offtheedgegardening

Proper

Now that is what I call a proper Easter Sunday. The sun shone, the people smiled and the cherry tree bloomed. Happy Easter everyone!

A Rasta sheep, could there anything better on a mizzly, cold Maundy Thursday? Only perhaps a Rasta lamb. But for those will have to wait a little longer. But not much. As Mr Marley once sang: One Love! One Heart! Let’s get together and feel all right. Thanks for all your good wishes x

Complacency

Complacency – don’t do it! For some inexplicable reason, certainly not involving excitement or adventure of any kind, I have hurt my shoulder/shoulder blade/ribs/back kind of area. After a night without a wink of sleep (well it felt like it anyway) I did not have a happy day. Pretty grumpy on the whole. It hurtContinue reading “Complacency”

Great Expectations

Over the last few months I have been gardening blind, for the most part anyway. My new clients’ gardens were previously unknown to me and as such a mystery. Strangers who I needed to become acquainted with and hopefully will eventually call my friends. In an attempt not to appear a complete dimwit (quietContinue reading “Great Expectations”

Yodel

Last week I met Mr and Mrs G’s son, G Junior, and he was asked if we had been previously introduced. “No” he said “But I think I have heard her yodelling”. I would like to make two comments about this observation: 1. This is very likely to be true. 2. He seemed singularly unsurprisedContinue reading “Yodel”

The Commonly Beautiful

In my previous mono-garden existence I enjoyed growing the unusual species, the less common cultivars, the few and far between. Any plant I hadn’t come across before was irresistible to me, I actively sought out the rare, the hard to come by. If a visiting dignitary either enquired after a cultivar, genus or even speciesContinue reading “The Commonly Beautiful”

Good Morning World!

Wakey! Wakey!

Marmite

This “Barbie on a special night out” azalea is bound to divide opinion, it is a plant that you will either love or you will hate. Personally I rather admire its irreverence, its total lack of subtlety, although I could probably only cope for short periods of time. I would have to avoid any closeContinue reading “Marmite”

Barrel Rolling

Last week marked the grand occasion of the inaugural Rolling a Half Barrel Up a Steep Hill Championships at the Farm. For those of you who have never attempted this feat, I can assure you that it is an extremely demanding and dangerous sport, both physically and emotionally. The barrel has a contrary tenancy toContinue reading “Barrel Rolling”

Understanding

Although on the whole I cannot praise my choice of career enough, I have to admit that gardening can sometimes be a lonely pursuit, especially for us jobbing gardeners. Literally this is often true, the nature of the job means we work alone on a regular basis, but also spiritually – the opportunity to shareContinue reading “Understanding”