I'm going nowhere!!!

I just thought I'd give you a short update following very kind and supportive comments and personal e-mails I've received following my last post.

beautiful February gorse on Hampstead Heath

Some suggested I get my name down so that I can move to another site.  Unfortunately this is simply not possible.  I put my name on the Camden allotment waiting list in 1988, way back when gardening really wasn't popular, certainly nowhere near where it is these days.  Back then my friends mostly thought I was a bit bonkers because I loved gardening.  I waited nine years for my plot, back then in the unpopular days.  Indeed, the Allotment Officer told the Camden New Journal back in 2009 that the waiting list was around 40 years.  This is why I find it so immoral that the same Allotment Officer has allowed what amounts to completely ignoring the waiting list by facilitating the ongoing "looking after" of a plot for five years now.  I know that if I sell my flat whoever buys it will not automatically inherit my allotment.  But this is what has happened here, however it is dressed up.

The bigger picture of course is my strong connection with Magic Plot 7.  This little piece of land has been my sanctuary and my space for 15 years now.  When I was very ill in 2009 I used to go up to Magic Plot 7 in February, all wrapped up in layers of clothes and my winter gardening sheepskin, and sit upon the sundeck and feel her healing energy.  A few weeks ago, shortly after all of this nonsense kicked off, I had my friend Chris over for dinner.  I was rubbish company because I was super-stressed, and even though I knew it and have many healing tools at hand I could not seem to pull myself out of it.  "If only I didn't feel such a strong connection to that little piece of land ....." I said to Chris.  He reminded me that it's precisely because I feel such a strong connection to that little piece of land that makes it so special.  He is right of course.

Magic Plot 7 and I have been through a lot together.  The Observer journalist tried to take her from me in the past and failed.  The Allotment bullies really ought to know not to mess with me and Magic Plot 7 because I will fight tooth and nail for her.

Then there's the bottom line:

I haven't done anything wrong

I haven't bullied anybody, I haven't caused criminal damage to anybody else's plot when making unauthorised visits, I haven't harassed or intimidated anybody, I haven't treated anybody without respect, I haven't dubiously handed over my allotment to friends (or house purchasers) nor have I been aggressive or sworn at anyone.  All I've done is made a gorgeous plot for myself and told the truth.  I am going nowhere!

It's interesting that I feel so free.  It is normal to feel strength in numbers, but since resigning from the Association I feel free, perhaps because my conscience feels clean.

Better times ahead, I hope.

Love Life

XXX

What Happened to February?

February was a total write-off.  Magic Plot 7 came under threat on the 10th, by way of a terrifyingly casual e-mail from Camden's Allotment Officer (who is not actually allowed to contact me following the outcome of a formal complaint I made about her bullying me in 2010) advising myself and my neighbour that more work was going to be done to the fence at the top of my plot by the landowners who live behind it.  The work was to be done on the allotments side.  There was no mention of my beautiful flower garden or how it would be affected, no discussion offered, no plans made to help minimise damage and disruption to our plants or our plots, no help, and very, very little notice.  In short, no respect.

Long-time readers might remember the last time work was done to the fence at the back of my plot, and the damage that was caused.  I couldn't allow this to happen again.  This time it's been a long and deeply upsetting story, far too devastating to recount in detail, but I've lost February as a result.  I haven't slept properly until two nights ago.  I haven't eaten properly.  The stress caused me terrible pain in my ribs and shoulders and made me physically sick.

Remember my camomile sundeck refurbishment project?  Well, it's been trashed.  The landowners next-door made an unauthorised site visit to my plot without my knowledge or consent, with their "professional garden landscapers" who trampled all over this carefully prepared bed completely trashing the surface and damaging pretty much all the expensive plants in it.

Before - perfect soil surface

After - completely trashed

I have been cooperative throughout, despite living on my nerves and feeling that the managers in the Department of Parks and Open Spaces weren't taking me seriously.  I was told I had to move 1m of plants away from the fence to avoid having them damaged.  That's about half of my flower and herbs bed, and I was given such short notice there were only two available days in which to do it.  I got a team of friends together, all of whom work now, or have worked in the past as professional gardeners, or have been my students.  I love my friends for they turned out on a bright sunny Sunday and worked until the job was done.

While we were working on that bright sunny Sunday the landowner next-door came onto my plot to intentionally harass and intimidate me and my group, not once but twice, the second time waiting until all tenant plot holders had left.  It was appalling.  I complained immediately to Camden who are in the process of investigating.  You might wonder how he got on site?  Well, these landowners bought their house in 2007 from the legal tenant of plot 30 who had installed a private gate directly from his garden on to the allotment site.  Somehow the landowners inherited his allotment plot at the same time as buying his house, using the private gate as access.  Originally the official line from Camden was that the landowners were "looking after" his plot while he was "temporarily away".  After three years I questioned this with the Council and I was told that the tenant plot holder was "coming back soon".  Of course it's all nonsense.  Here we are some five years later and the landowners are still there "looking after" his plot.  These landowners have managed to slip under the radar and secure themselves a nice allotment plot to "look after", seemingly indefinitely.  I personally believe the Allotment Officer has facilitated this, and I also believe that her previous managers supported her and allowed it to continue.   

I have complained to Camden about this again as part of my bigger complaint regarding the dreadful mismanagement of the current fence work from the outset and the damage, problems, stress and upset it has caused me.  It's not over yet.  At the moment my once beautiful banked flower bed looks like this

And the plants that were in it look like this

Oh, and the work the landowners had originally planned did NOT have to be done from the allotments side.  I suspect they just didn't want to damage their own garden!  

There are new managers in the department now.  I am putting my trust in them that the rest of this job will be handled properly, as it should have been from the outset.  I'm hoping they will prove me right.

I'm also trusting them to do the right thing and take seriously the scandalous practice of allowing the ongoing "looking after" of plot 30 when the tenant plot holder has not been regularly present for five years.  Whilst this practice is allowed to continue the waiting list is never going to go down. 

I've also resigned my place on the committee and my membership of the Allotment Association who choose to turn a blind eye and not get involved when things get difficult.  My goodness, they have short memories!  I waited nine years for my plot, from 1988 until 1997, and I can remember the longing, calling the council every couple of years to make sure they hadn't forgotten me, wondering if I'd ever reach the top of the waiting list.  And I can remember the elation when I did finally get there.  Some legitimate person has gone through all the right channels but continues to sit patiently on the waiting list, being denied a plot that others are dubiously allowed to continue "looking after".  The Association don't seem to have any problems with aggression or harassment either.  While attempting to discuss the landowner intimidating and harassing me the Chair lost his rag and told me to "Fuck Off"!!

It's been terribly upsetting.  I feel like I've been dragged through hell backwards.  I've lost a whole month, during which I had Annual Leave booked from WGF and had planned a few nice trips and meetings with friends, all of which had to be cancelled.  Aside from not sleeping and not eating I've been so stressed I was pretty lousy company.  What a waste.  Now I've submitted my formal complaint and I've resigned from an ineffective Association.  Amazingly I feel free.

What I need now is to catch up on my sleep and to feed myself up a bit ......

Love Truth

Love Life

XXX

i-Grow

I have been rushed-off-my-feet busy for the last few weeks.  How does this happen?  There never seems to be enough hours in the day or days in the week to do everything that I want or need to do, and time passes so quickly.

My friends seem to be in the same boat right now.  Weeks pass before we know it.

"I've just finished my February i-Grow piece...." I told Damian during a long catch-but chat on the telephone a couple of nights ago.  He had no idea what I was talking about and it was only then that I realised that I haven't yet flagged up or brought anyone's attention to i-Grow, my new regular monthly column at i-D Online.

Teaching seed sowing in the i-D garden Summer 2010

In January i-Grow was all about biodynamic sowing and planting, and can be found here.  With February’s item due for publication any time soon, I will endeavour to keep you posted, regardless of however mad-busy my life gets.

Love i-Grow

Love Life

XXX

Celebrating Death

Mindful of almost missing the last exhibition I wanted to see at Royal Festival Hall I was determined to catch Boxed: Fabulous Coffins from UK and Ghana in good time, so I headed off this morning to a rainy and drizzly Southbank.

Braving the grim weather was worth it though.  The combination of rain and river inevitably means a quiet time and the place was pretty much deserted.

Open?  Closed?  Where do we go?

It didn't help that one side of the exhibition is hidden behind dark blue velvet drapes.  It's a great idea, supposed to conjure up the feeling of being in a funeral parlour, but the signage is pretty poor which is confusing and looks like it's closed.  "Exhibition continues on blue side" doesn't mean anything unless you know where the blue side is.  "Exhibition continues this way" would have made much more sense.

But I digress, as at times I am apt to do.  These coffins are indeed fabulous.  One side of the exhibition features coffins from Ghana 

I loved the egg, and the burial plan behind it

The lion interior is beautifully lined with printed Ghanaian fabric

Lovely detail on this Viking ship

and the other side from the UK.

Loved this!  I found it very amusing.

Aboard the Orient Express

Beautiful original Orient Express upholstery fabric interior

I loved this whole story.  Very romantic!

My own coffin plans are quite cliched and predictable compared with these.  As an eco-aware gardener I would, of course, go for the biodegradable woven willow coffin, interspersed with stems, twigs and flowers from my favourite plants.  If I had my way it would be buried deep into the bank at Magic Plot 7 but I really can't imagine Camden Council allowing that, so I'd plump for one of those nature cemeteries, although I'd quite like to be buried in London and they are always out of town.  I'd be equally happy for my burning body to float down the Ganges though I sense that since I'm not a Hindu this is probably out of the question too.  Anyway, as I am yet to reach my Golden Jubilee I'm hoping that I still have many years ahead of me to decide exactly what to do.  Nonetheless it's good to be prepared!

I like the idea of celebrating death.  Other cultures the world over also embrace this idea.  I've never really understood the upright, uptight, stiff upper lip, ‘don't talk about it’ British way of handling death and dying.  The first time I became really aware of death was at age 9 when a school friend was killed while riding his bicycle in an accident with a steamroller.  Rather horribly it happened outside our house and I was shocked to the core that a friend my own age could be gone forever.  I went to the funeral with my sisters.  I didn't know it at the time but attending that funeral helped me to understand at that young age that death is part of life.

My Nan died when I was 14.  For some reason none of us children were allowed to go to her funeral, all deemed too young which was quite odd considering that we'd been to our friend’s funeral unaccompanied five years earlier.

From the late 80s and through the 90s a lot of my friends died, and I do mean a lot.  AIDS took most of them in the days before successful combination therapy.  Then there were drugs and alcohol casualties.  In 1989 my elderly father died.  A few weeks later the Marchioness disaster on the Thames took more dear ones.  There is one particular passing since then that completely knocked me for six, too personal to reveal here.  I encountered death too young and too often.  But somehow that early experience at age 9 - understanding that we all die, that death is part of life, and that tragically not everybody gets to live a long and happy life - has served me well in the long-term.  I am not afraid of death, nor am I afraid to die.  I'm just not ready to go yet, and when I do I want full celebration.  I've always loved a party. 

Part of ‘Death: Southbank Centre's Festival for the Living’ this is a FREE exhibition and runs until Sunday 29 January.

Life and Death

Love Life

XXX

New Year starts here

The New Year began for me today.  I know it's 2 January but yesterday was a total washout - literally.  After staying out much later than planned on New Year's Eve, finally getting to bed at 5:30am and sleeping until well after noon I woke to a dark and dismal day.  Within about an hour of being up and about the rain began teeming down and did not stop.  I had to put indoor lights on at two o'clock in the afternoon.  Quite depressing.  Happy New Year.

But today was a totally different story and so my New Year began.  Bright blue sky and golden sunshine felt much more appropriate to a new beginning.  I wanted to catch up with some old friends who are visiting from abroad so we met up for a walk across the Millennium Bridge towards St Paul's cathedral.

There is a fabulous viewing balcony very close to the cathedral, "one of London’s best kept secrets" Diane said as she led us towards the Willie Wonka-like glass lift that would elevate us there.

It most certainly is!  The views are amazing and even though there were plenty of people milling around at ground level today the viewing balcony was relatively empty.  To top it all the bells of St Paul's were ringing the whole time we were up there.  What a treat!

Love London

Love Life

XXX

Another year over

Another year draws to a close.  Where did the time go?!!  2011 has been no less eventful than any other year with plenty of ups and downs.  As always I prefer to focus on the ups and use the downs as learning tools.

Bee enjoying Sedum telephium 'Purple Emperor' at Kew in September

Toadstool on Hampstead Heath in November

I've been almost completely out of action for the last fortnight due to a nasty chest infection for which I had to take antibiotics that completely knocked the energy out of me.  I'm starting to feel a wee bit better, although not nearly like my normal self, so I might go out for a couple of hours tonight and have a little social whirl to see in 2012 with friends.

Start as you mean to go on.  Happy New Year!

Love Life

XXX

Art by Offenders - too late for this year!

I'm catching up on a few things I've wanted to share but haven't had time.  One is the annual Art by Offenders exhibition at the Southbank although I didn't get there until its dying days this time around.  Too late to bring your attention to this excellent art show for this year, nonetheless here are just a few of my favourite pieces:

I note that the pieces I like best are mostly made at psychiatric secure units.  Art is a great therapy.

Next year I'll try to get there in good time so that I can flag it up for your attention before it closes.  There may be a few more catch ups before this year is finally done.

Love Art

Love Life

XXX

Happy Yule

Here's a beautiful magical Mistletoe berry to wish you all a wonderful Winter Solstice, or Yule.

Mistletoe ©Scarlett Cannon

Read more Yule musings in my i-D Online Christmas Cracker!

Love Yule

Love Life

XXX

I Like Blogs

I like blogs.  I like writing my own and I like reading other people's, many of which I happily flag up on A Little Light Reading, my blog list on the left-hand side of this page.  Mostly I follow gardening and cooking blogs but there are other little treats; things I think are just clever and brilliant, things that make me laugh and other assorted delights.

I've recently started following Pete Polanyk’s Weeds Up To Me Knees.  I met Pete when he came to my beginners course at WGF a few weeks ago, which was interesting since he is not a beginner gardener but enjoyed the course enormously nonetheless because he got to learn tips and tricks.  All gardeners need tips and tricks up their sleeves.  I like Pete’s blog because whilst it's gardening-based there is always a nod to music.  If you go and take a look for yourself you'll see what I mean.

I eagerly look forward to any new posts that flash up from The Little People Project, which I think is just genius.  It requires no description, just go and see as it speaks for itself.

Just last week I discovered fashion stylist Jeanie Annan-Lewin’s fatfashionassistant.  I will work with Jeanie in the New Year on a piece for i-D.  I'm keeping the details of that a bit schtum for now though.....  Jeanie is one to watch I think.

I also love Regretsy!

Then there are blogs that I miss, that I read regularly but which have become silent over the last few months.  These include NeeNaw about life in a 999 ambulance emergency control room, and A Hazy Day Today which always had me laughing off my chair at every post.  Disappeared bloggers, you are missed.

Love Blogs

Love Life

XXX

Refurb Project - The Allotment Sundeck

When I first built the allotment sundeck I seriously considered lawn camomile for its surface but the cost was prohibitive at the time, particularly since I wasn't at all sure how successful it would be.  The runaway success of the camomile path through the centre of the allotment inspired me to follow my original dream and start another allotment refurbishment project, removing all of the grass up on the sundeck and replacing it with lawn camomile.

The first dig.  Just past the teacup you can see my digging fork and spade, and the first bit of grass has been removed.You definitely need a kneeler for jobs like this!

Space your plants approximately 6 inches apart

At the end of Day 1 and just a couple of feet has been cleared and planted up at the far end of the path.

I started at the tail end of September, using a hand cultivator and trowel to remove every last scrap of grass and grassroot I could find, a foot or so at a time, and planting my lawn camomile plantlets in the cleared space at about 6 inches apart.

Plants looking good just a couple of weeks later, and time to add some more.

At the end of Planting Day 2

Within a couple of weeks they were looking good and strong so I set to work and grubbed up another whole section of grass and planted another load of camomile plants.  It's a long and tough job, and I always take the attitude to do a little at a time so as not to become overwhelmed by the enormity of a long and tough job.

Third planting day and almost the whole path is covered.

Just a few inches right at the near end to clear now.

A week later I made the third and final planting.  As you can see, I've managed to cover almost the entire length of the sundeck, with just about 8 to 10 inches left to clear of grass.  I'll wait until these plantlets pick up and multiply in the springtime, along with any from the camomile path that do the same, and use the extra plants to complete the sundeck path and fill in any gaps.

Fleeced up for winter

Remembering that the plantlets will look as though they have completely died in the winter, but also mindful that our allotments site is in a hollow and therefore something of a frost pocket, I went up earlier on this week and covered them with fleece for the winter.

It looks rather odd from a distance.  Hopefully it will do the job and keep my plants nice and safe and frost-free and ready to burst back into life next year.

And if all goes well I'll be lounging up on that sundeck luxuriating in the perfume that the camomile plants give off every time they are brushed.  Oooh, I can't wait!

Love Lawn Camomile

Love Life

XXX