Kate Gardening - Great grandmother
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll.
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll.
A love of gardening runs in the family, the above photograph is of my great-grandmother (on Mum's side), and it certainly continued down the maternal line - my Mum was a very accomplished gardener, she spent all her spare time in her (and other people's) garden.
Enthusiasm and skill in DIY also runs in the family, down my Dad's side (although my Mum was an excellent decorator and could certainly turn her hand to most other small jobs). Dad over the years renovated a succession of houses, and even built various buildings (included garages, sheds, extensions and conserviatories) - some of which are still standing!
So, I'm beginning to think that the gardening/DIY genes got lost somewhere along the way (Gee isn't a gardener either, in fact I'm sure she's been known to kill plastic plants!). I bought my house three years ago this summer, and although it outwardly didn't appear to need much work, closer inspection revealed some DIY/gardening nightmares by the previous owners - at some point something would have to be done.
But I've put the work off, lots of excuses, mainly to do with having the time or money. However, I'd say that one of the main reasons for not doing anything is that I don't know what I want, or if I do I don't know how to get there! Redecorating the house and redesigining the garden require me to make decisions on how I'd like them to look when they are finished - and I really don't know (and keep changing my mind!).
This weekend I started clearing the front garden - it's a bloody mess, and to be honest I felt that having a clean slate might help me decide what to do with it. Being terraced doesn't help, naturally anything that is put 'on' the garden ends up at the bottom - and the previous owners had laid membrane and then pebbles and woodbark. As I cleared the weeds I discovered that they'd been growing mainly on top of the membrane, with the exception of a few which had really managed to get through the material.
Taking up the weeds, soil, pebbles and woodbark was a nightmare, but further delights awaited me underneath - fuck off great holes in the garden filled with any old bits of rock, brick and paving slabs!! I gave up in dispair! So, yet another half finished project, in fact I'm not even sure it's half cleared - more like a tenth of what needs doing!
John has said that he'll help me do it when he's finished building his brewing cupboard (more on that in a later blog entry!).
Mum and Dad would be appalled, of course if Mum and Dad were still around they'd be helping!. Mum would not have been able to contain herself at the thought of designing and landscaping my gardens, and I know that both would have enjoyed coming up and helping me decorate.
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