Finally, after months of hiding under jumpers, arms are out because the sun’s come back. How long for – who’s to say? Perhaps, if there’s no Number One about ‘my umb-er-ella’ this year, we might be in for fewer floods and a brighter time. But for now, sunny days are here and they’ve sparked a new love affair, with my garden.
Gardening’s always felt rather daunting. I don’t like worms, would rather do anything than weed and, garden centres (without any knowledge about soil type or garden design) have never appealed. There’s something about garden centres; they’re like a secret club, for people who know about garden things. All I know about gardening is that I like pretty things, and don’t have the time, or inclination, to learn how to use a hoe or thin out seedlings. Is that such a crime?
However, this year has brought about a gardening revolution. Since discovering the joys of shopping online and container gardening, I’ve created a perfect garden paradise.
Finally, my garden resembles the cross between an English country garden and a Mediterranean paradise that I’ve always yearned for. Not such a peculiar combination as it might sound, you see when everything is planted in containers, garden design, in my opinion, can go out of the window. Herbs, geraniums, roses, tomatoes – all neatly potted. And the great thing is that at any point I can rearrange the pots and create a new look; perfect for someone as impulsive and indecisive as me. Even more satisfying, is that the only maintenance needed is to water the pots everyday. Even I can manage that.
The watering is easier since I named the plants; standing proud in their pots each has a distinct identity. I’d almost swear that the roses (Marilyn, Audrey, Shirley, Angela and Kylie) sigh with joy during their evening soak. Perhaps it’s just me. But any which way you look at it, container gardening wins – no weeding, no worms and you can take them with you if you ever move.
The plan nearly fell apart though. Without a car, I cursed all out of town gardening centres. Even if I managed to reach them on my trusty bicycle, what chance did I ever have of fitting huge glazed pots and 75 lbs bags of compost into my wicker bike basket? Then it occurred to me that since you can buy just about everything online these days, perhaps, just maybe I could get pots, plants and compost there too? Bingo! Not only did I find ‘practical’ things, but also seemingly infinite choices of colour for watering cans, seats and parasols. The bigger joy is that it arrives without any effort or lifting required and without any need to deal with those people who know.
The only slight problem is that, now the garden is such a paradise, I don’t really want to go anywhere else. I’ve got round this by ordering a barbeque and groceries online too. So, my garden functions as my kitchen and lounge. Perfect. Unless, of course, it rains…
About the Author
Sarah Maple used http://www.dealtime.co.uk and http://uk.shopping.com/xDN-garden to find the best prices for everything she needs in her home & garden.
