I'll be able to say, 'I knew her when'...

Every once in a while I amuse myself by looking at the stats on my blog. This week saw more hits from UK audiences than anywhere else (though there were an equal number of hits from France, Taiwan and Russia!). It makes me wonder if the increase of the UK audience is due to the latest issue of Gardens Illustrated in which my friend Rachael is profiled as one of the up-and-coming garden talents. Rachael, it's all your fault!

Rachael and I met at Great Dixter on a cold, wet spring day a few years ago. I was starting a six-month internship and she was part of a student volunteer group there for the weekend. We sat around the fire after dinner drinking wine and laughing and got on famously. Must be our common heritage, though mine is less immediate than hers, being separated by several generations and a large body of water. She paid me the great compliment of saying I was "so British - in an American sort of way" and has since become one of my favorite people in the world. She is indeed talented, in more ways than gardening, and a gorgeous soul which comes through in her gorgeous photo, I think. And she likes my blog. I would still love her if she didn't, but she does, and she mentioned it in her interview which humbles me greatly.

So for those of you who found me because of Rachael - welcome, and I hope you like it here as much as she does! And thanks to our mutual friend Emma who sent me the page from the magazine. I wouldn't have known if she hadn't because the local bookseller is lame and doesn't carry Gardens Illustrated. Luckily I have a friend saving this issue for me. Time to renew my subscription, I think.

 

 

Bravo, Rach! And thank you!