The New Gardener.

 Week one done!

Those who know me are quite aware that gardening isn't my hobby of choice and if nothing else, the smorgasbord of weeds in our garden bear proof of this. Never mind, Rome wasn't built in a day either.

Last week I got started on cutting back our hedge that faces the road. A long hedge, at least a hundred meters long and wild and woolly. No more. Each day I used the last two hours of the crisp mornings ( from 7-9 ) and cut this hedge. By hand with secateurs. Great workout, great individualism for the hedge. Granted, the bits I started with are a tad bit more tidy than those I ended with, but after a good hour of using the various tools to sort out hedges as well as many trips with the wheel barrow to discard of the cuttings, it isn't a surprise.

So, today was the last section and the most difficult. There were big chunky twigs slightly resembling branches that needed to be cut out. Cut out I did, and there are now some sections in our hedge where a football could quite easily fly through. Can't be helped and within a few days leaves will have covered the odd handmade gaps.

The last bit borders onto our new neighbours ( well they moved in about two years ago but are very aloof and often ignore Bob's greeting from our side of the garden ) and I could feel beady eyes watching me through the open window daring me to go a step beyond what looks nice! Why she couldn't come out and say hi, is one of those mysteries but then again, it helped me to sculpt a bit more than needed from her view. See how she likes that! I know, slightly petty but then, after two hours of slogging it out, I couldn't really care. Anyway, it does look okay and much more authentic than all those uniform hedges around which have been seen to by electric sheers. The boring uniform hedge look...

As much as I tend to grumble, I did enjoy these last few days of gardening and felt a sense of achievement. A few other neighbours stopped and talked to me during this week, praising my effort which felt nice but I had to reign in their enthusiastic praise;

            " Thanks, but I might not do a lot more in our garden for ages,

               or I might get stuck in and carry on. Only time will tell. "

Biggi