Nourishment

I'm glad it's Friday and I'm very glad it's half term next week. This week has mostly rushed by, leaving me feeling frazzled, frustrated and like I've caught a cold - or it could be hay fever, I'm not sure. Both are unwelcome. Well then, thank goodness for Tuesday, when I had a delightful morning in West Sussex and met up with Christine from the blog Chrissie Crafts at West Dean Gardens. Meeting up with blogging friends is fun but, as when meeting anyone for the first time, you want to make a good impression. I was a full twenty minutes late. I took a wrong turn on the way and had to double back on myself. Then I saw a sign for West Dean Shop, followed it and ended up down a dirt track in a church yard. Back on the main road I then saw a bigger sign for West Dean College and took that turning; knowing the gardens were somehow attached to the college I assumed I was nearby. I drove around the college grounds and ended up on a road which seemed to turn into a path and was soon facing a dead end opposite a pergola. I felt like I was having an anxiety dream. Starting to panic slightly, I did the smallest, neatest three point turn you ever saw (not easy in my massive, noisy, diesel estate) and drove back to the front of the college, muttering "This is ridiculous, where are the signs, where are the signs?" to myself as I drove. I parked. There was no phone signal (we're in the countryside here) so I can't access my sat nav on my mobile. Apparently I'm very, very close. I drive around a little more and head back to the main road where, around a bend, is a HUGE, very clearly written sign saying "West Dean Gardens", where I turn in, park, and run towards the entrance. Upon seeing Christine my first words are not "Hello!" or "Hi, how are you?" but "I'm so, so sorry!"

Anyway, it was the most glorious morning, it really was. Christine is funny, warm, friendly, and seriously knows her plants. We had a coffee together before heading into the gardens for a nose around. So beautifully maintained but also relaxed, with friendly staff and so much inspiration to be had, and tantalising glimpses of the stunning college through the trees. As you all know I'm no gardener, but show me a walled garden and some Victorian cold frames and I'm happy. It was all very Mr McGregor's Garden - I'm sure Peter Rabbit was lurking in a watering can somewhere.

I wanted to take something home with me from my day out and I did, but it was more a feeling than a purchase. Gardening in our new house so far has involved digging, moving sheds, assembling trampolines and a lot of me staring despondently at half finished jobs. I haven't been feeling much love for the plants, but spending some time at West Dean nourished my fickle gardening spirit. I bought a lavender plant at West Dean and picked up some compost on the way home. I called in at a farm shop on a whim and, thinking of the pelargoniums I'd seem earlier in the day, bought two geraniums and a bunch of locally picked asparagus. Once home, I gave some brand new terracotta plant pots a wash of watered down chalk paint to make them look a little more like the ones I'd seen earlier that day, and planted up my new purchases. Looking at the asparagus, I thought something chickeny and lemony would be nice for dinner and made this. I wish I had the time and opportunity to be so inspired in both garden and kitchen every day.