I know it’s been another strange growing year, but despite the odd disappointment (leeks,.. squash), I’ve loved trying out new growing methods, different varieties of veg and learning more from enthusiastic and knowledgable gardeners. And I’ve gathered loads more ideas that I want to put into practice next year (fruit tree training thanks to Paul Templeton). It will be great to hang up my gardening boots for a couple of weeks over Christmas, (and start reading my tempting stash of gardening books), but I know I’ll be more than ready to get experimenting again come the new year.
Glad you finally found a way of publishing your Amsterdam pics! Summer seems so long ago. Roll on next year for more growing and visiting!
Roll on summer indeed. Can’t force myself outside on such a winter’s day. Loved your post from the Cartier Foundation in Paris Fancy a northern France trip next summer to soak up some more horticultural loveliness?
I now want to re-visit Amsterdam thanks to your inspiring pictures. And yes to getting started again with gardening and blogging and growing vegetables, herbs and fruit in 2013
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and.New Year
Sue, had such a lovely time in Amsterdam that hopefully I’ll be visiting again soon. It’s great sauntering from one coffee house to another, and even better mixed with a bit of garden visiting too, although 25 in one weekend was quite a feat!
Still have a week or so of gardening before boots are put away and it looks like it’s going to be another chilly week next week too. However, I can see the light…….
Wishing you a very merry Christmas too and great planning and gardening in the new year. N x
Thanks Naomi, I’ve loved reading about your gardening year. We used to live in Germany and got the chance to go to Amsterdam a few times. It’s been a while since we were last there though and seeing your photos makes me want to go back there soon. And I’ve wanted to eat at De Kas for ages. I’m looking forward to a break this Christmas. Can’t wait to sit down with my seed catalogues and start planning for next year. Loving those black krim toamtoes. I’m going to try tomatoes again this year after 4 years of not bothering because of blight. With our new greenhouse though I thought I’d give them a try again.
Hi WW, Definitely worth growing Black Krim tomatoes, especially in a greenhouse. I really like the taste of a variety called ‘Egyptian’, which we also tasted at Victoriana Nursery, but can only be grown indoors. V. jealous of your greenhouse!
De Kas, wasn’t cheap, but the food, staff and the restaurant itself were superb. Well worth it when next in Amsterdam I’d say.
Really looking forward to spending some quiet time perusing catalogues and reading books too.
Naomi, It’s funny to hear from you about the canal gardens in Amsterdam. open in June. For us living in the Netherlands, it is nearby but we never have been to those canal gardens. Something to go for in June.
I always read you blog. I like the enthusiastic writing about green gardening.
Happy Christmas.
Greetings,
Jan Aanderwiel
Hi Jan, Yes, I’m exactly the same about visiting galleries, gardens and museums. It usually takes a visiting friend to inform me about something or somewhere new to visit. Always pleased to have gone and seen a great exhibition or a choice garden afterwards though. Many thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy visiting the Canal Gardens next year! Happy Christmas! V.best Naomi
Now 25 gardens in a weekend is a mega marathon. I visited the open gardens of Usk a few years ago which involved a similar number of gardens visits. Enjoyed it but was totally exhausted come the last garden. Amsterdam does sound most tempting though. Can’t stop singing that song now – rainbows and roses …..
Catchy isn’t it! You’re right Anna. It was exhausting and we happily collapsed into our seats on the Eurostar which whisked us (probably snoring) back home.It was a hugely enjoyable weekend though and I’m tempted to go back again to Amsterdam soon if only for the cafes and second hand shops.
Great post and lovely photo’s. You have had a busy and wonderful gardening year, can’t wait to read what you come up with next year.
Thanks Laila. Yes, it’s been a good year. Hopefully I’ll get to visit some more gorgeous gardens next year and already have my eyes on a couple of courses-blog post to follow! Thanks for all your lovely comments (and tweets) during the year. V.best Naomi
Just to let you know:- The dates for the Open Garden Days in Amsterdam are 14-16 June 2013.
Thanks Andrew. Will add these dates to the post. V.best Naomi
I seriously love this post! (I also enjoyed Wellywoman’s awards too!!) I visited Amsterdam earlier this year and stayed on a houseboat. I was also really taken with the amount of plants and gardens that people created in the smallest of spaces. I would love to go back and might try to go for the canal gardens next year! Very interesting idea you had with the potatoes and your tarragon colander is exceptional! Wonderful post🙂
Anna, thanks so much for your enthusiastic comments. Staying on a houseboat sounds fantastic. Can you rent them? Yes, I’m delighted with my potato success, especially during such a wet summer-seemed like the optimum way to grow them this year, with not a sign of blight in sight. Growing more unusual herbs was definitely sparked by a visit to Judith Hann’s herb garden and eating wonderful Tarragon dishes prepared by Flora, a great friend and most excellent cook. Using recycled objects more than inspired by a trip to Lip na Cloiche on Mull who spends her winters scouring the island for abandoned kitchen and farming objects.
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