In May, fed up after a couple of months of maintaining a reasonably well mown but rather dull lawn, I decided I’d try rewilding some of it. I loved it as soon as I did it. It looked harmonious and it made me smile.

It took a while to decide in which direction I’d take it but I reassured myself that, like a bad haircut, it’d grow out. I was a tiny bit worried that the neighbours would think I was being lazy but it actually takes as much effort as mindlessly mowing once a fortnight. It definitely uses less electricity and it takes more thought and intention.

After a month I noticed that some new and exciting species had joined the resident white and purple clover:

A couple of months later the tall grasses are looking wild and hazy, and when it’s windy they really come to life.

This morning when I looked out, there was a flash of red. Look what decided to come and live in my garden:

Having a guest to stay last weekend prompted a yard tidy and I bought 3 bright cheerful geraniums

and this week a fiery dahlia joined them in a colourful chorus

This year the peonies were prolific

and the magnolia grandiflora has several gigantic buds about to burst into aromatic bloom.

By this morning another poppy has popped up! What next?