Special Plants Nursery

The wonderful thing about leaving London is coming back to it. I believe so anyway. But that doesn't stop me thinking I should leave London more often. It is amazing where you can end up after 2 hours in a car heading anywhere but the city centre.

The Special Plants Nursery in Cold Ashton is something of a mecca for me. It's just seven miles from Bath or a small detour from J18 of the M4, depending from which way you come. I drove the half hour from Nailsworth on the A46 and the journey was mighty fine, enhanced all the more by heavy mists and drizzle. I passed through Pensylvania and Petty France. By the by, there is a very good fish market and oyster bar in Nailsworth called William's. It is open till 4pm. I purchased a kilo of fresh squid from them, which I later stuffed, and was happy to note their carrier bags are biodegradable. I also purchased these handsome heads of organic garlic.

Anyway, back to business.  Once you turn off the A46, the half mile jaunt to the nursery takes you past many a sheep-strewn field. This part ticks all the country-side boxes... as I navigate Greenways Lane, the city-dweller inside me does fret how living at the end of such a narrow road be manageable. However, the chances of meeting another car head-on are slim in January. I'm not sure how many people make the trip in the winter months, but I was curious as to what Derry Watkins had growing. The answer is quite a lot actually.

The nursery is arranged according to the needs of different plants. There are a number of poly tunnels, each boasting a different array at various stages of growth. During the summer months the nursery thrives, but even in January it has charm by the bucket loads. There are signs of life everywhere. In the section designated to plants that require shade, sarcococca confusa caught my eye. Also known as 'Christmas Box', the description reads 'very fragrant white flowers in Jan, evergreen, small shrub for shade'. In this case 'small shrub' means a hight of 150cm and spread of 200cm. The flowers are quite unusual as the petals are very narrow. The leaves are glossy though, so I'm not sure this one is for me.

The cornus 'Midwinter Fire' is also not for our garden - but what a stunner. Being a Spurs fan, my husband is distressed by the colour red. The associations are all wrong. In one of the poly tunnels I met the nursery cat and spent a good half hour picking up the small plant pots it had knocked off the table ledge. It was a very friendly cat, no doubt happy to see a visitor, and followed me about with great affection.

Before leaving I called Derry to see if I could take a seed list and she directed me to her front door where it was handed over with some good advice. She thought it not a bad idea at all to empty the beds and start again, if I had the time and inclination. She also suggested that I test the soil's PH level before making any purchases. Her plants are mostly alkaline friendly being near Bath. She wondered if I might find my soil acidic and clay heavy. Then she stressed the importance of compost. 'I have more than I know what to do with' she mused, and then suggested the next time I come I fill the boot of my car with some. In terms of making my own compost longterm, although she had never used a worm café she conceded that it would work for a city garden where space is limited.