Before And After: From Unidentified Fir Bed To Cryptomeria Bed

This morning we continued planting up the Cryptomeria Bed. Once again, this proved more difficult than anticipated. Jackie came across more vinca roots growing between the border rocks, and had to get down on her kneeler to dig them out. My task was to bore holes for the shrubs that needed deeper soil. I invariably came across more slabs of constituted rock. With a view to her stepping stones, The Head Gardener’s  eyes glinted when she spotted ‘a good one’.

Rock

This one had to be prised from under a tree root.

Jackie watering Cryptomeria Bed 1Jackie watering Cryptomeria Bed 2Cryptomeria Bed planting 1Cryptomeria planting 2Cryptomeria Bed planting 3

Jackie completed the job this afternoon while I watched the Rugby World Cup on TV.

I also spent quite a time researching earlier photographs for the before and after collection.

View from decking

This view from Fiveways shows the full bed on 23rd July 2014. It equates roughly to the first bed image above, featuring Jackie and a watering can.

House through fir

That of the house, from a similar point to the fourth, demonstrates the overgrown nature of the area on 14th August the same year. We do trust, however, that, next spring, there will be more to peer through.

The afternoon matches I watched were between Scotland and Samoa, and between Wales and Australia. Both were superb; the first the more entertaining, the second admirably fought out.

We then dined on Jackie’s superb chicken in black bean sauce; sweet and sour chicken; and special rice with chopped pork. She drank Hoegaarden and I finished the pinotage.

I then watched England’s rugby match against Uruguay, which was somewhat painful to witness.

25 comments

  1. I’m still fascinated with the changes – what a difference. You must have hoofed it Derrick to catch Jackie in what appears to be the same position from different views – now the challenge is on to capture her thusly one year hence!! 🙂

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  2. ‘Jackie completed the job while I watched the rugby on TV’ reminded me of Spike Milligan’s story where he and his father sat in the kitchen watching through the window as his mother dug out their air raid shelter.

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  6. Wow! All of the hard work in the garden has paid off. It is so beautiful and it is nice to have a view to the house. What a lovely place. I enjoy gardens, but I must admit I don’t like the dirt and the bugs very much, so I don’t garden. I just appreciate someone else’s hard work.

    I don’t know a thing about rugby, other than another blogger tells me the crowds can be unruly. Sounds like a great way to spend the day.

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    2. “It is clear that one is a gentleman’s game played by hooligans; the other a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen.”

      Chancellor of Cambridge University, date unknown (c.1890s)

      And that is all I know about Rugby! I am not saying which is which!

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      1. Hi Jackie! First, I am a huge fan of quotes. This one from the former Chancellor made me laugh! And so did you! Thank you for that. It is a good way to begin my morning. Second, it is very nice to meet you – in that online sort of way. Your garden is beautiful and you also sound like a very good cook. I’ve read many of your menus. I won’t be showing them to my husband for fear he might want me to try to cook something besides roasted chicken or spaghetti 😊

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          1. You do. She was Jackie Knight in 1968. Unfortunately not permanently. We have been back together for the last six years and not yet got around to rectifying the situation.

  7. Your garden is a very challenging project with Vincent roots and rocks, too. It looks amazing, Derrick (and Jackie) with every color of the rainbow demonstrated. Your drilling holes also is a hard job. Hope the rugby game relaxed you and happy to hear of another meal I enjoy: 2 chicken dishes and a pork one. You fine like a King, she sounds like a mighty fine cook. 🙂

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