As I have only just got back from holiday I haven't had a chance to go out in the garden to see what has happened whilst I have been away so I thought I would add an article published by
Helen Dillon - On Gardening until I am able to check out what has changed over the past week.
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"The chief problem of gardening is one of application. How often does one set off with the firm intention, say, of watering the beans, only to be so distracted en route that you never get there? Well, there was the rose that needed deadheading, so you had to go back for the secateurs. Going to fetch the secateurs, you spot some seedlings crying out for water. Returning with the watering-can you pass petunias, in even more urgent need of water. Now you may as well deadhead them whilst you are about it. Now back in the deadheading mode, off again for the secateurs. But on the way to the shed you notice a hairy bittercress, loathsome weed, its seedheads just about to burst. Imagining all the valuable time it will save you to remove it then and there, straight away your mind is on weeds alone, all ideas of deadheading immediately vanishing. Beyond the bittercress is a miniature forest of meadow grass, so much of it that you need a bucket to collect it in. Off again to the shed for the bucket.
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As usual, all the buckets have migrated to the compost heap area. Typical. Something at last achieved, you collect a bucket. But on the way back to the meadow grass, horror of horrors, a delphinium is leaning over and just about to snap. Focusing forthwith on staking alone, you make a temporary prop for the delphinium with the bucket, and rush off for a stake and some string. Usually at this point the telephone rings, and everything gets fogotten.
Gardening and pottering are synonymous. Amazing how long you can spend doing nothing whatsoever. But although the nicest part of gardening is wandering round in a daze, wondering at the flowers and scents and colours, what you need to run a garden is plenty of work ethic. The only way to get some simple task (such as watering the beans) done, is to head for the beans with a can of water, looking neither to the right nor to the left. Look down at all times, and try not to notice any weeds in the path."
This could be describing me in my garden every day - although the odd job does get completed eventually. Elaine.
This post reminds me how behind everything seems round here - either behind or dead. Now we've had another burst of rain, I hope we'll have another burst of growth and greening (or, in the case of delphiniums - blueing!)
ReplyDeleteJust got back from my hols to find utter destruction in the garden - it looked lovely before we went - now everything has snapped off and is lying flat - due to the high winds. Not exactly typical June weather is it!
DeleteThat`s me and my wife to a T we often wander about together and then think why we came out to the garden in the first place
ReplyDeleteI reckon it is typical of most gardeners - I can certainly relate to it.
DeleteHello Elaine !!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and photos !!!
Hello - yes they are beautiful aren't they
DeleteHelen used to have a weekly gardening programme on Irish TV a few years ago. I wish they would bring it back...she is so entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI love her style of writing - very tongue in cheek - one of my favourite books for a good gardening read.
DeleteI think that we're all like that one way or another, I'm certainly one for pottering.
ReplyDeleteA delightful post and terrific pictures. Flighty xx
I've had so much to do in the garden since we got back from hols there has been no time for pottering - it has been full steam ahead.
DeleteI love that article, I'm exactly like that when I'm gardening too, as long as you get round to the job eventually its nice to potter sometimes!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a good holiday Elaine, there is always so much to do when you get home isn't there. Hope you have managed to sort out the plants after all this wild weather. I think I've been lucky where I am not the bad winds that other parts of the country have had. Hope all OK.
Luckily we had good weather this weekend so I was able to get lots of catch-up jobs done including staking those plants which had been blown down. Everything looked pretty perfect before we went away but the weeds definitely took advantage of our absence. Back to square one.
DeleteI had to chuckle, because this so describes me in the garden! I set out to do one thing, only to be distracted by another. So often I end up spending my time in the garden doing something completely different from the intention that sent me out in to the garden in the first place. I had begun to feel a bit embarrassed by my lack of focus, but now I see I am not alone! Hope you had a nice vacation Elaine!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer - yes I had a lovely vacation - back to reality now though and our horrible weather. This article struck a chord with me too - it is so easy to get distracted when there are so many jobs to tackle in the garden - I prefer to call it 'pottering about' then it doesn't sound so bad.
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