Other People's Gardens - June 2018

I haven't had too much work in other people's gardens so far this year - I was too busy trying to get college out of the way.   I have three regular customers but need to do something to drum up a bit more business - but this weather isn't helping.  Because it's so hot and so dry, none of us are doing very much - it all seems a bit pointless to be honest!   Even my own garden is going to seed - although I have it in mind to get out there and soak the lot with the hosepipe once it cools down this evening.

Strictly speaking, this rose shouldn't be included in this post as it doesn't belong in any garden I've ever worked in.  It belongs to an old boy I've struck up a friendship with on my road - he has a lovely Golden Retriever, Bonnie, and she's five now but I've been making a fuss of her as she passes me ever since she was a puppy.  One evening while walking home, Bonnie's dad (who is in his 80s!) was working in his garden when he spotted me nose deep in this beautiful rose bush so he promptly cut one for me to take home - the fragrance was beautiful!

This was my plot at college as we were hurtling towards the end of term - I was among the few who managed to get any beans from their plants, more luck than anything.

This hedge has fascinated me for months.   While at college, I used my lunch break each week to study while sitting in my car and this hedge was used as a screen in the car parks.  I can't say for sure but I think it's Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea' - a deciduous hedging shrub but which keeps its leaves on despite them being dead and gives it a beautiful copper colour in the autumn/ winter before springing back into colour again in late spring.  I love it.

And this was the last day of college - so sad, but I'm sure we'll keep in touch - we've already been planning garden visits so I hope they continue.

In the afternoon of the last day, we were allowed to clear the greenhouses of plants as they needed the glasshouses empty for a deep clean.  These were a fraction of the ones I picked up!

And these are just a few photos of the garden I went to work on, immediately after I finished at college on my last day.  I'm glad I had something practical to do, so I wouldn't mope about my studies having finished.