tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33167946682184749882023-11-03T02:42:14.266-07:00Weeding Between the LinesThe trials, tribulations, triumphs and tea breaks of a jobbing garden designer in Kent, south east England (including ramblings on such disparate subjects as land grabbing property developers and duck races).Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-64481933645394087082012-01-28T13:03:00.000-08:002012-01-28T13:03:03.502-08:00My nephew John<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k1aK_Li6_Pc/TyRXj4IyvJI/AAAAAAAAAKo/uBjpHybGGT0/s1600/John+with+fire+engine" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k1aK_Li6_Pc/TyRXj4IyvJI/AAAAAAAAAKo/uBjpHybGGT0/s320/John+with+fire+engine" width="320" /></a></div>
This is another uncharacteristically serious post. In September, my nephew John was diagnosed with bowel cancer. His wife, Stella, suggested he write a blog of his experience which he called 'Me and My Friend'. This is his first entry:<br />
<br />
<em>'Why me and my friend?</em><br />
<br />
<em>Yesterday, after a battery of tests, I found out that I have bowel cancer and it seems so unreal that it feels as though this is happening to someone I know very well but not me.</em><br />
<br />
<em>I am a complete novice at 'blogging' and thought that it may be an interesting way of plotting my progress through the medical procedures over the coming months. I also thought my blog may strike a note with other people in a similar circumstance.'</em> <br />
<em></em> <br />
His blog is just like him, honest, unflinching, funny, tough and completely positive. It makes hard reading for those of us who love him, but he faces the fear head on. It charts his path through diagnosis, prognosis and treatment in a clear and unsentimental way, and logs his determination to retain his fitness levels with cycle rides, gym work and outings on his beloved motorbike. I think that it might help others in a similar situation. His blog can be found on <a href="http://john-day.blogspot.com/">http://john-day.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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The picture was taken on a trip to Nice with Stella over the New Year. He's fireman so was helplessly drawn to the French fire engine!Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com44Kent, UK51.260145 0.844280250.942172 0.21256620000000004 51.578118 1.4759942000000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-24109972742140367532012-01-20T11:00:00.000-08:002012-01-20T11:40:47.037-08:00Indolence thwartedI think I'm getting lazy. No, actually, I know I'm getting lazy. What with the recession, depression, whatever it is, I was really hoping that I wouldn't get much work this year. Isn't that a terrible thing to confess to? (Or to which to confess for any pedants reading this post.) In my line of work everything usually goes quiet around November then revs up again on the second week of February. I know this sounds pretty precise but ever since I've been designing gardens my first phone call/email of the season almost always comes then. You know why, of course. It's the time of year when people look out of their windows and realise that they have a featureless lump of mud and weeds posing as a garden in their backyard.<br />
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Anyway, garden design work in this particular year, filled with gloom and doom, redundancies, bankruptcies (not sure if that is even a word but never mind), Euro catastrophes etc was sure, I felt, to be thin on the ground, if not non-existent. Endless days of pottering about on the allotment, taking leisurely bicycle rides, actually doing my own garden...lovely. Hah! Four whole weeks earlier than usual I've got three new jobs...and I can't even turn them down on the grounds that I don't like the people. They're all lovely, and keen, and...rich. What's happening? <br />
<br />
By the way, talking of pedants, my husband had a colleague who regularly pulled people up on their grammar. One of his victims, stung by the criticsm, snapped back 'Oh, pedants are us' to which he replied 'I think you mean pedants are we.'<br />
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Oh well, back to the grindstone...sob... Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-72642495633199928732012-01-19T05:54:00.000-08:002012-01-19T05:54:34.574-08:00Funerals and poetryMost of my regular readers (so that'll be you John) will know that my posts are usually quite whimsical, but yesterday I went to the funeral of a very dear friend's daughter. A poem was read by Cheryl's best friend and I've transcribed it below because I found it touching and wanted to share it. The poem is called The Dash and is by Linda Ellis.<br />
<br />
<em>I read of a man who stood to speak</em><br />
<em>At the funeral of a friend.</em><br />
<em>He referred to the dates on the tombstone</em><br />
<em>From beginning to the end.</em><br />
<br />
<em>He noted that first came the date of her birth</em><br />
<em>Then the following date named with tears,</em><br />
<em>But he said what mattered most of all</em><br />
<em>Was the dash between those years.</em><br />
<br />
<em>For it matters not how much we own,</em><br />
<em>The cars, the house, the cash,</em><br />
<em>What matters is how we live and love</em><br />
<em>And how we spend our dash.</em><br />
<br />
<em>So think about this long and hard:</em><br />
<em>Are there things you'd like to change?</em><br />
<em>For you never know how much time is left</em><br />
<em>That can still be rearranged.</em><br />
<br />
<em>If we could just slow down enough</em><br />
<em>To consider what's true and real</em><br />
<em>And always try to understand</em><br />
<em>The way other people feel</em><br />
<br />
<em>And be less quick to anger</em><br />
<em>And show appreciation more</em><br />
<em>And love the people in our lives</em><br />
<em>Like we've never loved before.</em><br />
<br />
<em>If we treat each other with respect</em><br />
<em>And more often wear a smile,</em><br />
<em>Remembering that this special dash </em><br />
<em>Might only last a while.</em><br />
<br />
<em>So when your eulogy is read</em><br />
<em>With life's actions to rehash</em><br />
<em>Would you be proud of the things they say</em><br />
<em>About how you spent your dash?</em><br />
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I think Cheryl spent her dash very, very well. God bless.Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-54352380616501217812012-01-13T02:58:00.000-08:002012-01-13T03:02:54.923-08:00Plant rageSo, recession bites its way into 2012...except not amongst Kent gardeners, apparently. Yesterday, I experienced my first taste of plant rage as two perfectly nice, normal looking men fought for a Clematis at my lovely local nursery (by the way, I don't buy much there because I can get everything much cheaper from my trade nursery, but I like to go to drool over things just like anyone else).<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to the Clematis. This nursery has a sale on, which not many do but which I thought was quite a good idea...until yesterday. It was like Harrods used to be on January 1st! Pots overturned, quite a lot of defensive trolley pushing going on, totally unsuitable purchases (I mean, can anyone really <em>want</em> a variegated Fatsia?), knomes crushed underfoot...you get the picture. And in the middle of the carnage, two elderly gentlemen playing an unseemly tug of war with a Clematis Etoile Violette: 'I think I saw this before you old chap'. 'Au contraire chummy. Ouch!'<br />
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Now this is one of my favourite Clematis, in fact I think I've planted one in almost every garden I've ever designed, and it <em>was</em> marked down to £2.50, but even so. It made the other nursery I frequent, my grandson's, seem quite sedate!<br />
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By the way, a belated Happy New Year to all my followers (that's you, John).Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-45946638993668045232011-05-18T13:01:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.652-08:00Ducks loose!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NeK3iIkekkM/TdQwAzf0ZhI/AAAAAAAAAJw/FUG241ZDIjQ/s1600/Duck%2Brace%2Bfinishing%2Bline%2Bfor%2Bnewsletter.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 353px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608160226364909074" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NeK3iIkekkM/TdQwAzf0ZhI/AAAAAAAAAJw/FUG241ZDIjQ/s400/Duck%2Brace%2Bfinishing%2Bline%2Bfor%2Bnewsletter.jpg" /></a> Oh yes, it's that time of year again when madness descends on the sleepy Kentish village of Loose and hundreds of yellow plastic ducks thunder (well, to be completely accurate, very slowly bob) along the Loose stream for the Loose Duck Race.<br /><br />If you've never lived in a village you really would not believe the amount of organisation, cajoling, manipulation, charm, dedication and outright force of will it takes to make an event of this kind happen. To start with there are 875 ducks involved...and then there are the cakes...<br /><br />...Everyone in the village bakes like mad (competition? Nous?) producing a cornucopia of georgeous scrumptiousness which will be scoffed within a couple of hours along with gallons of tea...and don't even mention the barbecue, which last year ran out of all meat orientated products two full hours before the end of proceedings. This year double the amount has been ordered but still the local butcher is on standby just in case...and we've got even more coconuts for the coconut shy...don't ask!<br /><br />And did I mention plants? Not for us the usual collection of scraggy, pathetic, unidentifiable odds and ends that get offered at village fetes. Oh no. Our vegetable plants and annuals have been lovingly sown and nurtured by my neighbours Tom, Pat and David, and we'll also have some beautiful and interesting herbaceous plants, which is where I come in. Yippee, an orgy of plant buying from my trade nursery to look forward to!<br /><br /><br /><div>It's a pretty exhausting day, and after all that bobbing the ducks always enjoy the leavings in the drip tray in the local. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TkcPvCScpDM/TdRO887QdSI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/VER4Fbn2Fa0/s1600/Pic%2Bof%2Bducks%2Bfor%2BBernard.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 126px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608194245036897570" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TkcPvCScpDM/TdRO887QdSI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/VER4Fbn2Fa0/s400/Pic%2Bof%2Bducks%2Bfor%2BBernard.jpg" /></a> </div><br /><br /><div>If you're in the Maidstone area on the next Bank Holiday Monday (30th May) come on down to Loose. It's a lot of fun. And what have you got to Loose? Sorry...too good to resist.</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-6401188024035629042011-03-19T09:25:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.670-08:00Dicksonia antarctica trouble<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8UAREG0NjTw/TYTc7IqwffI/AAAAAAAAAJA/Yo8DxwZnF1g/s1600/IMG_2522.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585832346343472626" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8UAREG0NjTw/TYTc7IqwffI/AAAAAAAAAJA/Yo8DxwZnF1g/s400/IMG_2522.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-clne4FUCBh4/TYTc6yJlhrI/AAAAAAAAAI4/jXFMayP7dNI/s1600/IMG_2526.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585832340298761906" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-clne4FUCBh4/TYTc6yJlhrI/AAAAAAAAAI4/jXFMayP7dNI/s400/IMG_2526.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>Does anyone know what on earth's up with my Dicksonia antarctica? It's oozing this brownish/orangeish jelly like stuff, at first in perfectly round balls the size of a small pea and now also in streaks of the stuff. It was lovingly wrapped up for winter in fleece with straw and last year's fronds protecting the crown. I uncovered it about three weeks ago (I live in Kent) and there was no sign of it then. There are no nasty grubs in the jelly, by the way.</div><br /><div></div><div>Any advice gratefully received.</div></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-41556259901494399332009-08-25T00:50:00.001-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.642-08:00Hoe, hoe, hoeI've got an allotment, and before you imagine you can hear the creak of someone jumping onto the bandwagon or think that I've gone all Joe Swifty, I've had mine for 15 years. Yes, back in the days when you were allowed a bit of convulvulus and sheds didn't have curtains from Kath Whatsername. I've also got a completely bonkers allotment neighbour.<br /><br />'You don't find many of these around nowadays' he boomed the other day, effortlessly finding me as I hid behind the sweetcorn. 'It's really useful. Look.' Dropping to his knees he started stabbing at a row of beetroot.<br /><br />'It's a hoe'<br />'You just don't find them anymore. Look at the workmanship'<br />'But, it's a hoe'<br /><br />At this point he gave me the sort of pitying look I'd give him if I wasn't so nice (cowardly.)<br /><br />'Why don't you get a handle put on it?'<br />'Now there's an idea. I know just the man for the job too. Real craftsman.'<br /><br />Two days later he turned up with a broom handle stuck into the hoe. I was weeding on my knees with a hand fork, anathema to a hoer (which sounds a bit like an Irish lady of the night except that we don't get many of them on the allotments).<br /><br />'I'd lend it to you, but you have to know how to use it properly' he said, just before the handle fell off.Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-84572386723247554082009-08-24T05:19:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.716-08:00Fame!I've just had an e-mail from Interflora to say Weeding Between the Lines has been chosen as one of their top 50 flower and gardening blogs. All very nice and flattering I must say, but also slightly mystifying as I haven't written anything for ages! It's reminded me what I'm missing though, so look out for a bit more from me soon.Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-30892087180881037232009-08-24T04:44:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.637-08:00Top 50 Flower and Garden Blogs | Interflora<a href="http://blog.interflora.co.uk/top-50-flower-blogs/">Top 50 Flower and Garden Blogs Interflora</a>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-46153549960353088932009-02-09T02:41:00.000-08:002012-01-13T02:58:42.654-08:00She's back<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SZBWFNQwgYI/AAAAAAAAAII/jKjoLv-rUWI/s1600-h/The+WEEE+man.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300831408874357122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 271px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SZBWFNQwgYI/AAAAAAAAAII/jKjoLv-rUWI/s400/The+WEEE+man.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div>Ring ring, ring ring.<br /><br />Me: (Forgetting to check the number display) Hello<br /><br />Client: Hi, it's me. How have you been?<br /><br />Me: Well I...<br /><br />Client: Really? Wow that's great. Fantastic. Anyway, I've gone into property so I thought, you know, that you could do a garden for a little house I'm buying<br /><br />Me: Into property...?<br /><br />Client: All these repossessions. Isn't it great? So what I was thinking was, I'd like something ironic<br /><br />Me: Ironic...<br /><br />Client: Yeah, I want to tap into the zeitgeist. Irony is so right, at this moment in time<br /><br />Me: So a rightgeist then<br /><br />Client: What?<br /><br />Me: Nothing<br /><br />Client: I want you to do something involving we<br /><br />Me: We?<br /><br />Client: Yes.<br /><br />Me: Us?<br /><br />Client: Well, you mainly<br /><br />Me: So who's we<br /><br />Client: I don't know. Anyone's<br /><br />Me: I think I can hear my...er...cat...<br /><br />Client: We is really important<br /><br />Me: (Humour her, humour her) Are we?<br /><br />Client: No, no, no! We, we, we, we...God, it's not that hard. It's all over the papers at the moment. Did you read that thing in the Mail on Sunday?<br /><br />Me: No, I don't rea...<br /><br />Client: Well, you know, it's very current. Very now. You must have heard about we.<br /><br />Me: We? Oh Wii! Do you mean Wii? You want to include Wii in the design?<br /><br />Client: Well, yesss. Duh!<br /><br />Me: Erm...<br /><br />Client: Lots of it, and nettles and things. You know, sort of post-apocalyptic<br /><br />Me: I'm not quite sure how...<br /><br />Client: But the main thing is, are you listening?...it has to be ironic. Obviously ironic, not accidentally ironic, because that's what will sell it<br /><br />Me: Sell...<br /><br />Client: It. Yes.<br /><br />Me: You want to sell the Wii?<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SZAcUlIebVI/AAAAAAAAAHw/37mKuWyz54g/s1600-h/The+WEEE+man.jpg"></a>Client: Who's going to buy we? It's of no use to anyone is it?<br /><br />Me: Well, possibly, but I think people quite like them<br /><br />Client: What's to like? You're not really on top of what's happening out there are you? You really should read the Mail on Sunday you know. Anyway, nettles, weeds, mobile phones, floppy grass, we, that sort of thing, but very stylish and minimalist.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SZAW54hP0_I/AAAAAAAAAHo/cKqWNL5ur08/s1600-h/The+WEEE+man.jpg"></a><br />Me: You don't mean we or Wii do you, you mean WEEE<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SZBThY1LpQI/AAAAAAAAAH4/hnA_nEmj3kU/s1600-h/WEEE1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300828594481374466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 130px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SZBThY1LpQI/AAAAAAAAAH4/hnA_nEmj3kU/s400/WEEE1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Client: No I don't mean whee! I don't want a playground for God's sake! Look it up. Oh and batteries too, I want lots of batteries but not own brand ones, not Morrisons or Asda or anything, you know chavvish like that. Batteries with pretty colours. Duracell are nice, all that black and gold. Tasteful. I'm really excited about this. When can we start?</div></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-68169966820700326842009-01-30T05:43:00.000-08:002012-01-13T02:58:42.710-08:00Return of the NativeHello, I'm back! Did you miss me? No, of course you didn't. You've all been too busy suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I know that's not exactly apposite but never mind. It's a wonderful day, the sun's shining, and all's good with the world...sort of.<br /><strong></strong><br />So what have I been up to? Well, for one thing, I've started giving illustrated talks. Yes, really...I've got a projector and everything. On the whole they're going down quite well but I did one recently for an over sixties club which went a bit wobbly for a while.<br /><br />My subject was the fascinating, sexy, irresistible Sir Joseph Banks (well I do lead a quiet life on the whole). I'd been going on for about thirty minutes about his voyage on the Endeavour with James Cook when a hand was raised. "Yes dear but what about today's traffic?" Apparently half the audience had been told the talk was from someone from the Driving Agency about their Arrive Alive Road Safety Programme and they were waiting patiently for me to get to the point. Still, happy ending. They've asked me back! <br /><br /><strong>What's in a name?<br /></strong><br />I've just read an article by a chap called Tim Richardson in The Garden Design Journal about the importance of using the right sort of name for your garden design business.<br /><br />While I was still at college I decided to get some business cards printed, but what to call myself? Now I live in a village called Loose and (very briefly) considered Loose Woman Garden Design. I can't help but think that if I had gone with that one I might have been getting a few more telephone calls than I am at the moment...Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-88013687552095678182008-10-11T09:14:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.725-08:00Back from Iceland<div>Not because Iceland is the latest Big Issue seller on the block but because I was never there in the first place. To all you lovely people who read my last post and wished me good luck in my new career in Iceland, apologies. It was a joke. Just not a funny one that anyone got. No, my real reason for lack of posts in recent weeks is far more mundane. </div>
<br /><div> </div>
<br /><div>Being a bit concerned about the current downturn in the economy I decided to take pretty much any job that came my way. As a result I've been working flat out pruning, digging, dividing, hedge trimming etc. Although I'm currently extremely fit (six hours straight digging will do that for you) I'm also so knackered by the end of the day that it's as much as I can do to keep house and home together, let alone write a blog!</div>
<br /><div> </div>
<br /><div>My clever plan has backfired on me a bit because so far there seems no shortage of people looking to get their gardens designed so I'm a bit snowed under on that front too. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe as people aren't moving because house prices have plummeted, they are deciding to invest in a new garden instead. Or perhaps they think that as they won't be having expensive holidays for a while they might as well enjoy their own back yard. </div>
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<br /><div> </div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-13653421358674405382008-08-15T23:11:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.630-08:00Versailles rejected<p>My new client is no more. We have decided to abandon our attempt to create a garden together, mainly because I shall be going to work on a large garden in Iceland for the forseeable future. And after that I'm taking up cat breeding. Here's how the last (and final) meeting went:<br /><br />Me: (Handing over a couple of outline proposals) I thought you might like to take a look at these. They're only rough ideas as yet but... </p>
<br /><p>Client: Well I'm glad you dropped that water idea<br /><br />Me: (Stunned silence)<br /><br />Client: Anyway, I've been doing a bit of research myself. You know the Mail on Sunday?<br /><br />Me: I don't actually rea....<br /><br />Client: Well I really like that Tim Piggot-Smith's garden.<br /><br />Me: The actor?<br /><br />Client: Is he? I didn't know that. You read it then?</p>
<br /><p>Me: No, I just...<br /><br />Client: It's very famous. I'm surprised you don't know about it</p>
<br /><p>Me: I can probably...</p>
<br /><p>Client: I don't want those tin bath things though<br /><br />Me: Tin...<br /><br />Client: Baths, no. What I was thinking was, stainless steel would be much better. See if you could do that instead<br /><br />Me: Instead of what?<br /><br />Client: Well, tin, obviously. Oh and he had some of these round tree things. I'd like some of those too. They were really nice, very unusual. They were crowd pruned<br /><br />Me: Crowd pruned...? (Brain finally catching up, breathless and incredulous) Was this garden at Chelsea?<br /><br />Client: I don't know where he lives<br /><br />Me: No, I mean the flower show<br /><br />Client: I'm really excited about this. When can we start?</p>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-42632849630243176432008-08-08T00:51:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.646-08:00Anonymity<div><br />
<br /><div>Back in the mists of time when I first started blogging...well May actually, but who's counting...I, in my innocence, created this blog under my own name. At the time I didn't even notice that most bloggers write under pseudonyms. Up until now it hasn't bothered me, but I have a new client who is so completely off the wall that I'm convinced I could simply write up a transcript of our conversations and get it accepted for a new sit com ...or at the very least for the sometimes God-awful 6.30 comedy slot on Radio 4.</div><br />
<br /><div></div><br />
<br /><div>On the extremely unlikely off-chance she reads gardening blogs (she got rid of her computer because it attracted too much dust) I can't write in too much detail about the surreal meeting I had with her recently, but I'll give you this little taster.</div><br />
<br /><div></div><br />
<br /><div>Client: I want to do something really radical with this space</div><br />
<br /><div>Me: Perhaps you'd like to take a look at these (hands over a file containing images of plants, buildings, garden styles, textures, shapes, blah, blah, blah)</div><br />
<br /><div>Client: Yes, that one</div><br />
<br /><div>Me: That's Versailles</div><br />
<br /><div>Client: I'm not sure about the water</div><br />
<br /><div>Me: But it's Versailles. It's in the file to inspire and give an idea of....</div><br />
<br /><div>Client: Could it have some sort of cover over it?</div><br />
<br /><div>Me: It covers more than 100 acres</div><br />
<br /><div>Client: Well obviously not that big</div><br />
<br /><div>Me: I thought you might be interested in these (points out some very nice designs of courtyard gardens). They're about the same size as...</div><br />
<br /><div>Client: There are a lot of corners. I much prefer the open feel of this.</div><br />
<br /><div>Me: Maybe we could...</div><br />
<br /><div>Client: Do you topiary?</div><br />
<br /><div>Me: Well yes, but...</div><br />
<br /><div>Client: I'm so excited about this. When do you think we could start?<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SJwD-eog9BI/AAAAAAAAAEw/x3giP-Map_w/s1600-h/Water+at+Versailes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232061239007441938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SJwD-eog9BI/AAAAAAAAAEw/x3giP-Map_w/s400/Water+at+Versailes.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-65877699119952947682008-08-01T16:12:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.708-08:00Lil's return<div><br />
<br /><div><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SJOaPbf56JI/AAAAAAAAADw/8bA-l52ch9A/s1600-h/Lil+at+Boughton.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229693182177568914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SJOaPbf56JI/AAAAAAAAADw/8bA-l52ch9A/s400/Lil+at+Boughton.JPG" border="0" /></a> She's back, full of the joy of life and completely unaware of how close she came to meeting her maker. Yesterday, for the first time since the accident, my lovely Lily was allowed to run off her harness (she can't have a lead yet because of the injury to her neck) did she enjoy it! I, on the other hand, was on tenterhooks in case she jumped too high, or ran too fast, or (God forbid) picked up a stick and swallowed it.<br />
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<br /><div>We were out for just 30 minutes, as opposed to her usual two hours, but when we got home she crashed out as though she had been running all day.</div>
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<br /><div>I took her to my favourite place in the whole world, along the Greensand Ridge to a place called Boughton Monchelsea (<a href="http://www.boughtonplace.co.uk/">http://www.boughtonplace.co.uk/</a>). From the ridge you look out over an ancient deer park to the Weald of Kent below. We walk there often, and I always come away from it feeling uplifted. <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SJOc-l-HFhI/AAAAAAAAAD4/o-DnI2VcCf8/s1600-h/Boughton+view.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229696191465723410" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SJOc-l-HFhI/AAAAAAAAAD4/o-DnI2VcCf8/s400/Boughton+view.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div>
<br /><p>Anyway, things are thankfully getting back to normal...lots of gardening and pottering about the allotment, a fair bit of design work, and rehearsing for a play I'm in in the autumn, 'Stepping Out', which involves learning to tap dance! Now I'm no Cyd Charisse but I'm really enjoying the old step ball change and cramp rolls - even though it was so hot last night that we were all begging for mercy after two hours!</p>
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<br /><p>One more final pic of Lil and I promise I won't bore you any more. It's just so great that she's survived it </p>
<br /><p> </p>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-47857693789308713882008-07-26T13:36:00.001-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.662-08:00Land grabbing and comedians<div><br />
<br /><div><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SIuLhf-lIxI/AAAAAAAAACw/dGUmdQRDfxU/s1600-h/IMG_0429.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227425200129516306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SIuLhf-lIxI/AAAAAAAAACw/dGUmdQRDfxU/s400/IMG_0429.JPG" border="0" /></a> You know how, when you've been away from home, you notice things to which you've previously been oblivious? Well yesterday I took Lily for theraputic stroll around the village (see my previous post Lovely Lily to find out who and why) and noticed some pretty obscure signs. I know what they are all about, obviously, but anyone visiting the village could be forgiven for thinking they had wandered into a gentler, very English, version of <em>Deliverance</em>.<br />
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<br /><div><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SIuNUe4UQiI/AAAAAAAAAC4/ZOW9x4WKbTU/s1600-h/IMG_0430.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227427175519765026" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SIuNUe4UQiI/AAAAAAAAAC4/ZOW9x4WKbTU/s400/IMG_0430.JPG" border="0" /></a>Signs in windows and on lamp posts around Loose send out messages like 'LEE VE LOOSE ALONE', 'BEWARE! ANTLERS LOOSE', 'DON'T LOSE LOOSE VALLEY VIEWS' and 'LEE HURST LOOSE'</div>
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<br /><div>Of course, this is all completely incomprehensible without knowing the background to this very English protest. Let me enlighten you.</div>
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<br /><div>Lee Hurst is a comedian. This is not a comment on his personality or the way he conducts his life. He does, in fact, earn his living as an alternative, right-on, slightly leftish, politically correct comedian. So it may come as a bit of a surprise to discover that he is also a property speculator, buying up properties and allowing them to fall into disrepair so that he can cash in on the current, mad, greed-inspired rush to turn most of south-eastern England into a housing estate.</div>
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<br /><div>Some years ago, there was an OKish bungalow in the village which came onto the market. Attached to it was a very productive apple orchard and a large garden. Enter Mr. Hurst. He bought it. Much excitement ensued. We were going to have a 'celebrity' living amonst us. Except he never did. The property deteriorated, as did the negelcted orchard and garden. Trees were felled without permission (this is a conservation area) and it gradually turned from an attractive home and small fruit smallholding into something of an eyesore. </div>
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<br /><div>Enter Antler Homes <a href="http://www.antlerhomes.co.uk/content/home/splash.asp">http://www.antlerhomes.co.uk/content/home/splash.asp</a>, who are keen to buy the lot from our comedian and build on this now 'brown field' site. They are proposing to build six new 'executive homes' but come on, who ever heard of a property developer building just six houses on a nine acre site?</div>
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<br /><div>The village protested (<a href="http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Comic-Lee-Hurst-isn_t-funny-say-villagers-newsinkent13453.aspx?news=local">http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Comic-Lee-Hurst-isn_t-funny-say-villagers-newsinkent13453.aspx?news=local</a>) and <a href="http://www.kentmessenger.co.uk/news/default.asp?article_id=43363&newspage=1">http://www.kentmessenger.co.uk/news/default.asp?article_id=43363&newspage=1</a>. We turned out and protested, almost to a man, but will it be enough? Or will greed and shortsightedness prevail? Something has to be done to stop good, fertile, food producing land falling prey to landgrabbing comedians.</div></div></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-87863500332208613862008-07-18T15:34:00.001-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.722-08:00Allotted time and disappearing gooseberries<div>Well, I finally got back to my allotment after four weeks of neglect. I've been putting it off because I knew I was going to be apalled but...argggghhhh...!!!! Where to start? My garlic is rotting in the earth, broad beans are huge and probably as tough as old boots, peas desperate for water, mooli radish about to throw seed everywhere (and I don't even like the stuff), and the worst crime of all, plump, sweet raspberries rotting on the canes (not to mention the globe artichokes about to flower, for God's sake).</div>
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<br /><div>My husband has been entrusted with looking after it, but he's no gardener, bless him. During my enforced absence he thought all was well. And to be fair, he leaves the house at 6.30am and doesn't get home until around 8pm, so tending vegetables is a bit of a luxury. </div>
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<br /><div>The problem with my allotment is compounded by the fact that I took over the other half of the plot when the previous tenant gave it up, and decided that I would plant some fruit trees and give the rest over to a wildflower meadow and pond. What was I thinking? I'm a garden designer, for God's sake. I know how hard it is to establish a wild flower meadow. The soil was too rich and the grass has gone beserk and currently it's looking like a complete mess. I'm ashamed to show my face there until we can get it cut down and under control. Problem is that I live in a very small village so everyone knows how abysmally I've failed in the wild flower stakes. I spent a fortune on the seed too (it included about 20 wild flower seeds and 11 different grasses).</div>
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<br /><div>I have another, fruit related question. Last year I bought two half standards of London and Langley Gage gooseberries. This year, in spring and early summer, they were covered in blossom then fruit. They were completely protected by mesh had and been sprayed against the usual pests and protected against slugs, but all the fruit was stripped off them. Any ideas?</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-70967871284376919812008-07-15T03:11:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.714-08:00The story continues...<div> 3 July: Spent a fruitless two hours chasing around the M25 for a rendezvous with a man delivering <em>Dactylorhiza praetermissa</em> (Southern Marsh Orchid) on behalf of his father, who grows them. The pressure is really on now, and I don't have time to waste, but his car developed a fault and he had to abandon the handover (sounds like I'm dealing in drugs or something). He says he'll try again tomorrow.
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<br /><div><font color="#666666">Out of our original batch of 20 plants only four are still flowering so I really need these extra ones, but you have to be so careful when buying orchids because there are some very dodgy types out there who dig them up in the wild then sell them on as cultivated plants. Quentin checked this grower out very thoroughly and we have proof of the plants' provenance. They'll look lovely in the long, lush grass at the rear of the garden. I'm planting oxeye daisies (<em>Leucanthemum</em> <em>vulgare)</em> too.</font></div><br /><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHyEqJ9o7pI/AAAAAAAAAB4/bvi08Ognxjo/s1600-h/Breathing+Space...Thinking+Place+pic.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223195527606759058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHyEqJ9o7pI/AAAAAAAAAB4/bvi08Ognxjo/s400/Breathing+Space...Thinking+Place+pic.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />
<br /><p><font color="#666666">8 July: The show opens to the public today. God, I'm tired. It would have been great to have had a break after finishing the build just to get some energy for today, but we only just got it finished in time. Two weeks isn't long. Still, Wendy and I are really pleased with it. It looks absolutely lovely (a completely objective opinion of course). Click on the pic to see if you agree.</font></p>
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<br /><div><font color="#666666"><strong><em>Which brings me to today, at home still looking after Lily while Wendy labours on breaking the garden down. I'll be there tomorrow though, as we have to have it completely cleared by Friday, back to the 4 by 6 metre rectangle of bare earth, as though it had never been.</em></strong></font></div>
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<br /><div><font color="#666666"><strong>Was it worth all the planning, organisation, frustration and exhaustion? <em>Yes.</em> Would I do it again?<em> A</em></strong></font><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHyByMryJ7I/AAAAAAAAABo/bo9xkhztYjc/s1600-h/Breathing+Space...Thinking+Place+pic.jpg"><font color="#666666"></font></a><font color="#666666"><strong><em>sk me in a months' time!</em></strong> </font></div><br /><br />
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<br /><div></div></div></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-22957695411074419912008-07-14T14:11:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.634-08:00Lily and Hampton Court updateAll those lovely people who have expressed concern for my beautiful Border Collie Lily will be pleased to hear that I picked her up today. We have had a few scares over the last two weeks and it has been touch and go as to whether she would survive, but she's home! She's looking a bit battered and bruised and gets tired quickly, but it's wonderful to have her back again (I realise that the non dog-lovers amongst you will find all this completely incomprehensible).<br /><br />Anyway, on to RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. I tried to keep a journal each day and failed miserably, of course, but here are some of the scraps I managed to record:<br /><br /><strong>23 Ju</strong><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHvMbc6xsjI/AAAAAAAAABI/uGKSeIfhZa4/s1600-h/24.6.2008.jpg"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222992964857475634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 235px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 157px" height="157" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHvMbc6xsjI/AAAAAAAAABI/uGKSeIfhZa4/s320/24.6.2008.jpg" width="234" border="0" /></strong></a><strong>ne</strong>: Arrived at the site at about 7.30am having left home at 5.45. The RHS have removed the turf on our plot, but that's all. Just a 6 metre by 4 metre rectangle of bare earth which over the next two weeks will be transformed into our garden. By the end of a very hot and difficult day we had pegged the garden out, taken levels and started digging...<br /><br /><strong>30 June</strong>: <em>(Did I say I had diligently kept at record? No, I did not.)</em> Up at 5.30am to hand over the plants I've been nurturing at home to Quentin (Stark, our brilliant nursery man) to transfer them to Hampton Court with all the rest. It's wonderful having the plants here now, although I think I've gone overboard on the quantities. The advice is to decide what you'll need then order another 60%, but I think I'll only use a quarter of what's been delivered.<br /><br />The trees are in! It took a fork lift truck and 4 big, strong men plus Wendy, and God knows how we'll get them out again...but they are so beautiful. Slender and white stemmed, leaves trembling in the breeze.<br /><br />It's now 8.30pm and I'm so tired that as soon as I get to Jodie's (my neice who lives about 2 miles from HC) I'm going to bed.<br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHvczwXYw8I/AAAAAAAAABY/pWyeJEEmyQs/s1600-h/1.7.2008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223010974580655042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHvczwXYw8I/AAAAAAAAABY/pWyeJEEmyQs/s320/1.7.2008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>1 July:</strong> Spent the morning cleaning the three clu<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SHvbY35DH7I/AAAAAAAAABQ/GO_3Fx2-vIM/s1600-h/1.7.2008.jpg"></a>mped birch trees. I've got one of those E-cloth things and it was brilliant at cleaning algae from the trunks and branches. Had to be careful not to damage their peeling bark and it took ages,but it was worth it. They have emerged even more beautiful than before.<br /><br />Strangely, although I've been looking forward to it for ages, I was scared to start the planting. I kept finding other things to do to delay the moment. Finally, when I couldn't put it off any longer, I plunged in with a grouping of Veronicastrum, Sanguisorba, Orlaya and some catmint. I did prepare a planting plan, but I don't like to stick slavishly to them. It all depends so much on the individual plants that I prefer the freedom of designing as I go but with a rough framework provided by a plan. This is especially true of this garden. I really want it to look as though it hasn't been especially planted out but has just happened, in a very relaxed sort of way.<br /><br />I didn't finish planting until about 8.30, then ate at Pizza Express in Hampton Court for the second night running, totally exhausted and glad to be staying with Jodie.<br /><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">There is more to come, promise, if anyone's interested. Now the pressure's off and the show's over I'll update the blog more frequently. We still, however, have to break the garden up and leave the site as we found it, so back on the chain gang tomorrow!</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-14498634666095011282008-06-29T07:12:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.632-08:00Lovely Lily<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SGebnibpU-I/AAAAAAAAABA/CFRWVqIGhr4/s1600-h/Lily+2.BMP"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217309796891972578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SGebnibpU-I/AAAAAAAAABA/CFRWVqIGhr4/s320/Lily+2.BMP" border="0" /></a> I know some gardeners aren't keen on dogs, but I am. I have a beautiful Border Collie called Lily, and last week, while I was building the Hampton Court garden, I got a phone call from a neighbour to say Lily had swallowed a stick while being walked. To cut a very long and distressing story short, a stick measuring around 8 inches went down her throat, pierced her oesaphagus and (it was initially thought) entered her lung.<br /><br />The reason for this additional post today is that after writing the first one, all jokey and upbeat, I suddenly felt disloyal. Isn't that stupid? So I thought I'd share this with you. She's going to be OK I think. She's had two operations, one to remove the stick and one to patch up the internal damage it had done. She's alert and drinking and eating small amounts, and I'm hoping to have her home some time next week. The moral of this story is 1) don't throw sticks for dogs and 2) there are more important things in life than winning flower showsCatherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-43410381302093368012008-06-29T02:48:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.650-08:00No time to blog!<div>How do dedicated bloggers do it? I started off with the best intentions...I'd write frequently, detailing the highs and lows of building a show garden blah, blah, blah. Obviously, I've failed miserably.<br /><br /><br />Anyway, here I am, one week into the build and I'm happy to report that it's going really well. The excitement of actually being there on Monday morning was tremendous. Everyone is really helpful and the atmosphere at the moment is quite relaxed. Of course, this will change as we near judgement day! At the moment we are concentrating on getting the hard landscaping elements installed to Wendy's satisfaction. She's project managing the build and is an absolute perfectionist (mind you, so are Russ, Liz, Neil and Nick too, so that's OK).<br /><br />As expected, the planting is a bit of a movable feast at the moment. It looked like the Eryngiums were going to peak too soon so I sourced a substitute, Berkheya purpurea. But now, guess what? Berkheya has gone over and the Eryngiums are holding back, like shy virgins on their wedding night. My latest information is that they may be OK but I need to wait as late as possible to plant them. The grass is proving a bit problematic too. It was supposed to be long (15cm) and lush, but when it was delivered it was at least 60cm, flat from being rolled and rank at the base from lack of light. I've been frantically trimming, watering and raking (lightly with a spring tined rake) since Wednesday but it's still looking not so much lush and verdant as slightly apocalyptic (you know, the bomb's gone off and there's no-one left to mow the grass). </div>
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<br /><div>Tomorrow the plants and trees arrive and the plan is that we start planting on Tuesday. Don't know when I'll be around next, but keep fingers crossed for good weather this week. It wouldn't be half so much fun in a mud bath!<br /><br /></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-38225968877353987382008-05-26T01:40:00.001-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.639-08:00Loose Duck Race<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SDp8QawCz9I/AAAAAAAAAAY/StTEWenbv1o/s1600-h/Brooks+path.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204608940880613330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_FrSkNcBCxTI/SDp8QawCz9I/AAAAAAAAAAY/StTEWenbv1o/s200/Brooks+path.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>No, ducks aren't running riot in some sort of paddling marathon. Loose is where I live, and today is the day of the annual duck race when hundreds of yellow plastic ducks bob competitively along the Brooks Stream (that's it on the left; pretty isn't it?) to the noisy delight of children and adults alike. Except that today, as I write, it's pouring with rain and winds are so high they can't get the refreshments marquee up. I've been up since six, baking the cakes I foolishly promised to donate when full of wine and bonhomie in the local pub at Christmas (these things <em>are</em> planned well in advance you know).<br /><br />I also have my orders from our leader, the venerable Roy Hood. Tanya and I must allocate the even numbered ducks and Sean will do the odd. I'm not quite sure why this is, but orders are orders. Must leave now as I need to find my wet weather gear. </div><div></div><div>Full race report, the runners and the riders etc, will be posted later, after I've dried off.</div><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add=http://weedingbetweenthelines.blogspot.com"><img alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" /></a>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-85299929884784127142008-05-26T01:27:00.001-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.718-08:00Technorati<a href="http://technorati.com/claim/yhz7c6qzkh" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316794668218474988.post-62960128354897220732008-05-25T10:30:00.000-07:002012-01-13T02:58:42.668-08:00Hampton Court countdown<div>Only four weeks until we start the build for Hampton Court Flower Show, and the garden will be judged just two weeks after that! After seeing the tears, disappointment and sheer exhaustion at Chelsea last week I'm beginning to wonder what I've let myself in for...although it's going to be sooooo exciting.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>All the hard materials are sourced now, thanks to my brilliant partner in design Wendy. The plants (my special responsibility) are looking good, although I'm still having trouble sourcing some. One is a wild flower which is now very rare (I'm not telling you what it is so as not to spoil the surprise). That's it's rare in the wild does not surprise me in the least because I can't get the b....y seeds to germinate. At the other end of the plant fecundity scale, some which shouldn't flower until July are bursting to get out now, and there's only so much pinching out they'll stand before going into a big sulk. But then, just when I start to get a bit edgy, I think of the trees. Three slender, beautiful Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, planted in a clump when whips to look like a multistem.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Off for a run now. I'm in training for my role as labourer during the first stages of the build. Of course when it comes to the planting I can go all designer(y) and wax lyrical about drifts and swathes...</div><br /><div> </div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07396346722647615195noreply@blogger.com2