I hope you'll excuse me if for one blog only I take you out of the garden and into a big function room in London packed with the great and good of gardening.
You see, a couple of weeks ago, I had an email to say that I had been shortlisted for the national Garden Media Guild's New Talent award for my RSPB Gardening for Wildlife book. Would I like to come along to the awards ceremony in London?
Well, I was chuffed enough to be short-listed, and the meal sounded nice ;-) So on Wednesday I braved the snowy railways to go to what they call the gardening Oscars. There were about 300 folk there - the likes of Alys Fowler and Joe Swift and Peter Seabrook et al. (You'll be pleased to know I didn't succumb to that thing of 'Can I have your photograph/autograph please?")
I was absolutely convinced that award winners must know in advance, so you can imagine my shock when my name was called. I thought I had misheard it, and had to twice ask the gentleman next to me if it was me. I was joint winner with Dawn Isaac from The Guardian Weekend. (The photo to the left is the book on the winners' 'podium'. If you really want to see proof that I was there, check out the Garden Media Guild website here).
But what capped it all off was getting to meet Chris Baines, who to my mind is the godfather of wildlife gardening. His 1985 book "How to make a wildlife garden" is still a bestseller, and rightly so - I feel he has done more than anyone to bring the attention of wildlife gardening to the masses.
So I'm sat here still with the same big grin on my face you can see on their website, but also with a fire in my belly to continue to strive to do as much as I can to help make Britain's gardens great for wildlife. Bring it on!
I am so pleased for you. You should be very proud.
Carol, Paignton
Fantastic news Adrian and many many congratulations.
Sorry Adrian, I know this is a bit late but congratulations on your Garden Book Oscar. I had it bought for me shortly after it was published and had a lot of fun reading it and putting some of your ideas into practice. The accolade was well worth it.
Hi Adrian,
I just bought your book yesterday at Minsmere, so imagine how pleased I was today to see it had been recognised at the 'Oscars'! It and your blog are likely to be my constant companions for the forseeable, I have just been given the post of project officer for the new RSPB wildlife garden at Flatford Mill, about to start construction and due to open in the spring. Prepare to have your brains picked regularly!
Shirley
Thank you all for such lovely comments. Posting that blog was that tough call between wanting to share my excitement and ever wary of blowing one's own trumpet! Oh, and Aberdeenshire Quine, I'm more than happy if you put a request into your local library and ensure that they have it in stock. Then you don't need to buy it, AND it's available for everyone ;-)