"Il faut cultiver son jardin." - Candide by Voltaire. 1758

My lavender plants are dying, I feel slighted, pained, a failure and confused. Isn't this lavender weather? Saving or reviving a plant’s life does not equate to saving or reviving a person’s life, of course, but the I think the instinct is similar. It’s paternal or maternal.  It’s not the same but there are elements in common. It’s nurturing, it’s protective, it’s a mutual relationship and if a plant suffers or dies you suffer a little.

These nurturing, parental thoughts came to me yesterday. The pink Hydrangea that appeared last summer has finally flowered this year. Its magnificent pink petals were one of the highlights of last year. All the more so as I didn’t even think I think I liked Hydrangeas, in fact I would have struggled to identify one but it had re-appeared as a result of the clearing work I did in that part of the garden the previous summer. Clearing space allowed it to revive itself in a magnificent display. Metaphors about clearing space literally manifest in a garden at times, allowing us to enjoy the beauty of nature, its power, its ability to have a renaissance.  The gardening metaphors are already there of course. We all know them; “Planting new seeds”, "reaping what you sow", "blossoming career". The French philosopher Voltaire said we need to “cultivate our garden” if we are to make something of our lives. Well that's how I understood it. Perhaps he was being ironic or facetious?  The world was far more savage in 1758 than it is now, though eeerily similar in some ways, so he must have been partly serious surely? Read the book, Candide, you'll know what I mean. I always liked that metaphor, it’s beautiful yet simplistic, it’s economical yet powerful, intimate yet vast. Get to the point, please. It took me to thirty-five to really become an actual gardener and I’m still learning. I’m not sure if Voltaire was interested in gardening, but literally cultivating your garden is one way of getting there.

A garden is an emotional relationship…you take responsibility. It’s holistic and reciprocal. It’s different for different people and as I said, I realise that gardening isn’t saving lives or curing diseases, but collectively if more people get involved it can only be good for the common good. I believe if more people in society took up gardening, discovered the joy and journey that is gardening, the world would be a slightly better place. I'm not a pessismistic satirist like Voltaire. I'm not a genius either but I'm a pragmatist and maybe an idealist. Collective responsibility. That’s not so common these days as we all have it a bit too easy, numbed by multi-media, sensationalism and additives. Just look at the politicians we've voted for or allowed to be voted in due to our collective irresponsability or indifference. I'm just saying. Gardening should be on the programme for every primary school on earth.

Anyway, back to this garden, the other news is the bramble bush. Brambles or blackberries, same thing. I’m not sure we could sell them at the local farmers’ market - not that you’d ever see me at a farmers’ market, I worry the smugness may be contagious – bit tiddly, but great to have fruit literally growing wild in the garden. Another metaphor! Should provide a brief feast for the Woodhouse and maybe a Blackcap if one stops by. Haven’t seen one this summer, sadly. Nice bird. Size of a large Robin, with a light body and a blackcap funnily enough.

Oh and the frog came into the house late last night, I opened the doors stepped out for a second, came back and it had hopped in, had to cajole it back out again. Love frogs, but not in the house, though I’ve probably had less agreeable flat-mates in the past.