Pine Marten Post #23
Hello lovely person!
May marvels for you include; frosted flowers, frisky fragrance, blue tit babies, nobbly nuts, and fancy fish.
Gardening tips for May: Japanese anemone
It’s easy to have an abundance of bee friendly flowers in high summer, but your little floofy friends will still appreciate tasty snacks come late summer through to autumn. And that’s where Japanese anemones are your pals.
If you like the look of dahlias, but can’t be bothered to dig them up to get them out of the frost before winter sets in (neither can I), then Japanese anemones may be a great fit for you. Yes, they’ll die back in late autumn, but will happily snooze away underground during the cold weather and reappear in spring.
Whether you choose a white flowered Japanese anemone, or one in shades of pink, they all look as if they’ve been dipped in sugar; petals sparkling as they dip their heads in the breeze. Clumping up rapidly to make a bold statement in your garden, this makes them particularly good value—one plant will spread over time to cover up to a metre of ground.
Struggling a bit with your garden? Fancy the idea of low maintenance, but fabulous foliage and flowers all year round? How about booking a garden chat with me?
Here’s what Rachel said:
"When I first spoke to Rowan, I had barely anything in my garden. I had no experience or knowledge either. Now I've got a huge variety of plants which are thriving and I'm really proud of my outdoor space. Rowan not only advised me, she gave me the confidence to do what I really wanted and gave me a love of gardening when previously I'd hated it. Strangers stop and stare at my garden now and I get compliments on it all the time."
My rates will increase in June (for the first time ever), but if you book and pay for a garden consultation in May, I’ll happily hold my prices for you.
Fragrant musings from the library of scent: Pine by Stora Skuggan
Silvery blue. Deep, dark green. Springy, soft bottlebrush needles.
One sprig of mint, or maybe two or three.
A snow shower of vanilla sugar dusts the treetops.
Opalescent eucalyptus shimmers.
Down on the mossy forest floor, a softly whistling gardener snips and clips the stems of bare rose bushes.
Pine was the first perfume I smelled from @storaskuggan which I tried in the emporium of delights that is Glasgow Southside’s Godshot Studio.
It’s a finalist in the Artisan category of this year’s @artandolfaction awards. And it’s easy to see why. Highly recommended.
Have you tried any perfumes from Stora Skuggan?
Nature notes for May
Sparkling sand martins swoop and flash across glittering dunes, sun parched seaweed crackles underfoot
cow parsley constellations crowd the grassy verge, pushing through amethyst bird vetch
almond soapy hawthorn, and a trickle of liquid notes spilling from a soaring skylark
blue tits stretch, then fold elastic green caterpillars to wedge in the beaks of their shrilling babies.
Featured bean-to-bar chocolate: Willie’s Cacao Sea Kissed Almond
⭐ Surprisingly glossy for a milk chocolate
⭐ Bursting with nobbly nuts, just lightly toasted and with a sprinkling of sea salt
⭐ Honestly, I wouldn’t buy this. It’s crammed with nuts and the chocolate is too subtle to stand up to that distraction.
Wellbeing tip
How about trying a new food or drink?
Tantalising those tastebuds with new sensations is a great way to expand your sensory repertoire.
Not necessarily at a restaurant, but perhaps something unusual you could pop in your grocery shopping. A little flavour adventure. Spices are a great way to pep up your cooking without costing loads.
Or tinned squid, anyone?
Over on LinkedIn:
Did you know this used to be my job?
What do normal people think about on long drives? No idea, but here’s what popped into mine.
⭐ The Stora Skuggan perfume I bought myself, and the chocolate was given to me by a lovely client. All wibbly photos and words are by me, Rowan Ambrose ⭐
I'd love to hear about what sensory experiences bring you joy.
Feel free to reply to this email, or you can message me on Instagram or LinkedIn.