It's Not All Bad News Week

It's not been all bad news this week. It started out rather gloomy. Our gardener , trusty Ted is retiring at the end of March. We have a fairly large garden. Working on it's a bit like the painting the Forth Bridge once you've been around weeded here and there, pruned, manicured and tidied then it's time to start once more at the beginning. It's on rising ground so is quite heavy work for someone with weak ankles. Ted helps out for 2 hours a week through rain and shine. He supplies the muscle. I point and request that an old conifer be removed and before I know it I have a lovely well dug, composted, clear plot of earth where I can plant up my latest acquisition, currently more hellebores.

We have known since the beginning of the year that Ted was retiring. However hard I tried I could not find anyone else willing to help out on a regular basis. Friends recently moved into an apartment and dismissed their regular gardener. I approached him but found he plans on retiring soon and is not taking on any new customers. Then last week I saw a young man working in a front garden. I asked if he would be interested. He came looked and agreed to fit us in. An ex nursery man he is young enough not to be thinking of retiring for a good few years yet. Now I know I still have muscle available I can get on with making plans for the changes I want to undertake this year.

So my 3 good things this week are:

1. I have a gardener to assist on the heavy work- until further notice. The camellias are in bloom and survived this week's ferocious winds
2. I won £100 on the Premium Bond - new plant money
3. Blue tits are nesting in a box that was put up 8 years ago and has never been used. It is sited so that we have a very good view from the house. It has already cheered MyMan to watch them fly to and fro with nesting material.