A few weeks ago I went over to help Sharon in her garden, I offered to go over because after several years of draught, water restrictions, neglect and no Budget to replace anything my own garden is somewhat dead and uninspiring but I enjoy digging in the garden and it did take me a while to convince Sharon that I really do enjoy weeding but once convinced she left me to dig out the couch grass and we had a lovely day…I expected nothing in return but Sharon, who hates couch, sent me how with some cuttings, several clumps of hyacinth bulbs and a couple of punnets of pansies…
Isn’t it wonderful how in helping other people we can help ourselves…it has only taken those few plants to reinspire interest in my own garden….I started by wondering around looking for a spot to plant them, the front yard is barren and exposed and offered no suitable spots…My side garden was the opposite, being so overgrown that I just about had to cut my way in, I chose a spot at the end, wandered briefly if it was a waste to plant them in such a hidden spot but I have always loved the serenity of secret gardens and set about weeding, digging the soil over and planting the seedlings and bulbs….The clumps of bulbs where very tight packed and that garden full there was still a couple of clumps to plant so I pruned the rose in the next garden bed along, weeded it, repaired the garden edge and planted more bulbs, and then I planted some in the bath tub outside my studio door and in the corner of another garden and still I have a clump to plant so I am going to extend the first garden bed to join another one which will remove an awkward corner…..
In the meantime my hot water system has died, the plumber explained that the new one would be installed outside (gives me an extra storage cupboard in the laundry) so we had a look and the logical place required me to move a garden bed which required me to rethink the whole space, the rose and the orange trumpet plant are both hardy, will transplant well and be a start for the front garden and with them gone I thought that I could pave around it with the slate rocks that I have been saving for something special and plant Alyssum and other little plants in the cracks…As it turns out I am going to get Solar Hot water which will go on the roof but I am happy for being forced to rethink the are as it is still a good idea to move the garden bed as it cramps the tap and I am sick of ducking under the bush…that part of it will take time but I am enthusiastic again and the early Autumn weather is just perfect for being out in the garden…
…With the garden starting to look pretty good after my 3 days of working on it I wished that I could mow the lawn…I have a lawn mower, it was old when I bought it 10 years ago, since then it has been serviced and had new blades put on once, for the last 5 years it has mowed my sisters lawn as well as my own…The Problem is getting it started, for years my sister was the only one who could start it, we were highly amused a few years ago when a friend was going to mow my lawn but couldn’t start it, my sister arrived and within a few minutes had it started…a few weeks later same friend goes to mow my lawn but try as he might it wouldn’t start, my sister arrived and worked her magic….she analysed what she was doing and has taught me how to jiggle the spark plug, turn on the petrol, push the little black button several times and wiggle the thing on the handle, all of which I can do but I need somebody else with a stronger arm to pull the cord…My son picked it up from my sister the other day, we filled it with petrol, I did the jiggles and wiggles and he did the pull but there was no spark which didn’t surprise me as it had sat on my sisters porch unstarted for 3 months and we have joked in the past that my son can break a lawn mower just by looking at it…
Whilst wishing this afternoon I looked at the lawn mower, I jiggled the spark plug, turned on the petrol, pushed the black button, wiggled the bit and pulled the cord…just one dainty pull was all it took for my wish to come true because once started it didn’t balk at the length of the grass and my secret garden is starting to look good again and as it progresses I will explain how I think the same in my garden designing as I do when I am crazy quilting…
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