Off The Edge Gardening

It is February now and the wheels are turning faster.  The days are noticeably (and rejoicingly) growing longer meaning that not only is it easier to get out of bed in the morning but the plants are benefiting from more light.  If I were a true plantophile these would be listed in a different order.  Sometimes, however, a line has to be drawn.

The hazy colours, frozen in time, brought to mind John Waterhouse’s painting Ophelia.  Just before she got in, obviously.

Over the past few years I have had my battles with ivy, tugging and unravelling, prising their adventitious roots from tree, border and unsuspecting shrub.   I have also admired and appreciated their many good points, listened to the throb of an insect blanket supping on their tardy flowers, watched as clumsy pigeons and flighty blackbirds feast on the deep dark fruit.  Today was the first time that I marvelled at their beauty.

I didn’t promise anything about the posting of evocative photographs.  Obviously I have no control over what you may or may not deduce from an innocent picture.  This one seemed appropriate today, the reason why I am keeping to myself.  You can interpret it entirely as you wish.  It could indicate a leaky hosepipe, the discovery of an ancient spring, the creation of bog garden or something else that didn’t even cross my mind.  Totally up to you ……

Things I have learnt in the last week:

1.  Longjohns are my new best friend, with my thermal vest a close runner up.
2.  A good hat which doesn’t obscure vision or fall off and cosily covers the ears is imperative.
3.  When the aforementioned hat falls into a muddy puddle and is put on the wing mirror to dry, do not forget to remove it before you drive home.   First Reserve has been called out of retirement.  I hope someone nice has a new hat that doesn’t obscure their vision ….
4.  Fingerless gloves work even though this seems against all laws of nature.
5.  Working in the close vicinity of evil roses can result in peek-a-boo seat of the pants, luckily my dignity was retained due to “new best friend” above.
6.  If you remember to pack two sets of waterproofs, extra fleeces, gloves and hats the weather will instantly turn unseasonably warm and dry.  Do not become complacent, the next day it will all change to seasonably cold and wet.
6.  Hail really does hurt!

I love tractors.  The ones that tickle my fancy are not the modern, all singing and dancing behemoths, but the ancient spluttering, characterful ones.  This beautiful Ford 4000 belongs to George’s Dad and proved yesterday that not only is it very handsome but it is also very useful.  I believe it to be about the same age as myself, so of a fine vintage and in its prime.  We are in the process of revitalising the outside spaces at the farm and surrounding the holiday cottages including rebuilding beds and borders.  Mr and Mrs G have spent the last 4 years working very hard, renovating the cottages and setting up their new business.  Now it is time for the outside spaces to be whipped into shape and that is where I come in!  At present the grounds are mainly adorned with old and poorly-pruned shrubs, on the whole hydrangeas and fuchsias, long past their ornamental best.  There is also an awful lot of pampus grass, seemingly loved by the previous owners and is being removed as a priority.  This project is significant venture but we are plodding on, one day at a time, and though most of the work has been carried out in rain/hail/storm/gale it has been great fun.  Hard work but plenty of laughter and at times very bizarre and I do enjoy a bit of the bizarre.  A bonus of course are the animals, which I love, top of the list being George the philandering kunekune boar.  I have noticed, however, that they are beginning to give me that “not her again with her silly voice and no food” look!

Yesterday, as part of the revamp of an area adjacent to the office, a substantial post needed to be removed in order to install new gravel board.  There was nothing for it but to call International Rescue.  It didn’t take long before Thunderbird 4000 trundled, at a modest but elegant rate, to the rescue.  The post was expertly impaled onto one of the prongs and the admiring audience gasped to see it effortlessly lift out of the ground, and keep lifting, and keep lifting! The resultant hole was at least 4ft deep with water in the bottom, I could have sworn I saw a kangeroo bobbing about down there.  I did suggest a new business venture “Ye Olde Wishing Well” but it didn’t go down terribly well.   For safety it was quickly filled with bits and pieces hanging about.  Now where did that chicken go …..

Hard week, frazzled gardener, so pretty picture, few words, night, night.

Seeds want to germinate, that is what they are designed to do, it is their raison d’être, their goal in life, their purpose.  There are not many decisions to be made in a seed’s life, it must either germinate or not germinate, just the two options and the first is preferable.  There is, I suppose, another option which is “provide a healthy snack” and that is exactly what this little grain was destined to do.  Somehow, undoubtedly with great derring-do, it managed to escape captivity (like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape but without the motorbike and with success).  This new-found freedom from the feeder inspired it to attempt the prime objective, and it triumphed.  The fresh green shoot pushing up through the boards of L&L’s bird table must be jubilant.  We will not dwell on its future, we must live in the moment.