Hellebores, cyclamen coum and that time I kissed my postman.

Also all the things I've bought for myself whilst shopping for other people.

I have a very bad problem with faces and names. Unless you have an unusual or memorable name or you look like Diana Vreeland you will be smooshed up in my brain in a sort of minestrone of vague associations until I have met you enough times and we have talked about enough stuff for you to get your own compartment, together with your name and an idea of what you look like. Even then, I would struggle to put together a photofit of you and recall your children’s names without a few minutes of agony. Please understand that this is NOTHING to do with you! Really and truly. It is an affliction and I loathe loathe loathe it.

I often wonder how I would manage if I witnessed a crime and was asked to describe the perp to police; Eye colour? No idea…Height? Ummm… Hair length? err…. I hate this about myself. It’s embarrassing and annoying at best, and at worst, it’s extremely rude, although i’m not meaning to be rude.

Which brings me to the story of that time I kissed my postman. I knew that I KNEW him, you see….in fact I knew that I knew him WELL (and I was kind of right; he was someone I saw most days) but the problem was that he wasn’t where he should’ve been…he was in Debenhams. My recognition of this man must have depended on his placement (in my own neighbourhood or on my doorstep). When he turned up somewhere different all I knew was that he was very very familiar, and accordingly I treated him the same way I treat all my close friends - with a hug and two kisses. Ugh. this happened some years ago now and I still cringe thinking about it.

My parents had a friend who was an extremely important person - he was one of those amazing people who, despite his importance, always made you feel special and as if he had time to talk to you (he most certainly did not have time) but he, I think, suffered from the same thing as I do, and he dealt with it by carrying a small spiral-bound notebook on a ribbon around his neck. Whenever he met a new person he would write their name down in his notebook, together with some sort of defining characteristic. Clever. Also HONEST. I ought to do that too. And when I see someone and can’t remember their name I ought just to admit it, but instead I say ‘lovely to see you!’ which often gets me off the hook while I’m remembering their name because it’s a phrase that works for both new and old friends and complete strangers.

I think I’m telling you this because of front gardens, and how amazingly important they are. Kendra Wilson wrote a great piece recently on Scribehound Gardening about how it’s a bit sad that people put big hedges up to stop people looking into their front gardens (and windows I guess) and it reminded me that I can only remember where people live by what they grow in front of their houses. The number or name of the house is, just like the face of somebody new - a slight blur. But I can always find the house because I can remember that there is a daphne, or a magnolia, or a wisteria or whatever. Hedges are less easy to use for this purpose unless they are unusual or really beautifully (or badly) clipped.

I’m quite sure nobody is going to read this the day before Christmas eve, but HELLO to anyone who is! You’ll be relieved to know that I’ve stopped acquiring presents; I am so utterly excited and thrilled about what I’m giving to people but I can’t tell you about it until after Christmas because some of them might read this and it will spoil the surprise. But it is SO genius (I’ve got all my family the same thing) that every time I think about it I chuckle because as well as being genius it’s also a bit of a naughty, annoying present.

I will share though, some of the things I’ve bought myself (I hope you all buy yourself presents at Christmas?)

Hellebores.

I’ve put my name down for the Ashwood Garden hybrid mixed singles starter collection which I will be ordering when they become available - Honestly, the promise of this parcel of joy would be the very best present if you are stuck for what to give someone who loves plants.

I treated myself to two gigantic and exquisite hellebores from Ashwood, which I am SO pleased with.

Here is one, ready to be planted if only I would decide WHERE.

I also found some small ones at my local garden centre and couldn’t resist.

Cyclamen coum

Look how BEAUTIFUL. Also from Ashwood. I love Cyclamen coum much more than their slightly flashier cousin C. hederifolium - they have stubbier petals and just look wonderful in what garden designers call ‘drifts’. I am using mine to go beneath a crabapple tree, and I imagine this box of delights will be the first instalment.

Amaryllis

I bought these bulbs a few weeks ago…here they are now - how utterly delicious.

These gold shoes. I’m blaming black Friday for this purchase - I love them.

Hairy Leopard shoes - VERY comfortable - highly recommend

XXL Cashmere crew neck in cornflower blue - the blue of this is much better IRL than online - pure cornflower and it has a depth to it. I’m going to have to be careful because I want to live in this, day and night. I love giant jumpers with very long arms that come over my fingers because my hands get cold and it helps.

Candle holders from waitrose Mine are green speckled and seem to be sold out online but I like these honey coloured ones too.

Battery operated tree candles for next year (obviously because of India) and because it reminded me of my childhood when we had real candles on the tree and the grownups were SO on edge about it and we had to have buckets of sand and fire extinguishers ready, but it was OH SO MAGICAL.

Highly recommended things

I want to give a shoutout to a great online shop called Japeto who do Hori Hori knives (a marvellous tool that is part trowel, part serrated edge knife, part bulb-planter) at a very good price. They sent me a personalised knife a long time ago and it is really good quality, and has stood the test of time and ill-treatment by me, and I have since bought many other things from their shop.

Also, a podcast called The Unbiased Podcast which is essential listening if you are at all interested in US politics and news in general. The host is a lawyer who goes back to primary sources, wades through lengthy documents and tells you only facts, with absolutely zero opinions, bias, or ‘feelings’ involved. I long for someone to do something like this for UK news.

I loved this candle pot demonstration from Willow Crossley - incredibly simple and pretty and worth doing.

Enough. I know it’s Christmas now because my Rotter asked THE QUESTION this morning:

“Do we have any wrapping paper?”

“Do WE have any wrapping paper?”

WE….

This question comes annually, like clockwork, about three or four days before Christmas day and as you can tell, I’m incredibly, spectacularly un-bothered by it.

At times like these it is a good idea to remember what Christmas is. I love this, below - it was read out at our local carol service.

Peace, Joy and Love to all of you, my friends this Christmas.

Back soon with something for the between-times.

Laetitia