Saturday 12 February 2011

small signs of hope

On to site for meeting with planners.


A potentially difficult one with our plans for building and landscaping coming under scrutiny. And disaster instantly as we discovered that our tree survey was not in the format preferred at this local authority. The tree survey was not peripheral but central to the siting of the buildings and to the landscape plan we had drawn up. An uncomfortable and unexpected start, rather like opening the exam paper to find that you had revised the wrong text.


But then, as we toured the site we spotted a lovely clump of snowdrops just coming into flower planted by some unknown person many years ago.

And then, as we chatted to the planners, it became clear that although the survey was not what they wanted, they liked, even loved, the plans we had for the build and the development of the site. Those little trembling snowdrops seemed to bring a sprinkling of good luck to us.

I have been captivated by Carol Klein's 'Life in a cottage garden' TV series on the BBC showing currently. Carol is an experienced and down-to-earth plantswoman who loves her subject and transmits it with passion.

She showed how it was possible to divide each little snowdrop bulb into as many as eight divisions for propagation. Our vision is for the wooded entrance to the site to become a 'snowdrop wood' in spring. Her idea gave us hope that we can realise the dream of covering the woodland floor with nodding white flowers within our restricted budget.

Signs of hope.

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