round up! January 2012

weeding out the best reads from another busy month on the internet

After December's festivities January lent us some much needed space to reflect on 2011 and plan 2012.

January was a busy month in the studio, with new designs and new projects. We also shared the exciting news of a return trip to The Chelsea Flower Show.

In the twig garden the Colchicum flowers faded away but the Cyclamen coum and the Galanthus nivalis brought new colour. Pulmonaria and Thalictrum began to unfurl their tiny new leaves, and bulbs of every sort started their journey towards the light.

And when we weren't plotting and planning and tending our projects and garden we found some time to read.

our pick of this month's reads

• thinking time - We weren't the only ones enjoying a moment of quiet in the gardening year. Dan Pearson wrote a lovely piece in The Observer about on taking a pause to appreciate the moment.

• From A to... A - In The Independent Anna Pavord was planning her plant list but struggling to get past the letter A.

• Busy lizzies in trouble - We also read a worrying article in The Telegraph about a virulent mildew wiping out busy lizzies. They aren't a plant we ever use but it is alarming news for some specialist nursery growers.

• Britain in Bloom goes wild - If you were planning on adorning your garden with busy lizzies this year you may like to sow a wild flower meadow or verge instead. Britain in Bloom is giving away packets of wild flower seeds to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.

• A National gardening Archive - And finally, we enjoyed this thoughtful piece in The Telegraph about Christopher Woodward's call for a British Gardening archive.

Happy reading...