We've gone potty!

 The Head Gardener has felt for some time that, now we have a Cypress Walk, it really needed 'something' ... a statement at the end of it.

 So today was 'making a statement' day ...

... with a big pot.

We had a man from the garden centre help us get it in to the car, but at home us two silly old people struggled a little to get it out!  However ...

... even the Under Gardener has to admit that it makes just the right statement !!!!

The Garden

 OK so it's not a very original title but basically it is our source of delight, opportunity to indulge our artistic side, means of enjoying nature and John would say a never ending drain on our bank balance. All this whilst we wait for our vaccination which all being well will be this afternoon. However we were 2 hours away from receiving it last week and the President pulled the plug so we are not counting our poulets!!

Actually as Spring is the busiest time in the garden, Covid or not, we would be flat out gardening. We have put added pressure on ourselves this year by foregoing opening for one day in favour of saying that anyone can visit from April to October whenever we are at home. Of course we have had to put into place special arrangements but we don't expect hoards.

 As you know we planted a lot of bulbs last Autumn and if this hot weather continues for the next week we should have a good display of tulips by Easter.

These are narcissus thallia and grape hyacinths.

Psst......speaking very quietly, we have a lot of small allium leaves in the Prairie beds (may be not 3600) but it is a sign of hope. Notice that I don't mention flowers, one step at a time.

John has finished covering the new shrubbery with geotextile and we are awaiting a free lorry load of chippings to be delivered courtesy of the commune. So far the netting has deterred the dear but we will have to remove it soon.

Progress in the garden continues apace.

It's Here!

 -3 deg C in the morning and a frost ... then about 20 deg C at lunchtime !

Sunday was the equinox and Spring is definitely here.

The Peasants

 Apparently we are known (fondly we hope) in the family as the Peasants. Well this picture of John which appeared in the local paper confirms that nomenclature. All he needs is a piece of string round his waist to hold up his trousers to complete the picture!

Monsieur Bouyé has a lot to answer for!!

Thinking that a friend in the village would be interested in the history of our hamlet and the associated social history of past inhabitants John gave Michel a copy of his book entitled "Monsieur Bouyé's Dialogues". However he did not anticipate that Michel would be keen to write a piece about him in the local paper. Michel is so nice and particularly helpful when we want to advertise the Open Garden that there is no way that John could refuse  to cooperate.

I always think of John as my Renaissance Man, poet, artist, writer, photographer but I think adding landscape gardener....is going a bit far.