The day Anna Pavord came to visit

So there I was having a few work stresses when all of a sudden an email popped up from Anna Pavord....mmm that name is familiar I thought, then opening it, I saw it was indeed from THE Anna Pavord....well renowned author, journalist and gardening royalty! So she wanted to come and do a piece for the Independent which was very exciting....

Of course you can come he said, forgetting the ensuing panic to get the garden up to scratch and mop up on my Latin binominals....So the day came last Thursday, and for the previous two evenings I had been out watering the garden in a bit of a panic which was probably a bit more about the upcoming NGS opening than Anna....’if only these plants would just grow a bit more’ I said as it started to rain. Did I stop? No because it may be just a light shower he thought as the rain got heavier. The people in the overlooking flats just looked at me with bemusement.  I watered more, I even watered established plants that didn’t really need it as, well it may just perk them up a bit.

On the day its self I rushed around desperately throwing weeds that had just popped up to the back of the shrubbery, stabbing myself with a yucca and breaking a sweat before she buzzed.

She had come up from Dorset for the day which I was rather humbled by (please let my garden be good and worth it) and was all that I had imagined, lovely and very easy to chat with....I could probably have chatted all day if I didn’t have a work away day to lead and rush back for.  Talks of Christopher Lloyd, fabulous gardens and different plants. I was of course very jealous of her job as it would be a dream career to be paid to go and see other gardens and write them up.

In all we had a 2h walk round the garden and there were even plants that she didn’t know (I had thought she would be testing me!) and things were looking fab....all being ok, and if there is sun so that the photographer can take some pictures there may be an article in the Independent the day before the opening...I hope it is ok and that it happens as it will be great promo for the opening, however just the chance to meet and share has been worth it.