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Garden Joltings

© Gay Klok

This is a miserable bulletin from the country garden. It has rained nonstop for five days in a row and with the garden open next weekend. That is very mean of one of the garden gods, Saint Erth [I don't joke], he is not looking after our interests. I have a head cold [caught from grandchildren, the only downer with socialising with the darling things] and it is rapidly turning into bronchitis because I tried, despite the downpour, to make an impression on the galloping weeds. My Suite101 article is due, so I am conflicting you with my woes.

Probably by the time you read this, the sun will be shining and a good fairy will have picked off the ruined flowers on the Rhododendrons and all will be fine in the gardening world. I was so miserable yesterday with a constantly running nose and the rain even getting through my waterproof jacket, I gave up working in the garden and read a book my son had just given me. The book is "The Quotable Gardener" by Kathy Ishizuka and instead of moaning to you, I thought I may quote a few of the writings and give my thoughts and hope you may give your reactions.

"My Summer in a Garden" - Charles Dudley Warner, 1870

"The principle value of a private garden is not to give the possessor vegetables and fruit , that can be better and cheaper done by market-gardeners,"

[My words: I hope our visitors will believe this, you should see our vegetable gardens. Well, you can't really see the gardens, only the weeds because they are so tall and vigorous. At least there are some "bird presents" amongst the weeds, Opium poppies]

Quote continued: "but to teach him patience [My words: It is hard to keep patience with the weather] and philosophy, and the higher virtues, hope deferred and expectations blighted, [My words: Too b*****y right] leading directly to resignation, and sometimes to alienation [My words: That's going a bit far].

Quote continued "The garden thus becomes a moral agent, a test of character, as it was in the beginning." [ My words: Well I guess I am immoral this week. And the last Open Day weekend. I mean to say, it poured the whole weekend and we had gales, hale stones and sleet to add to my test of character]

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