Deep thinking whilst I’m planting my pansies.
An artists garden.
A Bunch Of Wild was founded back in 2017 on an allotment where I grew flowers and sold them at markets. Since then it has undergone many changes but one thread has stayed the same and that’s a deep love of the changing seasons and the flowers that bloom in them.
I’m Emma and I’m a ceramicist, painter and garden photographer. I write honest- sometimes witty musings about life as a creative and trying to slow down with the seasons. When I’m not in my studio you can find me in my favourite coffee shop writing this journal, letting my chai latte get cold.
Hope you enjoy this post x
When we dream, we don’t put anything in like reality. In our mind the rose tinted specks are always on- which poses a problem when suddenly we’re living the dream. Like when I was dreaming hard about having a big garden with raised beds for my dahlias and veggies. Half an acre was the dream, I’m now more familiar with the term be careful what you wish for.
The garden is incredible but I find myself often feeling like Goldilocks and now I’m waiting for the next one- hoping it will be my just right. I find myself chuckling now when I watch Escape To The Country and the people are requesting at least 5 acres when all they’ve known is a garden flat.
I think this kind of realisation hits us often but I don’t think we always stop to notice when we’ve bitten off too much, too far buried in the chaos of our own making. Now I’m not saying I have learned a lesson here- simply acknowledging it as I look out onto my large garden which needs my full on attention.
I love dreaming up wild ideas and I love seeing if I can make them come true. For years I dreamed of having my own shop and studio in town where I could create my art and ceramics and display them to sell. Once again I imagined the rose tinted version where I’m in my clay covered jeans, working and welcoming people into my shop, it’s sunny but not hot and I have a huge smile plastered on my face as I talk to customers about the work.
The reality isn’t exactly how imagined- no surprise there. I didn’t factor in going down into a damp cellar every month to do the meter readings, I didn’t factor in the hurtful comments from ignorant people tapping on my window loudly and I didn’t factor in that when I’m full of cold I still need to show up- although I should of done as this is not my first rodeo. But I guess it’s like child birth in that you soon forget…
So should we stop dreaming? Absolutely not! This time around though- it has made me think. I’m dreaming of moving to Suffolk in a couple of years. My rose tinted version has my family walking on the beach, I see myself off walking and painting every single day, my ceramics becoming more coastal, more structured, I’m gardening in a manageable plot and cooking what we’ve grown (and yes there is an aga 😂) and I have a large gorgeous studio with a log burner where I can teach art and ceramics. The cottage is just the right size, not too big where cleaning is all consuming but big enough that I can lose my husband for five minutes. Now shall we put in the realistic bits…
The damp from the winters gets in my (injured hairdressers) shoulder meaning I can’t work with clay, I’m called back with poorly parents (I hope not, but likely), I’m away from my eldest daughter who may of given me a grandchild by then (I hope so), my pretty cottage with it’s Suffolk roof starts leaking and the electrics blow. Wow, no wonder we don’t put the reality in, we’d never do anything.
I guess we should carry on dreaming, not all of them will come true, although I always say you have to meet them at least half-way if you want anything to happen. There will always be the good and bad in anything we do, that’s life. I’m glad I figured out that a mahoosive garden is not a good fit for me, I’m glad I’ve figured out that I’m very happy with a studio that isn’t also a full time shop, I’m glad I figured out that I love selling my work at fairs and online and I’m glad I’m finally starting to teach the art of creativity.
The lessons are part of living and as we grow older and wiser, we get to know ourselves all over again. The effects of living change people, life leaves its mark and shapes us. Things that used to matter no longer do and vice versa. I dream of living a simpler life to the one I currently do, but realistically I know that won’t be for me as I will always dream up new ideas that will just be too enticing for me to leave alone.
As I spend time in the greenhouse (not as much as I’d like), I find myself pondering over how we need time to mourn our past lives, past versions of ourselves- clearly I go deep when I’m potting up my pansies. Time spent outdoors when I’m quietly gardening or going for a walk will always get me reflecting on the past and dreaming of the future.
I had an interesting conversation with a friend last week. I was telling her how after Christmas I was going to start doing my ceramics on the shop floor so people could see things being made. I think I must of been looking pretty animated and pleased with my idea as she said to me- why are you waiting till the New Year? Why aren’t you going to do it now?
I realised that although I want to do this, for once I don’t have my rose tinted specks on and I know I will feel like a goldfish on display when I’m only used to creating in my studio away from prying eyes. I have a pretty thick skin but I felt I needed to work up to it. Yet she’s right. If I’m going to do it I may as well rip the plaster off quickly. That said, I’m sitting here with a cold writing to you and the last thing I feel like doing is moving a studio with it’s heavy table, maybe next week when I have more energy (I hope).
When we had the open garden last summer the greenhouse got a lot of love and attention, particularly the chandelier (no greenhouse is complete without one). Chandeliers are my secret guilty addiction, I bought two beautiful antique french acorn ones to sell in the shop but instead I’ve kept them for my imaginary house in Suffolk. You see, my shop keeping skills aren’t the best, I thought I’d sell a lot more antiques than I do but the truth is- I keep them all. Maybe in my next life I’ll be an antiques dealer 🤔
Anyway, chandeliers aside for the moment. I won’t be opening the garden next year as I’m currently working towards another solo show in Aldeburgh next September and I’ve learned to only tackle one big event at a time. I wanted to do garden photography days this year but the truth is, time ran away from me. I do still plan on doing these next year though, I’ll keep you posted.
The image below has been edited in Lightroom mobile, it’s my Moody Floral Preset and the recipe can be found on my Ko-Fi page. My membership is currently closed but if you’d like to buy one of my preset recipes for Lightroom, or treat me to a chai latte whilst I write (which I’d really appreciate) then you can follow the link below.
Write soon.
Emma.
Thank you for reading my post, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I love writing down my musings and sharing my work. My membership is currently closed but you can purchase my monthly Lightroom recipes from my Ko-Fi page. Or, if you’d simply like to share your appreciation- if something in my words resonated with you today, you can treat me to a one off chai latte, my drink of choice whilst I write these from my local coffee shop before I head into the studio. Just click the link below to see options.
© 2026 Emma Connolly
Gravenhurst Road, Campton, SG17 5NY