These Boots Are Made for...Gardening

I have never considered myself to be any good at gardening. Relations gave us a spade and fork as wedding gifts "But we have no garden, we live in a flat" I said- and was assured that one day I would need them. Over the years I have attempted to grow things - but with very little success. But in the past couple of years, two things have encouraged me to try again - firstly the triumph of the orchids [oh I do hope I can keep them going without Jenny my orchid-tutor on hand to advise] and the arrival of the compost bin.

Back in February I made a brief trip up to Cornerstones, to provide Grandparental Support. It was that week when it was very windy and snowy. When I looked out into the garden, I noticed a compost bin. I put on my wellies and went out to check - it was clearly brand new. I rang my brother. "You said you'd left our Christmas presents here - I found the giftwrapped parcels- but did you leave us a compost bin too?" He denied all knowledge - and agreed it would be an unlikely gift.

Perhaps it had blown over the fence? I checked with all the neighbours- nobody had lost one. The council had been selling them for £10  - perhaps this one was delivered to the wrong house? But nobody has come to claim it- so I have started filling it up.

At Cornerstones, we have lots of grass- but very little by way of flowerbeds. The fig and bay trees are in their pots, and there's a honeysuckle growing over the fence which hides the oil tank. Along the front of the property is a narrow bed, where I planted lavender, rosemary and sage. These were fairly easy going and coped with our prolonged absences. To the side we planted an apple and a pear tree- and now an almond tree.

I can tell you now, the spade and fork have had more use in the past week than in the previous forty years. I'm determined to get the hang of gardening. In the past there have always been lessons to prepare, youth activities to organise, committee meetings to attend. But I am retired now...

A hundred years ago the artist William Nicholson went to paint Gertrude Jekyll the garden designer. She was too busy to sit for her. So he painted her gardening boots. I saw this picture in the Tate years ago, and was fascinated by it. I have been doing my gardening in a pair of 'desert boots' which originally belonged to Steph [I think] and they must be nearly twenty years old now! I am not posting any pictures of my gardening progress yet, but here are the boots [hers and mine]