Gardening at Dusk

Gardening as I was today at dusk, I felt a profound sense of wellbeing. As the light dimmed I dug holes and placed my plants in them, feeding their roots with bonemeal and tucking them back into the soil, my head full of more ideas for other planting arrangements elsewhere around the garden. For once there was no wind and the air was unseasonably soft. As I gathered up the now empty pile of plastic pots in the gloaming I glimpsed the cows and sheep grazing on the hillside beyond the trees and an owl’s hoot echoed evocatively from the growing darkness of the dell. My husband popped his head over the wall from the lane and told me he was just taking Lily on a short walk and suggested a cup of tea on his return. Casting my eyes back towards the house, I drew comfort from the soft glow of lights puncturing holes in her thick stone facade and the view of my youngest daughter, home from university this week, already putting the kettle on for her own afternoon cuppa. 

Today leaves have been swept, the lawn has had its final cut of the year and I have heavily pruned an Aucuba japonica around the front entrance of the house that had become rather overbearing and was blocking light from a window. It looks a little brutal, but it will re-grow, lower down next time. I have ideas to prune a neighbouring holly too, but I will save that until we get closer to Christmas so I can use the cuttings to deck the halls. There will then be space to plant something new, something evergreen with structure, flowers and scent. Perhaps a Daphne? I will put my thinking cap on…

I love pruning and clipping but I hate clearing up the mess - so uncreative! But today I set about it in good enough spirits and soon the job was done. What was all the fuss about? I felt a satisfaction that, for once, I had remained focused on finishing the task completely, rather than getting distracted and leaving things untidy as I usually do! Best of all, I shall enjoy the sun reaching into our little downstairs cloakroom tomorrow morning and know it was worth the effort. 

Crispy brown leaves, blown into piles by the usual winds, line the paths around the house - a job for another day. Just one last thing for now - to pile some logs into baskets for the fires, now that the season is upon us. The days may be shorter but the blanket of darkness which falls warms our hearts with new comforts and old rituals. Every season has its treats, we just have to remember how to embrace them.