An important landmark passed almost un-noticed in the GROW HQ garden last week, the last of the major landscaping jobs was completed, the herb garden was planted. We pretty much have the bones of the garden complete, and much of the muscle as well. Things will obviously grow, fill out and start to look like a mature garden but the garden will largely do this on its own. The role of the garden team becomes that of a maintenance crew, in many ways less dramatic and exiting but also rewarding to see how the product of our labours becomes a garden. Our relationship with the garden has come to the end of the whirlwind romance phase and if we are not careful it could be approaching the strolling round IKEA phase. I’ve successfully avoided ever going around IKEA and intend to avoid a similar fate in the garden. For me, possibly due to a declining short-term memory, the annual cycle of germination, blossoming, harvesting and the mid-winter break before starting afresh provides enough excitement, however, maybe I’m just easily excited.
In order to keep the GROW HQ garden entertaining for visitors I have decided that I need to find out what sort of things non-gardeners find interesting and exciting and did some research. I came across a strange, but apparently hugely popular, programme on T.V. , where what appeared to be young perma-tanned clones ambled round a villa in Spain and kept jumping into bed with each other and never seem to mention going around IKEA – could this be a way of providing interest in the garden? I had no idea that genetic modification technology had reached this level as, in many ways they appeared to function as normal human beings, though the lack of body hair or functioning brain-cells were a clue to their laboratory origin. Possibly buying a few of them to stroll around the garden in this long hot summer would provide interest for our guests? Though as genetically modified organisms are not permitted in organic gardens this might pose problems with our organic inspection.
Though looking up from my computer screen at a restaurant and garden full of people eating, strolling and apparently enjoying themselves I think I’m possibly worrying too much. It seems that there are plenty of people out there who enjoy the simple pleasures of looking at the flowers and bees and eating great food. This week we have also had the first of our children’s summer camps and it’s been lovely sharing the garden with them, they seem as excited about sowing seeds and eating the products of our labours as I was at that age – and still am- Maybe people haven’t got any more complicated after all. But it still begs the question who on earth is watching “Love Island”.
I concur, with everything you say, Richard!! Who is watching Love Island!!!!!!!!!!!!!