Honesty

It’s tulip time at Patthana Garden but for me, it was all about the Lunaria Chedglow (also known as honesty) on this Earth day. The process of planning a meadow is one of the most exciting parts of the garden right now, and as we wandered among the hawthorn and the crab apples, the blue tits and the bees, it gave me pause for the planet we call home.

The moment I glanced across towards the Torc Garden, the colour combination of this beautiful deep purple Honesty and the jolly orange of the tulips wowed me, but this little plant is also teaching me a thing or two about getting honest with myself.

One small step we can take to help our planet is planting open pollinated seeds. Open pollinated seeds are non-hybrid and can be saved from year to year, meaning we can continually grow plants that are adapted to local conditions. By doing so we can support ecosystems. Lunaria Chedglow is loved by the orange tipped butterfly!

Not only does planting open pollinated seeds have environmental benefits, but it’s also such a rewarding experience as we see the growth of our own seeds and plants, which can be saved and planted during the next growing season, again and again. I went home with some of T.J.’s Lunaria Chedglow seeds, a biennial with beautiful pink/purple flowers followed by flat, round seed pots, and I’m off to sow the now!

Let’s take a step towards a sustainable future by planting open pollinated seeds and creating a more sustainable future for ourselves and future generations.

love & hope,

Michelle.