Helen Speaks

Introduction: https://helenspeaks.wordpress.com/2025/04/06/lucy-skylarks-magical-year/

Characters: https://helenspeaks.com/characters/

Lucy first meets Suniya: https://helenspeaks.com/2025/04/18/lucy-skylark-entry-8-18th-april/

Dear Vera,

I have been helping Mrs Webfoot in the garden lately and I feel that I’ve been “hearing” the plants and trees more and more. She is happy for me to help her with anything except her herb garden, which she is very protective over. Mrs Webfoot has very odd assorted mix of gardening products and tools. I have surreptitiously removed all the weed killer and managed to persuade the dandelions and clover that she seems to have a grudge against to bloom elsewhere. But since talking to Suniya about various minerals that plants need, I realised some of the things that the garden was craving and I took the bus to a garden centre in Linford, which is just to the west of Barkmouth.

It seemed so huge and busy when I got there. I’ve been so isolated in Barkmouth and I forget what it’s like to be in a crowd! I felt overwhelmed and wished I’d brought Teddy with me, but he stayed home with Suki – they really are good friends now.

There was a greenhouse with a number of huge plants in pots and I sat in the green for a bit, when Suniya herself came around the corner.

“Oh, Lucy! It’s funny that you’re here, I was just thinking about you.”

I felt a bit shy to admit I’d been thinking about her too!

“We’ve got a gardening club at school – I told the teacher and she said that you could join as a guest if you wanted. I told her how amazing you are with plants… I mean, I didn’t say you could talk to them…”

“It’s not quite like that…” But it sort of is, really.

“Anyway, you should definitely come. Twice a week – you could come tomorrow if you’re free.”

I felt really nervous about the idea, Vera. I don’t seem to really relate to people my own age. I always seem to find a space with the strange types! Even Olive Framley didn’t seem to like me. But I like Suniya a lot and maybe it would be fun. And I’d learn more skills to help Mrs Webfoot.

I told Teddy about it and he was intrigued. His little window garden has been flourishing. Then I felt so nervous the next day that I told him I wasn’t going after all.

“Aw, but I was hoping you’d take me.”

“You really want to come?”

“Oh yeah. I know they wouldn’t see me – and I’d be quiet as a mouse – but I wanna see the gardens.”

He let me put some supplies in the suitcase and off we both went. I felt very awkward at first. Everyone was talking about things that had happened at school or sharing inside jokes that I didn’t understand. It was nice having Teddy there – he was excited by the flowers and interested in all the modern tools they had. Then Suniya introduced me to everyone and they all seemed happy to have me. They grow a lot of vegetables, unlike Mrs Webfoot, who likes a picture-perfect ornamental garden. And this meant that I learned some good tips on growing things like strawberries and carrots.

Dune House has a lot of land around it, and there are a few scrappy corners that Mrs Webfoot has been meaning to trim back, so when I got home, I asked her if I could have a vegetable garden. It would be good to plant things and not just get to know the plants that grow!

I’m so glad I met Suniya. She insisted I come again and she said she’d help me with my own vegetable garden. It feels like a good project for a witch!

I do wonder if I could introduce her to Teddy. It seems rude to bring a friend she can’t see… but I don’t know how that would work.

Feeling very green-fingered this week!

Your friend,

Lucy.

PS. Oh, a funny thing happened, but I don’t know what it means – maybe you would know. When I asked Mrs Webfoot if she would let me have a vegetable garden, she thought about it and then said I could. “You wouldn’t mind?” “Oh no dear, I’m sure I’ll find it delightful,” she said and then her eyes flashed purple. What could this mean?

Question: When was the last time you joined a club or group? What was it like when you first joined?

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Next entry (Olive’s next letter) https://helenspeaks.com/2025/05/09/olive-framley-entry-7-9th-may/

Lucy’s next letter: https://helenspeaks.com/2025/05/10/lucy-skylark-entry-13-10th-may/