A rather lovely surprise yesterday.
The Telegraph has published an article entitled The Gardening Bloggers You Should Be Following. To my huge delight rusty duck gets a mention. There are other names on the list you may well recognise too. David Marsden from The Anxious Gardener and Caro Shrives The Urban Veg Patch to name but two.
Check out the link. There are new-to-me blogs that I’m having great fun exploring, not least the columnist’s own website The Kitchen Garden. A massive thank you to Francine.
And a big hug to you too, for your consistent support of rusty duck. It wouldn’t be half the same without you.
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Wow! That’s great, well done! But you totally deserve it, as we your faithful groupies know full well.
Thanks M. You’re too kind 🙂
And Mike deserves it too, for his part in the photographs…. quality stuff!
Hope your garden is drying out? Here in the Netherlands we have frost by night and sunshine most days, so couldn’t be better!
It’s drying out slowly. Not as sunny here and a few sharp showers, which take us back to square one for a bit. But it’s much better than it was, thank goodness! Thanks Henriet.
That’s great news, Jessica. Just the sort of timely thing to put a spring in your step. Well done!
It’s starting to feel Springlike isn’t it. I discovered long tailed tits nesting today so it must be! Thanks Kate.
Well deserved its always a pleasure to read your blog
Thanks Ann.
Congrats on the mention in the article.
It was a surprise but much appreciated. Thanks Linda.
That’s wonderful. Congratulations, you must be thrilled to be included in the list:)
I am thrilled, thanks Rosie.
Well done, you must be very proud and I am proud of you too! x
There’s no hiding on the internet, even in deepest Devon. Thanks Gill 🙂
Congratulations. You are one of my favorites.
You’re very kind, thanks 🙂
Hearing about that article was the highlight of my weekend (apart from hearing that a certain actor who recently played Sherlock Holmes is about to live round the corner from me, heheheh) and I would have missed it completely except for an email from one of my blog readers. I found it quite thrilling to be listed among such good company as yourself, David, Jono and, er, Tom Stuart-Smith (who is both an extremely nice man and one of the greats of garden design!). Happy days! C x
And said actor wouldn’t have a garden that needs designing would he? What alerted me was a spike in blog hits, strange as I hadn’t posted in almost a week. When I tracked back the source I nearly fell off my chair. I’ve heard of Tom Stuart-Smith, of course. I just didn’t know he had a blog. And what a beautiful one it is. You’re right, we’re in esteemed company.
How exciting and thoroughly deserved. I love reading your blog and admiring the fabulous photos. Well done 🙂
And I yours Sam, congrats on your year!
What a lovely surprise and well deserved.
A complete surprise! Thanks Sue.
Marvellous, and very much deserved! Who knows what it might lead on to? More pantomime for Ptolemy, maybe??
Can we keep our voices down please? There was enough trouble after the last time. Strutting round here with an ego the size of a planet..
How exciting, well done and well deserved. Congratulations.
Thanks. Your recent posts have held me absolutely captivated Polly. That was properly exciting!
Hi Jessica, that is awesome!!! Congratulations for making it into the The Telegraph with your blog!
Warm regards,
Christina
No-one more surprised than me!
Congratulations! Isn’t it wonderful to be recognized? You truly deserve the recognition, you have a lovely blog.
It is. I’m quite chuffed. Thanks Jennifer.
Well done Jessica!
Thanks guys!
Kudos, Jessica! Well done.
I spy a new post in the feedly reader… I’ll be over shortly. Great to see you back. Thanks Alison.
Congratulations Jessica – and thanks for an insightful and enjoyable blog. I so enjoy reading of the antics of your livestock, and the progress on house and garden. And . photographs are a treat in themselves
It does seem to be true what they say about not working with children and animals. I can’t speak for the children. But certainly can for the animals! Thanks Virginia.
Malcolm, who reads the Telegraph, has been chastised for not noticing this article!! Well done – and well deserved!
I haven’t seen the paper version, only the online. It may not be in there.. check before you thump him too hard 🙂
Congratulations Jessica! Well deserved.
Thanks Kris.
What a lovely surprise Jessica you deserve the mention your posts are always so formative and amusing and the photographs so good. Sarah x
Thanks Sarah. Your posts always have me yearning to be by the sea and this year I must try harder!
Well done you, what a fantastic surprise! It would be the weekend we were away and didn’t buy the Sunday Telegraph! Keep up the good work.
I hope that pheasant didn’t sneak in while your back was turned.. Thanks Pauline.
derelict cottage? That must have been the chimney and thatched roof she read about.
I so enjoy reading about a whole other sort of gardening – to my own sort of blood, sweat, and tears.
Congratulations!
Or possibly it was my reference to the cottage needing a lot of work, which it most certainly does. But it is liveable in and much as I complain about the cold and the draughts, it could be a lot worse!
Congratulations!!!!! How fantastic!!! Of course those of us who have been reading your blog for years knew already how wonderful you and your writing are, but it is great that you have been acknowledged in this way! Well done!!! xx
Thanks Amy, you’re too kind.
Congratulations, that is lovely news xx
Thanks Joanne. It cheered up my weekend no end!
Well done Jessica. Well deserved! Please keep blogging! x
Thanks. I will if you will. And more geese please x
Congratulations! I hope you feel very proud. Your writing and photography is so much appreciated.
Your kind words are very much appreciated. Thanks so much Cheryl.
How fantastic Jessica, that’s a brilliant achievement. You’re on my list of garden bloggers to read as well! I shall go and have a look at the others now. Well done you, I’m so very pleased! CJ xx
Wonderful that we have a whole new season of gardening ahead of us. Although having done a first full day of hard graft today I’m exhausted already.. Thanks CJ.
Well done, what a lovely surprise for you 🙂
Thanks Cherie, it was!
Congratulations rd, you are becoming far too trendy!! The two things I admire most are your honesty and your ability to engage practically with well meaning suggestions.
I don’t really see the point of blogging if you are not prepared to engage. Like you I enjoy the dialogue, that’s actually the best bit. And I shall revel all week now at being called trendy! Thanks Rick.
Oh I say!!! Should one now kneel??? Congrats and well done you that girl!xxx
There will be NO kneeling. Well, only for weeding. Thanks D.
Congratulations Jessica, very well deserved. I enjoy reading all about your cottage, garden, and wild life woes, and your photos are wonderful. I think you give a really interesting window into English life in the country.
Having not lived in quite such a rural place before I’m not sure how typical my experience is. But I’m glad to have had the opportunity. The world is changing so much and not for the better. Thanks Gerrie.
Congrats, Jessica! You deserve it–your blog just keeps getting better and better! 🙂
Oh, I’m feeling the pressure now! But hopefully there will be plenty more to write about this year, plenty of stuff planned anyway. Thanks Beth.
Good to have your hard work recognised. Well done!
Hi Colleen and thanks. It does give one a boost but raises the bar at the same time. I hope I can live up to it.
How wonderful. A well deserved recognition.
Thanks. It was a very nice surprise.
Jolly jolly jolly good! You are the only one of these gardening bloggers I follow, and so it will remain.
Hi Mise! Thanks. I hope life is treating you well in the far far west.
Very well deserved congratulations, Jessica. I hope you can manage the forthcoming following deluge
I’m more concerned with meeting expectations. I shall have to gather together the squirrels for another twirling demonstration to keep everyone amused. Thanks Derrick.
I echo everyone–your blog is wonderful and a little recognition is very sweet. But, a “derelict” cottage and “overgrown” garden? Not the descriptions I would have used! You may have to enlist the rusty ducks to help you keep up with the comments now.
‘Overgrown’ is a word I have used and for the most part the garden most definitely is. The beauty of being in control of the camera is that you can decide where to point it! And the cottage does need a lot of work. But two rooms are nice! I’m aiming to make that three this year. The year is going by so fast though, soon be a quarter gone. Need to get things moving.
How exciting! Well done Jessica (and Mike). Just going to check out The Kitchen Garden blog as if it’s in the same company as you, David and Caro it must be very good indeed.
Thanks Sarah. There are some very good blogs on that list, I hope you enjoy them. Hope you’re feeling better too. Take care.
you are my gardening guru hero so this comes as no surprise to me…..very excited though for the endorsement!!!!! must check out some of the others mentioned!!! Congrats!!!!!!
Thanks Steph. But if I am a hero, boy are you in trouble ????
Many congratulations, well deserved to you both for wonderful words and fabby photos.
Now stand back as your Google page rank soars and you are deluged in offers to say nice things about free stuff :-}
I won’t use the blog for advertising or promotion. It takes away from the personal nature of it. Unless of course someone wants me to try out a new luxury hotel in the Seychelles..
I feel the same about mine. The piece I did on Flooding was an exception, because of exceptional circumstances :-{
Let’s hope it stays an exceptional circumstance, the flooding I mean.
That’s brilliant! I always enjoy your blog and I think you can tell blogs, like yours and David’s (I don’t know the others) that are written out of genuine enthusiasm without any sort of hidden agenda. Fame for you and Ptolemy!
Ptolemy wouldn’t be able to cope with fame. He is far too highly strung. Probably me too for that matter! Thanks Elizabeth. I never intended to make money out of the blog. Writing it and ‘meeting’ and conversing with others is my reward.
Very well done.
Thanks Sue. Much appreciated.
Congratulations Jessica. It is quite an achievement when you consider the number of gardening blogs there are. Well deserved.
Thanks Alain. Thank goodness there are so many gardening blogs. It’s a wonderful source of inspiration.
How fabulous and well deserved, I think your comment list shows as well how popular your blog is!
Thanks Annie.
Did you read it first yourself in the Telegraph, or did you find out another way? Well done you!
I noticed a spike in blog hits and followed them back to the source, it was quite a surprise! Thanks Cathy.
That’s really lovely to hear. Congratulations! The recognition of your very entertaining and informative gardening blog with the occasional tales of home refurbishment and trips further afield illustrated with wonderful photography is well deserve.
Thanks Linda. I’m well chuffed.
Bravo! Well done and well deserved!
Thanks Gina.
Congratulations R.D. on your well-deserved inclusion in this list. I’m looking forward to following the link and discovering more great blogs!
Thanks Peter. Do check them out, there are some good ones.
More publicity – more comments – more fun. Well done & thank you for your always interesting blog.
Thanks. I hope it’s fun to read. It’s certainly fun to write, or I wouldn’t do it.
Oh well done you and most deserved! Sending you a virtual bouquet.
Thanks Anna, it is a lovely bouquet!
I was so excited when I read this news! Congrats and so well deserved….
Thanks Donna. Much appreciated.
Well done! I generally read your blog only around Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, a mistake I will not make again.
Thanks Alana. It’s good to do the rounds on bloom day and see what everyone else is managing to grow. There is so much inspiration out there.
Oh well done. But you deserve it of course. Your blog is always such fun to read.