So, To Sum Up…

 

So, it’s the end of Year 1 - time to look back and assess.

Well, I haven’t made much money. But then I haven’t really tried. I’m working full time (Still! Grr!) so I haven’t really needed to, but then neither have I had the time or energy to. So that’s next year’s target – to tackle the selling seriously.

What I have done this year is learn. Masses! I’ve learnt that the scabious will flower and flower and flower as long as you keep picking, but that the bees love to linger on the underside of the flowers so expect to be stung while you’re doing so; that the antirrhinums grow tall and straight with just the merest support but that the California poppies are useless unless propped up right from the start; that just because Sarah Raven recommends something it doesn’t mean I’ll like it and, similarly, that just because I hate something doesn’t mean the customers won’t love it. I’ve learnt that I don’t need a whole row of everything but that I do need to make sure that I have a good variety of flowers every single week and, most valuable lesson of all, that I need twice the time I originally thought I’d need for absolutely everything I do.

I’ve got the basic infrastructure in place and the “shop” is almost ready (watch this space). This winter will be about getting the polytunnel up and functional (more barrowing of soil!) and then it begins for real. The more floristry stuff I do, as opposed to purely growing, the more I suspect that things will end up moving in that direction – which can only be good as that is where the money, if there is any, is.

The frost last week killed off the last brave annuals. The amaranthus have gone all Elizabeth Barrett Browning and are swooning pathetically over the paths. I thought of putting a picture of the devastation on the blog but then thought this picture of scabious in the shiny bucket would make me happier. Hope it does you too.

Here’s to Year 2. Can’t wait!