Getting there

Bob has prompted me to let everyone know that I am still in the land of the living and on Monday the cause of my pain and distress over the last two weeks will be removed! After that I hope that all will settle down and be well. Needless to say, the upset has thrown out all my planning and work schedules as I didn't really feel like doing very much and I have not really been near the garden.

On a bright note a friend recently bought me The Unknown Gertrude Jekyll for my birthday. What a lovely book. It is a collection of her articles which has been brought together under one book cover for the first time. Her writing style is rather like a friend talking to you about your garden and filling you with all kinds of ideas and enthusiasms. The garden advice is sensible and straightforward and she maintains your interest. We have many good garden writers today who can enthuse us to go on and do even better things in our gardens but for me writers such as Gertrude Jekyll and the late great Christopher Lloyd will always have my rapt attention and a special place on my bookshelf. The Unknown Gertrude Jekyll is by Martin Wood.

The weather in Cumbria at the moment is very mild and rather pleasant in fact after the recent storms so hopefully after Monday, if it continues, I might feel more like getting down to the weeding which I know wants doing.