18 Comments
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Jo Thompson's avatar

Hello Rukmini and thank you so much for the kind words! I’m reading this garden update with huge excitement - it just feels so good to get out there and get going. Really looking forward to the podcast too 🌱💚

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

Aah thank you Jo! I’m not sure how many times we chatted about what fans we were of your writing 😂

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Constança Cabral's avatar

I always love reading your newsletters, you can be both funny and poignant at the same time. I can’t wait for that podcast to come out!!

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

That’s so kind, thank you! All edited & out this afternoon :)

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StripeyTop's avatar

Reading these posts is like a lovely newsy chat with a good friend

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

What a lovely message - thank you!

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Rada’s Turbo Garden's avatar

Fun read! I get that gap between garden dreams and skills, totally been there. Switching from veggies to flowers sounds exciting, and your planning with Google Maps is clever. Good luck with the homemade macaroni, hope your diplomat friend enjoys it! 💐

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

Ah thank you so much! Hmm, the macaroni was definitely chewier than it could have been, but as you’d expect he was very polite about it 😂

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Rachel's avatar

I had a count up and I've got around 30 annual flower seeds packets, not all bought this year to be fair to me 😂. But the joy when the seedlings appear.... Last year I grew lots but when they were planted out the slugs went crazy. So far there are fewer around this year and I have a full range of deterrents 🤞

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

Ahaha, glad I’m not the only one! Wishing you luck for this year’s deterrents - I think they have eaten my new viburnum already so the seedlings are staying on windowsills until they’re 6ft 😑

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Anne Wareham's avatar

Flowers every time, write about them and delight the accountant...?

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

Defintely worth it. I can see a year’s worth of Substack printouts going in - ‘look, I did mention flowers 50 out of 52 weeks, and the remaining two weeks were on indoor arrangements. So cut flowers are a legit expense, no?’

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Anne Wareham's avatar

Definitely.

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Liz Wrigley's avatar

Ambassadors for lunch and how to edit out a honk! All in a gardeners day it would seem: loved it!

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

Ah thank you very much! Should have got in the Ferrero Rocher really (maybe they get bored of that though 😂)

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Alison Baxter's avatar

I’m a big fan of the Real Seed company too. I’ve grown some interesting varieties of squash, and I rely on their giant chard as a staple crop.

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Rukmini Iyer's avatar

Aah how lovely! I bought chard from them this year too - must look at the squash!

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Alison Baxter's avatar

I’ve just ordered Burgess vine buttercup, which I’ve had before, and a ‘guest variety’ to test called Chestnut compact. Could easily have added more!

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