In these wintry days, it’s only too easy to call Shakespeare’s take on February to mind. In ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Don Pedro says to Benedick : “Why, what’s the matter that you have such a February face, so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?”
Today the valley had a Sunday face, full of bright skies and sunshine, not a storm cloud anywhere. I decided it was time to walk around the garden to look for signs of spring. And I found some:
the first buds of hellebores
a golden carpet of aconites under the trees
the splendid tendrils of the hamamelis
and unforced rhubarb shooting in the fruit garden.
Paul is once again out of action and will remain so for several weeks more; he had to have a carpal tunnel operation, so no accident this time. Which is progress of a sort, I suppose. There are a number of jobs which need doing before spring is here, the compost heaps need turning, a climbing rose needs moving and a pile of wood needs chopping and burning or taking away for firewood. I have heard nothing from old Gardener for months now, I doubt that he’ll return, which meant gardener number three had to be found and interviewed.
The first thing Jon said was “I have been suffering with my back for the past three weeks; paid a fortune to a chiropodist so I don’t want to put it out again with lots of digging”. Eh? What is it with me and gardeners? How come I only attract the ailing and accident prone kind?
Anyway, Jon took a look at the jobs and I assured him that he could take his time over the digging. That is, until he told me his hourly rate: one and a half times the rate I pay Paul and nearly twice what I paid old Gardener.
I am happy to pay a living wage for the hard or unpleasant work I ask people to do for me. Jon looked at me sideways when he mentioned the rate, not fully turning and looking me in the face, but swivelling his eyes in a ‘let’s see how she reacts’ kind of way; he mumbled something about that being the rate most people asked round here and he was going to do the same in the coming year with all his clients.
I felt both annoyed with him and sorry for him at the same time, but kept my face perfectly straight. Why do I feel embarrassed when people treat me like a fool? I need the work done now. It means that when Paul gets back he can carry on with current tasks rather than spend time on jobs which are a bit beyond him anyway. Jon appears to be a nice chap, he seemed grateful when I accepted his demand. Some acquaintances in the village employ him, so he comes recommended. But he is an unskilled labourer, not a trained gardener; I will pay him what he asks but he will have to work for it.
Despite the promise of Spring this is not a post I am finding encouraging. My garden is getting beyond me (and has certainly got away from me). And I too am not cut out to be an employer.
ReplyDeleteas long as he earns it...ha...
ReplyDeleteit was a gorgeous day here as well...enjoyed a bit of the sun on my skin....
Garden? What garden? All I see out my window is a blanket of snow. The silver lining? No weeds!
ReplyDeleteI hope it works out well with Jon.. but really I hope you'll reconnect with Paul before too long.
ReplyDeleteThe only digging we're doing around here is getting ourselves out of a few feet of snow. So your lovely photos were like a breath of fresh, spring air.
Yes, we much prefer to do ourselves, don't we
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
<3
You're not old and feeble in the head where it counts the most.
ReplyDeletefirst off, thank you for showing me the hope of spring. i am a long way off from melting snow.
ReplyDeletea back problem and a higher rate? i don't like that combination; however, you sound like you know how to manage him and how time will be spent. i envy you a garden helper. i'm a gardener too and i love the times when i have a bit of grunt or knowledgable assistance. i hope paul is back soon.
love
kj
Well, I'm not cut out to be an employer either and I'd rather do the work myself, but still... I hope that it works out with Jon and that Paul will be back soon. Unfortunately work in the garden cannot wait indefinitely and needs to be done, otherwise there will be so much more to deal with. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI always get caught by surprise like that. Of course the correct way is to be prepared for a high wage request and mention how much you paid the old gardener and strike a figure half way between. Perhaps you could kindly suggest he see a doctor rather than a chiropodist for his back problem. I guess he just mixed the word up.
ReplyDeleteWe are at the mercy of the people who work for us as far as price.
ReplyDeleteWe have a large garden also. Fortunately, my sister and her husband live on our property. I've told her she can be the primary gardener this year and she is thrilled.
This looks like spring is much further advanced where you are than over here. It's been VERY cold over the past one or two weeks here, and although the birds stubbornly insist on it being closer to spring than to winter, the plants are wiser.
ReplyDeleteBut yesterday, the sun was out, and once the biting wind dropped, it showed its power. Believe it or not, I did some sunbathing in my bedroom, with the south window wide open!
You are a very good employer: you pay what they demand but rightly expect their work in return. Maybe I would not give Jon more than what Paul gets, but both of them the same. You not having heard from Old Gardener in months could also mean he is not around anymore. Or would you have heard about his death from other sources?
dat is jammer dat het allemaal niet een beetje soepeler verloopt,
ReplyDeleteYou do seem to have bad luck with gardeners, but we have the same here with those who are non-skilled. Just getting someone to mow the lawn on a regular basis can take more time than the actual lawn mowing. My lenton roses are also budding and I have a scheduled post on that. Spring is on its way.
ReplyDeleteWell, I hope this works out better than it sounds like it might. I do hope you will keep me informed if he ends up being worth the extra money. :-)
ReplyDeleteSunday was such a perfect day — cold and clear and bathed in sunshine. This morning has been the same. Life is stirring everywhere. The birds are more active and the rooks becoming vocal. We have hellebores and aconites out too, and buds appearing all over. Though doubtless the bad weather will return with a vengeance.
ReplyDeleteOh wow signs of spring already. I can't believe it's almost mid-February!
ReplyDeleteHey Kid - You have to hang out with me for a week. I am old, but I am not feeble and I certainly would have him look me straight in the eyes when he offered his price. We are different and we are right - he will certainly work off the pay. Yes, Friko, you do seem to attract not so healthy gardeners, but Paul was good at the beginning....and his carpel tunnel will be healed. My snow shovel girl had carpel tunnel done on both wrists and she is back as good as new - all healed. Anyway Dear, the photos of your "spring" captures are just delightful. They cheered me up - as that part of spring is a long way away, up here in the frozen north. Have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like that around these parts. Snow, snow and more snow.
ReplyDeleteMoney talk is always tricky. Poor Jon, who was unsure of his own worth, and you, who would have undermined his fragile view had you sniffed at his price. Don't blame him for being ill at ease, nor you for wondering if you were being taken for a ride. Despite the fact that you come across as someone who stands for no nonsense (here, at least, and I'm pretty sure your village image isn't much different) you suffer from that feminine malady of caring what people think of you. Whether you're nice - or not. And your empathy gets in the way of being tough, as well.
ReplyDeleteThere you go - my psychological take on the gardening situation. I should probably just say 'loved this post'.
I hate being an employer when it comes to that. I don't like talking money. I suspect you could have bargained with Jon, told him that this was more than you paid your experienced gardeners and he might have come down. And if he didn't, you could still have hired him. But yes, put him through his paces.
ReplyDeleteI hope Gardener isn't too ill. He didn't sound like a triumph of health in your earlier posts. And poor Paul... But his wrists will heal and I hope he will be back.
Your signs of spring warm my heart on this cold and gray day where they tell us snow and ice may be expected. It cannot go on forever.
Love that quote from Shakespeare. Wasn't aware of it. I might nick it and start using it now.
ReplyDeleteMoney talk is always difficult talk. stand your ground, though.
Greetings from London.
Friko, your photographs of what is already growing in your garden have truly cheered me!
ReplyDeleteAbout Jon, I am not so sure. Could you let him know that you'll assess his performance after a month's work? If he can do what is required, fine. If not, please do begin looking for gardener number four before that month is up.
xo
My husband insists on paying more than the current rate. So, our "people"keep asking for more jobs/hours. Not a bad thing to be highest paying employer around. Every thing gets done speedily and graciously. We came home late last summer with some hanging baskets too big for us to handle. One call, and ten minutes later, our man pulled the baskets gingerly out of thrunk, hung them on a high arbor, and vacuumed the trunk
ReplyDeleteSigns of spring are all about us these days. A friend wondered if winter is leaving us - we haven't had much cold or any snow for several years.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your gardener troubles. I hope Old Gardener is settled somewhere cozy where he can warm his bones by the fire and amble down to the local for a pint.
Achh, I hate being an employer, too. We have a chimney sweep who does our stacks every year, need it or not. He desperately needs work & I never argue with what he charges. Oh well. I guess I don't want that job for myself.
ReplyDeleteYou are far ahead of us with your springtime.
I take it there was no one else to interview? I would not have hired him if he said he was already complaining about a bad back unless there was not another soul to be had. You may have put yourself in the position of being the employer who has to fire somebody. I have my fingers crossed but, to be honest, it doesn't sound promising.
ReplyDeleteOld 'Gardener' was a treasure wrapped in gold. I loved hearing your anecdotes - hope he's going on OK
ReplyDeleteI bargained with my guy who wanted much more than I wanted to pay. I told him the amount I would pay per hour which was much more than the minimum wage, and gave him regular hours each week. Everything went well until he and his wife moved back to new York near his parents. Now, I too must find someone to help us.
ReplyDeleteI do envy you the hellebores ! Such lovely flowers always .
ReplyDeleteI expect your new gardener will work well when he sees that you know how it should be done and are keeping an eye on things .
I would be unable to strike a deal with anyone to do work for me. Husband negotiates all day long, and does it completely as a reflex. When I have tried, I have felt entirely unequipped, as if the two of us were insulting each other back and forth to see who would cry first.
ReplyDeleteAwful.
That's why, if I didn't have Husband, I wouldn't even bother putting anything in the ground. I can't do it all myself and I wouldn't be able to hire anyone to help.
I wish for buds when the snow melts, but I know I'll only see brown grass.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to read that Gardener will not be back. I know you liked and cared about him very much and I enjoyed your posts about him.
ReplyDeleteWe, who are fortunate, get old and tasks that we once did with gusto, now become chores that are too much for us to handle. I started to hire help last year, and even though I was at first upset about giving up something I loved, I was very grateful that the work got done and I wasn't in any pain.
The snow covers my garden till now. But when it melts I will take a rake and do the garden work on my own. John has to work out the money you pay.
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky to have an 18 year old grandson who is willing to help me when needed.
ReplyDeleteI took a similar walk, looking for signs of spring only to find that deer had nibbled my hellebores almost out of existence. (Grumble.)
ReplyDeleteI'd have trouble with that, too.
ReplyDeleteI planted a bunch of hellebores this summer but don't expect to see blooms until next winter.
Thank you Friko for these lovely spring greetings from your garden! Noch keine Schneegloeckchen? :-)
ReplyDeleteA few bulbs surfacing at this time
ReplyDeletebut soon Spring will happen.
Well aware that from now on
some help will be needed but will do all I can.
Your last line
speaks to me
after another sleepless and aching night :)
Well, as someone who works at manual labor, and as a contractor as well, this has been a most interesting read. I suppose I count as skilled rather than unskilled labor, but still - believe me when I tell you that the discussions of price and managing expectations can be as difficult for the worker as the employer. And, as I've aged, I've had to trim back the jobs I'll accept. No more vanishing mast from a bos'n chair, no more working from a floating dock, no more balancing on rails, working above my head with power tools!
ReplyDeleteI know there are people who "cheat" in my profession. The most common scam is what we call short-coating -- telling someone you'll put on eight coats of varnish, but only applying five, with no reduction in price, of course. But mostly, people give an honest day's work for a fair price. It seems the scoundrels don't last all that long. ;-)
Ugh. I hate such situations, when everyone's caught between needs and wants--and there's the sense of "not quite fully honest" in the air. Either it gets called out, and things might escalate, or someone capitulates and feels, as you did, the fool. Makes me understand why people prefer their pets over other human beings.
ReplyDeleteI wish I lived there. I'd come over and give you a few good hours of my back bent to shovel, at no cost!
Ugh. I hate such situations, when everyone's caught between needs and wants--and there's the sense of "not quite fully honest" in the air. Either it gets called out, and things might escalate, or someone capitulates and feels, as you did, the fool. Makes me understand why people prefer their pets over other human beings.
ReplyDeleteI wish I lived there. I'd come over and give you a few good hours of my back bent to shovel, at no cost!
I am not cut out to be an employer either. A gardener should have a strong back or find other work. I find I have the same frustration over hiring a housekeeper. I usually just give up on working with them and paying the wages they demand and try to keep up the house myself. I would not be able to keep up your garden though. You have a big place to maintain. It is so lovely though, and such a comfort to you, so I guess you pay the price. It is always restorative to see the early signs of spring.
ReplyDeleteHi Friko - I hope you keep Jon to it .. good luck - still at least someone's around to help - and your garden is lovely so it needs some care .. and with you overlooking its needs I sure hope Jon and Paul do their bit ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDelete