Sunday 26 May 2019

Gardening Matters


Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
Today is a Gift,
that’s why it’s called a Present.

A.A.Milne

(I only found this quote quite recently and liked it so much I decided to share it here. It answers my current state of mind exactly and I will try to remember it whenever sadness overwhelms me.)


From the Daily Telegraph
Chelsea Pensioner Ron Wilkins enjoying the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Credit: Paul Grover
This past week I’ve been watching the Chelsea Flower Show - the 106th show - on TV both during part of the day and for another hour and a half in the early evening and what a magnificent show it was once again. I have never been there myself, not even when we lived in London; not only is it very expensive when you consider the cost of the ticket, but adding travel cost and an overnight stay make it even more exorbitant during show week. On top of it there are the crowds, I’d probably faint if I were forced to move slowly through them. TV is fine for me, you get a much better idea of the show gardens and the presenters explain and showcase the most interesting aspects, and the most spectacular plants. Of course, the gardens are indeed ’show’ gardens, there’s little that’s transferable to your ordinary plot; bridges, buildings, verandahs, walls of water, broad steps, massive trees, tender and/or oriental and African plants aren’t usually to be found in your average back garden.

Chelsea gives a gardener endless ideas and much inspiration and I’ve been sitting, fingers twitching, brain itching and the gardening nerve twanging incessantly, almost too restless to stay and watch rather  than go outside and get weeding. What with Austin gone and Paul being slow and lifeless, I must do much of the work myself. I’ve been given the names of two gardeners who might be interested, one actually telephoned and left a message. You may ask ‘so why haven’t you interviewed them’? B-e-c-a-u-s-e  that means sacking Paul. He is so depressed and silent and, yes, lifeless, that I feel sorry for him. He is also extremely hard up and needs every penny he can earn, although I don’t actually see that he earns what I pay him. Both new chaps are probably more expensive, but I’d make them work for their wage or sack them; I don’t know them, so sacking them isn’t as unpleasant a task as sacking Paul, whom I know well.

Acc. to the presenters the fashion in Chelsea this year has been for naturalistic planting, lots of various shades of greens, relaxed, not the usual clumps of three, five or seven of this, then another parcel of three, etc. of that throughout beds. This year the same number of plants has been used but dotted around, mixed with each other. One thing which impressed me no end is that flowering weeds have been allowed in too, in certain ‘wild’ gardens, or at least the sort of plants that a fastidious gardener would so designate. Old Gardener began to ail last year, took frequent breaks and forgot to weed in the more hidden areas. I myself couldn’t do it because of last year’s back problems, so things got overlooked and the results are only too obvious this year. Large patches of perennial weeds have taken over and smothered the few wanted plants left from previous years. I have had a go myself this spring but there’s no way I can get on top of it all without help. So, round and round I go: dismiss Paul and employ one of the new chaps? Maybe I should chicken out altogether and move to a smaller house and garden.? How sad that would be but my decision making motor needs serious oiling before it can run smoothly. So, round and round for the moment . . . . . .

This is a miniature clematis which all by itself has no impact, but planted under, and
letting it thrust its way up and through, a recumbent juniper looks rather spectacular.
I had it in a pot before, with a small trellis, but it was hardly visible.






31 comments:

  1. I'm managing to keep after the yard and flower beds at home but the shop yard has gotten completely away from me especially after the flood. I hired a crew to come in and clear out one area, one of many but getting to them all will have to be spread out. the spring bloomers are done and the early summer garden is blooming now. it will change again during high summer.

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  2. I think I'd love that show - I'm completely on board with a more wild-looking garden. I like the look of the clematis coming up through the juniper.

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  3. As you say, the gardens are show gardens with little that’s directly transferable to an ordinary plot. But there's the aspiration and the inspiration, and always a few good ideas. Have fun!

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  4. Yesterday is History.
    Tomorrow is a Mystery.
    Today is a Gift,
    that’s why it’s called a Present.

    A.A.Milne


    Love this! Isn't this the creator if Winnie the Pooh?

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  5. I find that craft shows do that for me. Ramping up some excitement, creating new ideas. I hear you on Paul. I have an 80 YO cleaning woman who does a barely adequate job but is depressed and needs the money and if I leave here alone here she escapes early leaving a bit of a mess.

    But she breaks my heart as her life is so wretched and lonely.

    It's very hard.

    XO
    WWW

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  6. I've been watching the evening programmes and on the last one my proxy server broke down...but what inspiration it gives!
    Closely followed by frustration as I am not master of the garden here....

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  7. I am not so much in the blogosphere these days, but wanted at least to pop by and say hello. The clematis popping up is lovely and joyful. I do hope you are able to navigate getting the garden help you need without too many bad feelings. It's always a challenge!

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  8. The clematis is lovely, I have become a fan of clematis and have recently added 3 to my garden. That is a dilemma about your old gardener.

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  9. I've seen that quote before and appreciated it again today. Your gardening dilemma is sad, but I'd just let the poor guy go and hire someone new, even though it hurts. Or better yet, wait until the fall and lament the state of the garden. :-)

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  10. Like DJan I know and love that quote. I need to remember it more often, so thank you.
    Our garden gets away from me too.
    I don't know what to do with your gardening assistance dilemma. And feel for you.

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  11. First time in 36 years I have no garden, friend Friko ... and no cattle to look after ... and am not missing it so far ... o, wait ... is this weed growing among my lilies? ... Anyway ... Love, cat, age 63.

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  12. It seems to me the most important thing about your garden is that it give you pleasure. If the arrangements you currently have are standing in the way of that -- well, perhaps they need to change. Of course it would be difficult. Letting people go never is easy. On the other hand, keeping someone around who can't do the job is frustrating and tiresome. Surely Paul knows that he's not up to the task any longer -- or does he not? I hope you can find your way through to a good solution.

    That clematis is gorgeous. Our natives are blooming now. They're quite different from these -- my favorites are purple or red, and very small -- but they're great fun to discover here and there.

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  13. I've been reading Penelope Lively's Life in the Garden, which is mostly about Britain, but so fascinating. At least one chapter is about garden fashion, which she, in her 80's, has seen change. It sounds like you have your own personal version of the naturalistic style. Of course, as Lively does mention, a garden must be not natural, because that would not be a garden but a comparatively disorderly place.

    I also like mine to be naturalistic, and when I first saw the proposed design for my back yard garden -- when my own decision making motor (I must remember that phrase) was not working very well -- I thought it looked too symmetrical. But once the plants grew in and I added more, it doesn't seem that way. One needs some symmetry for there to be a calming effect. Too much disorder in what is supposed to be a garden and not a wilderness -- especially if it is one's own garden! -- would be something else.

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  14. The Chelsea Flower Show must be a wonderful thing to see, but like you, I couldn't cope with the crowds. Our local flower show has turned from being something rather nice to a park full of exhibitors of commercial products and very few plants.

    Regarding Paul, it is a tough one. I decided some years ago not to get attached to one hairdresser to cut my hair. It was good decision. Maybe talk to Paul and subtly suggest that he is not doing enough and you'd like him to get more done, otherwise, you will have to consider what you will do in the future. Hard, I know.

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  15. Hi Friko, When my Mother was in her early eighties she decided to give up her home and move to a smaller place.
    My sister and I said “Why, oh why .... we will pay for a cleaner, we will pay for the gardener.” No”, my Mother said. “I need to move while I am still active and can make friends in my new area.”
    That certainly shut us up as it was such a wise decision,

    She moved, disbursing what she chose to disburse and was delighted with her smaller cottage. She thought it a great adventure and was glad to let go many of the things she would not use.
    She died in her mid nineties still in control.
    I hope I will be able to make my own decisions with such clarity.
    Regards J.

    Perhaps you can ask your gardener if he would like to continue? Perhaps he does not want to let you down.

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  16. I'm sorry to hear about your overwhelming grief. For me it gets worse in summer. All this life out and about...
    I hope you are able to keep Paul. Maybe explain to him you will hire someone to do the big tasks, for instance two days only, and ask him if he can pick up after that?

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  17. Hi Friko - it'd be a huge loss to you to move from your delightful house, garden and surrounding fields ... as your love of plants shines through. I've seen a little of Chelsea - couldn't stand the crowds though ... but thought the Duchess of Cambridge's garden was a delight and it was lovely seeing the children run through it and the Queen's comment on how full it was. I'd love to go to Chelsea if I could have the place to myself to wander and look!!

    Mnwks commenting above might have a good idea re Paul ... see if he wants to continue - I'm sure he's tied to you and won't want to leave ... but it might open a door to some questioning ... and perhaps clarity ...

    Take care and enjoy the brighter weather, longer days ... do what you can - but as you're doing get some decisions made or on the way to being taken ... all the best - cheers Hilary

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  18. AA Milne would have been a person to invite for lunch. I'm glad to have the reminder of that quote.

    As for Paul: it's quite the dilemma, I agree. To address both your conscience and his self-esteem, can you just sit down with him and speak openly? You're a very direct person, and diplomatically so, and I think you could pull it off. The discomfort you might feel at doing this will be far less than what you could feel by sacking him without giving him a chance to pull up his socks. If I were him, I'd appreciate it a lot. You have a relationship with this fellow that extends beyond that of an employer-employee, and perhaps you owe it to both yourself and him to explore the issue in a personal way.

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  19. Can you perhaps ask Paul to come a bit less often and try one of the other people for half a day. I must say I do love the last picture! And the AA Milne quote is charming - I have never come across it before.

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  20. I might be remembering wrong but before Paul, when it was just Austin and he was slowing down, didn't you incorporate both of them? I remember you were worried about what Old Gardener would think. Maybe you could try that -- Paul for a certain number of hours and Mr. X for a certain number. If he's younger and faster, you might not need him for so many. I don't know how that would work financially but it might be a strategy -- Mr. X for the more complicated things and Paul for what could be done more leisurely? It's worth a think. Meanwhile, I've been following Chelsea garden and how I would love to see it.

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  21. I love this white clematis, Frico. Especially against the dark red bush. This is beauty!
    I think that you should not hesitate to choose a new assistant - do you need a result or you don't?

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  22. The garden shot with the white clematis is lovely. Poor Paul...I don't envy the position you are in, Friko.

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  23. I love the poem and need it very much right now. Thank you!

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  24. Living in Alberta, I adore any kind of blooms and flowers. Love, cat.

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  25. Love the quote at the beginning. I must remember that one! I would love to go to the chelsea garden show sometime.

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  26. I love that quotation, too - simple words, but so apt. We have many 'weeds' growing in our garden, but, so long as they don't take over completely, we're happy with them. Herb Robert grows everywhere and I love it. It's easy to pull out huge clumps - or even little ones - when required.

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  27. lovely quote and beautiful flowers...
    Thank you for sharing

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  28. If Paul feels overwhelmed by the garden, perhaps he could do something else for you. It depends, I suppose just how depressed he is; maybe he could help you with the weekly/fortnightly shopping in a nearby town?
    The clematis definitely shows that white is the very best colour for country gardens.

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  29. my only trip to England included the this flower show. What a treat !

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  30. Friko it is a big garden you have a lot of plants so a solution is needed. Maybe a new gardener could use Paul and share costs and Paul might get an odd job through new gardeners clients.
    Milne though well loved did not appear to treat his son very well according to history .

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