We were wondering yesterday how to manage walking round the garden and simply enjoying it rather than noticing all the things which are wrong and the things which need doing. (See here!) We agreed that generally, major disasters excepted, it depends on us. It depends what we bring, how we feel, what we pay attention to.
And that we notice quite different things. One of us being far more likely to see the bad, perhaps. (As in – oh, look at the cyclamen! – subtext – so many have actually survived! Response: What happened? Where’ve they all gone? )
Charles is the path person, so he glumly notices the moss, which he hates – and it does make the paths slippery, however attractive it can be. I’m the plant person, so notice what is looking miserable and as if it could do with some real rain. Charles notices the box blight and understandably feels devastated once again. I see that the vetch is getting a grip on one of the ornamental grasses again and makes it look a mess. And will be a bugger to remove. I see a sneaky bit of bindweed. Charles sees the empty space under the roses. (kept empty until I have slaughtered ALL that bindweed. See bindweed thoughts..) And so on. And on.
I remembered how, recently, we’d been cutting down and removing a great deal of excess shrub growth from the drive border, and indeed, some self sown shrubs which had sneaked in and got huge. Without, interestingly enough, either of us noticing. One favourite (oh, yes??) shrub had a great big shrub practically smothering it. So how come we weren’t even looking? Our looking is clearly very selective.
We may perhaps have the dreaded looking down syndrome: the tendency to walk round a garden never looking up. That helps you to miss seeing a shrub being galumphed all over by an unwanted menace.
Clearly we need to begin to discipline our approach to garden walking. And I think it may be possible. It can begin with a focus and a focus can be created by having the right thing in your hand. If you go out with a pair of secateurs in your pocket you’ll begin to notice deadheading and cutting back possibilities, because you can do them. (without traipsing back to the house, which creates instant oblivion because you see something else needing attention on the way).
A pair of loppers in hand can help you look up, to see what branches you could have a chop at, and you might even clear the side of the path instead of shoving past the branches that are sticking out in your way.
Having your phone in hand might remind you to do a bit of Instagramming for the benefit of the relentless need for publicity.
A whippy cane can have you swiping the bracken in a satisfying way.
And, of course, a Pimms in hand might just help you see the roses.
News report: we have just had 2 millimetres of rain. I always wondered what use millimetres were and now I know. They tell you that the measured amount is not worth having.
that is why I reserve garden walking for other peoples gardens. If I spot I job I can rejoice that while I have spotted a problem, I am not obliged to deal with it. Now the knotty problem…should one mention it?
Pointing it out directly…”you’ve got nettles in that border”…might fetch you a slap or at least the retort…”we know”…
Indirect sniping is also not nice…but safer. ”Turn your back for a minute and nature takes over, eh?”…”yeah, bloody nettles in that border, must get in there”…
Just don’t say ”oh, you’ve got your work cut out here, it’s like painting the Forth Road Bridge, it’s never ending”…we hate that.
1)…we know…
2) the Forth Road Bridge was painted for 10 years with a special triple layered epoxy paint and completed in 2011 and will only need the odd touch up and the main deck painting during the next 15 years
Sweetie, it’s fine if you leave all the fault finding at Veddw to me – I’m an expert at it. You are pretty good at the appreciation that helps keep us going! Xxx
“Chin up!” has a double meaning here I think. So sorry about the blight. Putting in a thuja hedge when I really want box, just to save sadness in an unspecified amount of years.
Pimms always helps you see the roses – time for a midafternoon one right now I think. xo Marianne
You are wise – hope the thuja works out. We are going for gradual replacement with osmanthus. I shall drink to overseas companionship and toast you with my next Pimms! Xxx
Ok, we all see things differently. But my memory of your garden is always coming in from the car park and being a bit floored by the view over the top. Yes, one can’t help but look at and enjoy and criticise the detail but my particular joy in your garden is the way In which you have curated and sculpted the landscape. It’s not about detail for me. Lots of gardens, mine included, have gorgeous moments but lack the overall floor-inducing wow. Box blight is hard but there are worse things to look at than bindweed. X
You know, I often wish I could visit the garden as you do – fresh and focused on the over view, with no responsibility for the detail. The nearest I ever get is just sometimes if I’ve been away. But that is the price we pay for managing our gardens, isn’t it?
More thoughts I can SO relate to. Secateurs: almost essential. Should I perambulate with my small glyphosate sprayer and daisy-grubber too, for all the pesky dandelions and docks I’ll otherwise forget about? Won’t leave a free hand for the wine glass though.
You think you have the positives/negatives bad: knowing the havoc that a single hairy bittercress can wreak I find myself weeding NT and RHS gardens for them, instead of merely beholding the beauty.
That IS obsessional. I hope NT and RHS are grateful to you!
I used to walk around with secateurs and loppers in hand. Now I prefer a glass of wine. Wisdom with age or laziness? Who cares.
Well, it is one or the other really….
Isn’t that the truth, looking but not seeing. And then that start of amazement when you do actually see the offending whatever! I think it depends on the type of looking you’re doing at the time – cruisey with the Pimms, or more business like. Both are essential but the former is often more enjoyable.
But that is because my garden isn’t up for scrutiny. I love visiting any garden and knowing the effort and anguish that goes into creating any sort of space, while I might see things that don’t make me fizz, that’s actually of no consequence. It’s not my space.
Really hope you are able to relinquish the responsibility of Thinking Gardens Anne. And selfishly, really hope Veddw remains open. We live on Shetland Island but am determined to get to your place. Warmest wishes, Jane
Thank you for this, Jane. And I think I am going to relinquish thinkingardens. The garden openings we are thinking about. The enforced closure (virus) has brought home to me what a Joy it is to have it to ourselves and not have to gear up for visitors. Yet I can’t imagine shutting the gate entirely. So – watch this website and we’ll let you know what we conclude.
Shetland, eh? That must be a challenge!?
Xxxx