I always think that the best thing about January is the end; to me, it’s always the longest, bleakest month, a seemingly never-ending cycle of awful weather, post-Christmas leftovers, and absolute skint-ness. February is always better because it’s a) one step closer to Spring b) half term and c) time to start sowing the indoor seeds and chitting the potatoes ready for planting when (if?!) the warmer weather finally arrives.
The past few weeks have been spent wandering outside whenever the monsoon-like weather has eased off, clearing the garden (a job that was long overdue and should really have been done at the end of the last growing season), poring over seed catalogues and digging out the seeds I saved from last year. During the winter, I wear pretty much nothing but jeans, wellies and crazy old cardies (this year with the addition of my incredible £50 parka), so when the lovely people at Joules got in touch to see if I’d like to add a pair of theirs to my collection, I didn’t need asking twice. I’m pleased to report that they’re incredibly robust and comfortable, and have seen me through the last few weeks of apocalyptic rainfall – the cheery polka dots design has made them my favourite pair to date, and I also quite like the red stripe at the back because it matches my favourite coat. (Yes, I really am that fickle). My lovely new wellies from Joules also managed the impossible – they made the thankless school run, the time when I do most swearing-under-my-breath, a lot more pleasant, and helped to keep my legs dry every time some nob in a four-by-four roared past and drenched us.
I literally can’t wait for Spring – I keep looking at pictures of the garden last year, and thinking about how I’d like to improve things this time around. My Mum mentioned that you’re not supposed to grow the same thing in the same place two years running, which has put me into a bit of a dilemma; we’ve only really got three large growing spaces, and one of those is always getting dug up and used as a public lav by the local cats. I keep trying to map out on paper where things could go, and I’m still on the look out for old pots and discarded timber to make more garden structures and growing tubs. Last year I found a G-Plan coffee table in a skip, so who knows what beauties might surface this Spring?
What are you growing this year? Any tips from last years successes?
This post was written in collaboration with the lovely folks at Joules.
I love those wellies, they look great. x
I am desperate for spring, and getting some seedlings started! Love those wellies xx
Love your wellies! I'd love to say that I'm joining you in this year's gardening but I think realistically it's going to get mowed and that's about it!
love the wellies! I'm so desperate for spring now! xx
I hate January too, I am so desperate for Spring! Love the wellies, I'm just waiting for mine to turn up x
Such cheery wellies! Thinking about spring much of the time here too. Planning to grow somethings this year tomatoes top of my list and sunflowers!
Yep I'm with you there, the longing for spring and finally seeing the first few glimmers is something that excites me probably more than it should! I always seem to forget how long winter drags on for! But having a lovely pair of wellies like those does surely brighten up the dreary weather!
I can't ever keep anything alive (I once killed a cactus!) so I have no tips, but I do really love your wellies!
Yes, Spring is always massively welcome to me too. All this bleakness and rain… we need things to start growing again. At least the snowdrops and crocuses are now out!