The Christmas tree at St George's Circus, London

It’s Christmas all year round at St George’s Circus since we planted a Christmas tree in the centre of the bed. Our first tree passed away a while ago but there’s been a baby one there since last January when Meike 155 and I salvaged one from Andy 157’s Christmas decorations. But it’s so shy there hiding amongst the Rosemary and Lavender giving no festive cheer to the passers by. So I cobbled together a shining star from cardboard, silver foil and old garden wire and tied it on this evening.

Helianthus annuus "Russian Giant" (dwarf) flowers outside Morley College, London.

Incredibly, despite the cold weather, the short hours of day light and that we sowed these sunflowers in May, they are still in full bloom in winter. Could this be evidence of global warming? Not this time. These did not mature and bloom until September, well after we harvested the lavender and gave the seedlings adequate sunlight. They have only grown to a third of the size of their giant siblings, (and it will take a chill of -2°C to accelerate their decline). A great accident.

A beetle crashed into the lavender field

Location: Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1
Incident: Friday 5 December 08
An exotic looking giant beetle bit a chunk off the corner of our lavender field this morning after careering through the crash barrier. No one was hurt but a few clumps were uprooted. The car was an estate agent’s, and this crash is perhaps fitting for the the times. A jogger asked me was it an ad?

Location: A living room in Forest Hill and a flat in deepest Shepherd’s Bush
Stitching & Stuffing: Sunday 12 October 08 and for many days after that.
Our harvest of lavender is dry and this years linen has been printed so I gathered together the Haberdashery Division for an intoxicating afternoon of sewing little pillows of fragrant lavender. We sell these to raise money for more guerrilla gardening. You can buy them by clicking here. To see a short film I cobbled together about the making of the pillows click here and visit YouTube.