Living Life In The Fast Lane

You may have wondered why we haven't posted any blogs in the last month, the answer is we just haven't had the time or have been too exhausted to write. Even the restorative glass of wine has not worked it's usual miracle.

May is the busiest month for the Open Garden association. It started early this year with a new garden opening on 5th May and then three more last weekend plus ours on the Sunday. Apart from a supportive role as Department coordinators we have to arrange publicity in the local Press and on Social Media. On the 19th we spent the day at a local big plant fair advertising the association and getting frozen!!

Although our lives have predominantly been arranged around gardens we have been nipping off to other events to support things our friends were involved in. On 3rd we went to a soirée at a local chateau to listen to a folk duo who wrote their own (very poetic) songs. It was very atmospheric with the enormous fire burning in the grand hall. The chateau has been being restored from a virtual ruin for several years by Peyrille expat community. They are to be congratulated as it is now a useable community space although there remains much left to do. On the 10th we went to the opening of an art exhibition by one of the artists who helped us last year when we put on our little exhibition here.

On 17th we were involved in arranging a visit for our garden club to a garden "remarquable" in the Aveyron Gorge. Thanks to TripAdvisor we found a lovely restaurant on the river for lunch before visiting the garden. Unfortunately the weather was atrocious but hardy gardeners do not let a monsoon interfere with their passion. Furthermore the month has been peppered with "medical appointments" for us both ranging from artificial eye polishing to scans.

You may recall that we have become involved in the group set up to add more flowers to the village. I have grown a lot of seeds to put in the tubs which the Marie have supplied. The 20th was the designated planting day and everyone arrived to give a hand.

It was also the day that it came home to me that I am a control freak! At the committee meeting it was agreed that the design I put forward should be adopted, except on the day it became a free for all "bung it in where you like". As is the way we adjourned to the leaders house for aperos and to arrange the watering schedule. The next day we moved on to another members house to consider what shrubs should be planted in another bed. Another excuse for more aperos! By this time I became more stressed as we were scheduled to open our garden on 26th and it was far from ready. Particularly as we had had our usual visit from the badger who was sure there was a feast in the beds which border the pairie.

Before the first open day we needed to build and plant the "Exotic Bed", one of this years new ideas. On the 9th we took delivery of 3 tonnes of sand which John needed to spread before we planted.

I had been cosseting bananas and cannas in the house over winter plus amassing various special plants, like red sugar cane from local suppliers. We began our planting on 22nd and applied the final touches on 23rd (as per Chelsea). 

All went well until the sun came out and my plants which I thought I had hardened off became burnt. As ever "hope springs eternal" and it should look "exotic" by August!!