Saturday 10 March 2012

Look Who's Back!


This is Gardener trying to make sense out of a rambling rose gone completely wild and unmanageable. He ended up with a large heap of razor-sharp prunings, and, true to himself, he piled them up just outside the nearest garden gate, on land which is technically the property of the Duke of Norfolk, leased to English Heritage. True, nobody but us goes there, and we tend to look at this short bank, which goes  down into the moat alongside our holly hedge, as very much an extension to the garden. Being Shropshire born and bred, and a true country labouring man, Gardener is no respecter of persons, and if a plot of land is useful, well then, he uses it.

Today was his first day back since last June, when he had a heart attack just after he finished working very hard for our summer garden opening. Since then I haven't felt like doing much myself; without him it just isn't the same, and although I've had other people come in for some of the big jobs, they've just stood there, arms hanging limply, waiting for instructions. I simply don't feel like training anyone else; working with Gardener is a great joy, we bicker and argue, he never listens to a word I say and always does as he sees fit. Secretly, he has taken a lot of my knowledge of gardening to heart, he has learned to treat plants with respect and I can usually trust him to keep any damage he does within acceptable limits. I was so happy to see him this morning I gave him a big hug, which made him feel quite uncomfortable. Although I call him by his first name, I am Mrs. W. to him, and his employer to boot, and hugging is not for the likes of us, according to him.

We did three hours; he tamed and tied in the rose, which is looking very sorry and spindly now. He said it didn't matter and that next year (!) we could prune out the rest of the ancient stems. Will we both still be around, and will we both still be working this garden?

I am very fond of Gardener and I know that beneath his flippant, sometimes rude and off-hand and anti-authoritarian manner beats a heart of true gold. He can also be quite soppy, particularly when he talks about his little dog, but I've never before seen him come close to crying. His sixty-two year old brother died of Leukaemia two weeks ago and he told us that he missed seeing him off because his sister chose to go on the day he had planned to visit. The brother had been hanging on in the hospice for weeks and weeks and all the siblings, seven sisters and six brothers, had been hoping the end would come. Gardener said: "He used to lie on his back and just stare at the ceiling. My sister said to him 'close your eyes, Geoffrey, and go and see Mum and Dad.'" Gardener's face crumpled, he sniffed and brought out his large countryman's handkerchief to wipe his damp eyes. "So he did" he said, " and he just went, there and then." And then Gardener finished his mug of tea, got up, and said "right, let's get on with it."

We have another date for next week. I might even feel inspired to do a few jobs around the garden by myself before then. No compost turning, mind!


68 comments:

  1. He sounds like quite the colorful, opinionated gardener and a good man to have around for a prickly rose job. I think you'll both be around next spring. ;)

    Have a really nice Sunday, Lady! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good heavens. I'm crying. I just adore your gardener. You've made him seem like a person in my own life through your words. I'm so glad he's back, tending your garden.

    What a lovely post.

    ReplyDelete
  3. oh, I just adored this piece.
    And your Gardener.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ha he def is a character...and had to work some roses wheen we first moved in here...oy that was painful.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have a gardener too and would struggle to manage without him despite the fact that he doesn't weed or sow or plan and dream. He even said one day, having planted some grasses precisely where I had placed them, "Look, you have accidentally made a nice curve there"! Accidentally?
    He's not a great talker and is inclined to inflate the time he has worked for me but I wouldn't be without him and trust his judgement on all sorts of things. I think he might be unable to return for embarrassment if I were to hug him though.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Friko,
    Your Gardener, as you describe him, sounds like a character out of a Steinbeck novel--someone with a heart of gold hidden under a crusty exterior.

    Let us fervently hope that both of you will be working on that rose bush next year!

    Peace.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm glad to read that Gardener is back. I was afraid that you'd lose your lust for gardening without some steady, heavy help.
    Such persons don't exist here. There are lots of young men with shiny trucks and shiny equipment starting out gardening businesses with catchy names. I'd just like someone to work alongside me - no wisecracks or loud music or smoking.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a coincidence! I wrote about gardening today, too. Wish I had a gardener like yours.

    ReplyDelete
  9. People like Gardener are rare indeed, and precious for that, as you so beautifully describe. They are partners, not hired hands. How glorious that he is back--and you, too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well, a good post for this time of rebirth. Aieee, the pruning....happy gardening to you and your Gardener!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, I am so happy Gardener is back! For me and for you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your Gardener reminds me of my Leo who does all sorts of work around here on just about a daily basis. We would be lost without them.
    XO
    WWW
    PS and I hug Leo once a year much to his horror.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Together again ... how lovely. At first read I (mis)understood that you 'did three hours' of hugging. :) But gardening was the order of the day ... right?

    You must be feeling better to be out gardening. Hurrah!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gardener and I came back together!
    Really, I was going to say almost word for word what Dee said. Welcome back, Gardener!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Gardener is back at just the right time. I'm so happy for you. I hope you both get stronger and stronger every day.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm so happy for you, Friko. I did wonder if Gardener would be back after that attack. Perfect that you're both ready for outdoor work at the same time. Sad about him not seeing his brother off at the end, though. I love him being no respecter of persons, whether the Duke of Norfolk or the Crown.
    How would he feel about all your female friends in blogland sending him virtual hugs? Horrified all over again, I'm sure.
    All the best to both of you, and of course to your Beloved and to Benno.
    K

    ReplyDelete
  17. beautiful observation. your Gardener sounds a true character. glad he's still thinking a year ahead, he must be feeling better.

    hope you're feeling better yourself, Friko. Say hi to Benno for me x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for sharing your word portrait of a man of character. And best wishes on stamina for your "few jobs."

    ReplyDelete
  19. I wish I'd seen that hug, but I'll just have to smile at the thought of it.

    ReplyDelete
  20. You beautifully echo and describe the joy I am feeling to see a certain blog-invisible husband return to health and mischief.

    Those intimations of immortality are never very far away, are they.

    Ah well, let's get on with it.
    LOVELY!

    Aloha from Waikiki
    Comfort Spiral

    >< } } ( ° >

    ReplyDelete
  21. Perfect timing. You and Gardener ready to return to the garden at the same time. Gardener sounds so much like my late father, soft as butter under a gruff exterior - salt of the earth they are.

    ReplyDelete
  22. He sounds like the salt of the earth!
    Reading this made me remember my mother's gardener. I think she stole him away, one day a week, from the hospital where she used to be matron! When I was four we moved into a new house and he helped her with the heavy work of planning the garden, then making it happen....some of the plantings are still going strong!

    ReplyDelete
  23. You have much more green in your garden than we have here in the States. Spring hasn't hit Illinois yet but I think it is on its way.

    Gardener sounds like a gem and you are lucky he is able to help you.

    ReplyDelete
  24. There's nothing like gardening to lift your spirits :-).

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your gardener is a gem...and I suspect the hug you gave him put a nitch in that outside shell - enough so that he could show emotions concerning his brother to you. It is nice to know your garden is once again being cared for by the two of you...I would love to be a little bird sitting in a nearby tree as you both work together:o) Such wisdom I could learn...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Your gardener and your garden both sound like true joys. I loved that you hugged him, and I also loved that he could show you a soft side.

    It is so frustrating when gardening gets beyond our strength isn't it? I have (insanely) ordered around 800 spring bulbs. Now I need to get into the weed jungle so there is somewhere they can go. And I can neither bend nor squat.

    ReplyDelete
  27. My folk where all on the Shropshire/Welsh border - your description of Gardener fits them perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Winter's reluctantly releasing its grip, isn't it .
    Good to think of you both in the garden , feeling fit enough to plan another year's beautiful display .

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Friko - you describe him, societal acceptances, village life .. so perfectly ..

    Then the 13 brothers and sisters and hospice visits - definitely not easy to space out ... poor Gardener - he so obviously wanted to see his brother off, that is sad he was unable to do so.

    The garden will once again be looked after .. enjoy your few jobs - the weather is glorious down here .. cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  30. I've probably mentioned this before, but I grew up amongst men like your gardener. What you see, is what you get. And what you get, is colour and character. Great to hear that the old team are back working together.

    ReplyDelete
  31. It is so wonderful to have a good and faithful helper. I have one too and I couldn't do it without them.
    Glad he is back and up to working with you again.
    Hugs
    SueAnn

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hello:
    We are so heartened to know that Gardener is once more back with you. We all, particularly at this time of year, need some kind of incentive to get outside and tackle those jobs which need to be done in the early spring, and possibly he has become the catalyst for you.

    We felt very sad to learn of the death of his brother in the hospice and how very touching that he should confide in you.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Gardener sounds very like the Welsh hill farmers on my side of the border, Friko, soft-centred but unwilling to show it unless they truly trust you. I'm not surprised he spoke about next year's work now. All true gardeners plan for the future - it's what keep them going.

    ReplyDelete
  34. This seems to sum up a certain character trait that runs strongly in my family's bloodline: "And then Gardener finished his mug of tea, got up, and said 'right, let's get on with it.'"
    No use crying over what can't be helped.
    I think I adore Gardener. He seems like a type that isn't being made much anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  35. You have such a wonderful way with words, Friko. I simply loved this peek at Gardener's life. His unvarnished and authentic self shines through every part of this piece. I feel honored to have read it. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  36. 'I am very fond of Gardener and I know that beneath his flippant, sometimes rude and off-hand and anti-authoritarian manner beats a heart of true gold.'

    Sounds like someone else I know.

    I am very happy to read that Gardener is back. May this year's blooms be an unprecedented feast for every sense.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I am so happy to know Gardener has returned! He has become a loveable character to all who read your blog. What a talent you have for bringing him to life so vividly on these pages.

    ReplyDelete
  38. It's grand to learn that spring is bringing a wonderful team back together.

    I wonder if this Gardener has any idea of how his fan club grows with each season?

    Best wishes to both you. xo

    ReplyDelete
  39. The story about his brother brought tears to my eyes. He sounds like a truly exceptional person. Tough on the outside..but soft and mushy within.

    ReplyDelete
  40. What a wonderful yet sad story.
    You're lucky to have Mr. Gardener. I wouldn't want to tackle that rose bush myself.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I like that the two of you actually work together - it sounds quite companionable with all the bickering...
    Our landlord has recently hired a gardener for this property, and I'm not fond of him as a gardener at all!! He has absolutely no feeling for plants and has actually killed some of them... I'm so mad! But he is a nice man and I think he desperately needs the cash, so I do the really "important" things before he comes and leave the other bits for him...

    ReplyDelete
  42. ah, gardener ist endlich zurück! die ersten zeichen des frühlings und ein weg zurück ins glück!
    dir einen guten und schönen abend und danke...!
    renée

    ReplyDelete
  43. He sounds like the quintessential gardener from English novels and history - all gruff exterior and tender inside.

    Can I be so forward as to comment that the best part of this picture is Gardener's muddy seat pants? A true Gardener doesn't mind getting dirty.

    ReplyDelete
  44. How wonderful for your gardener to be back at work - for his sake, as well as yours. It must have been a long year for him, forced into a caution and self-pacing that doesn't always come easily to the competent.

    I'm not certain I've ever known someone with a gardener. The wealthy have them, of course, but for the rest? There are "lawn crews" or "yard crews", but they mostly cut grass, use electric clippers to trim hedges and chain saws to prune. They have little understanding and less care for the plants they tend.

    Ah, well. You have your fine, ordinary person who takes extraordinary care, and weather now to begin a new re-formation of the garden. Just be sure to grant youself plenty of indulgences. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  45. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. He looks fit in your photo. Give him a hug for me if you dare. Dianne

    ReplyDelete
  46. Best you stay off the ladder, too, Friko. Sometimes those who seem most common sense in their approach to life manage to hide the depth of their actual feelings. Seems as though you and Gardener have a perfect working relationship.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Ah, back and in the garden! Your gardener sounds like the perfect garden hand. Funny how we slowly unfold ourselves to others, much like the buds that take their time--it's such a joy to see it blossom. :)

    ReplyDelete
  48. How brilliant to have Gardener back, so glad he's better again.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I like your gardener!!! I could really use the like of him here!!! Great photos!!!

    ReplyDelete
  50. So sad about the loss of his brother. Sounds like he sure needed that hug.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Well, Friko, you brought a tear to my eye and I'm just getting to know Gardener. Anyone who cares so well for plants and pets has to be good at heart.

    This was such a warm and lovely post.

    ReplyDelete
  52. He sounds exactly like someone out of a book - just a lot more alive, of course, and it would be a very good book with character descriptions so vividly!

    ReplyDelete
  53. Glad to see you and Gardener both feeling better. I loved hearing about his brother's last minutes. Not a bad way to go. By the way, Gardener looks really good from behind.

    ReplyDelete
  54. What a beautifully observed and constructed piece: and how moving - and optimistic! Your rose will be back with renewed vigour, as the pair of you seem to be.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Gardner sounds like a wonderful and handy man to have around.

    I do love how he refers to you as "Mrs."

    The whole thing brought a lump to my throat.

    Ah, well. Here's to Spring!

    Pearl

    ReplyDelete
  56. And all was back to normal in Whoville. The flowers blooming, the birds singing and blue skies smiling on all.
    So glad to hear it.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Glad he is back at work, sounds as if he has had a pretty tough time.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Quite the character, your Gardener. I'd probably hug him, too. And you will both be around next spring, for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  59. I am so pleased that Gardener is back – your garden will be pleased too. I wonder if he knows that he is known and liked in many parts of the world? Have a great spring.

    ReplyDelete
  60. He's trained you well if you managed not to hop over his tea cup and swoop in for another hug, after the story of his brother. Keep the roses and thorns well between you two, and you'll appreciate each other immensely from a proper distance.

    I'm jonesing for gardening season here.

    ReplyDelete
  61. This post reminded me of the song, "Ramblin' Rose" sung by Nat King Cole. It's an enjoyable earworm.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Oh Gardener. I'm sorry. You have lost your brother and you weren't there at the moment. I'm glad you were able to tell Friko, because I know she is a mighty listener.

    I would like to steal you, Gardener. Just for awhile, in May. I think you would like Oregon.

    ReplyDelete
  63. The power of blogging revealed - I'm delighted that a man I don't know has returned to work in a garden I've never set foot in with a woman I've never met in person. Who says words can't lead us into other worlds?

    ReplyDelete
  64. sounds like a fun friendship. you both clearly enjoy each other. breaking through that exterior sometimes, oftentimes reveals real beauty. talking about dogs can get soppy:)

    ReplyDelete
  65. Does Gardener know that he is now world famous? A lovely man with a heart of gold. Clearly.

    ReplyDelete
  66. I think I've missed many of your posts in these recent days of chaos -- good and bad! But I certainly do wish Gardener could come to my house, which is waking up to spring and becoming totally overwhelming! Even if I could find someone for 10 hours, I think they could do a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  67. I gave him a big hug, which made him feel quite uncomfortable.

    And the end of this post... sigh.

    I must thank you... I've enjoyed my evening here spent at your blog. :)

    ReplyDelete

Comments are good, I like to know what you think of my posts. I know you'll keep it civil.