On The Bright Side

The last few posts have been a bit gloomy I know, it's how I felt, and still feel at times, but life must go on as normally as possible. The MRI scan is due in about three weeks, so they can check for a tumour, and as long as I don't have another dose of the shakes in the next six months, then at least epilepsy can be ruled out.

It's Sunday morning, 11.30am, and the sun is warm and bright as we both take a sofa each and share a copy of the Sunday Times. I have a load of green bottles sterilising in the kitchen, in readiness for bottling the latest couple of gallons of Elderberry wine that's ready. There's still loads of colour in the garden, this Canna being particularly stunning at the moment. I think we shall head out and start pruning and clearing in readiness for our great big shed arriving in a couple of weeks. For now though, the sofas are good, and the tea is on tap.

At various times during the life of Four Seasons, we get contacted out of the blue for specific requests. We have only gained more work through reputation and word of mouth, and as such new faces crop up all of the time. We had a phone call from a guy called Martin last week, asking if we could come over to his place in the prestigious Canford Cliffs and give some advice regarding his pots.

The entrance stood out from others as very new and modern, and we could hear some building work going on at the end of the drive. The van was left on the road, as more often than not space is limited when builders are around, and we strolled along the drive. We were faced at the end by three very large new houses, two were having some additional modifications added by the new owners, but the first, belonging as it turned out to Martin, was complete, and stunning, and huge, and tiered like a wedding cake, with views over Poole Harbour etc etc. You get my drift? All three houses had only just been built, bought and occupied by their owners

The entrance buzzer was pressed, and we announced that we had come to discuss the garden. The large electronic gates slid sideways, and on entering the grounds, they quickly closed behind us. We were trapped.

The rear garden that we were standing on, discussing requirements, was sitting on a vast slab of concrete that extended out over a steep slope covered in pine trees. A very large, and very old Crab Apple tree grew up and was allowed to continue growing through the slab, adding to the unusual layout of this rather special garden. We were excited, as none of the properties have a gardener at this point, and we chatted with Martin about just what effect he was after. 

With it being very modern, and rather minimalist, with vast areas of balconies, decking and 'infinity garden', it was decided that various combinations and clusters of specialist tubs, pots and planters would be the most appropriate, and we were given an ongoing open budget to deck the property out like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (in a minimalist way of course), and to maintain and re-stock as necessary over the coming years. Are we excited......oh yes!

The added hope is that the owners of the other two properties see our work and ask us to take a look at their own gardens. We were so excited, that we forgot to take photos, but hopefully we will next week

The Parthenocissus covering our house.

Have a good week.