Although much better than I had been a couple of days ago, I was pretty washed out today, and spent much of it on the sofa.
Having, in the interests of producing something half-way reasonable, deferred setting out on this post until 6.00 p.m., I was unable to Access WordPress. I am not normally asked for my password, but this time I was. It was rejected. I was invited to choose another. I needed to enter a code that would be sent to me. I patiently waited for one. I received an e-mail containing a blue box saying Reset Password. I clicked on it. I got no further until I realised that my mobile phone in another room was receiving texts. Sure enough they had sent me a text. There were now two messages, each with a different number. I tried one. It didn’t work. So I tried the other one. That did. I put my usual password in. I was told I couldn’t use it because I had done so recently. I invented a new one. That worked.
As if my head wasn’t muzzy enough already.
Anyway, here goes with the next section of The Downton Garden story.
Apart from the removal of much of the encroaching ivy and lonicera, the front garden had very much played second fiddle to the back until February 2015.
This is what it looked like on the morning of 24th February;
and later in the day.
Although there were edging stones lining the bed outside the front of the house, there was no defined path on the other side. Everything was mixture of gravel and soil.
By 11th March, I had marked out an acceptable curve;
and a couple of days later, after a bit more forestry on our left hand side,
foraged around the back garden for suitable stone with which to line it.
This, however, did not lead anywhere accessible. To the right of this photograph, taken on 26th June 2014, is a trellis, one of three which had been used to block the side gate, that appeared to be firmly fixed.
By the time we decided to build a cold frame to place around the side of the house, The blockage had to go. Aaron, on 13th September 2015, freed the gate. The post, of course, was the usual ramshackle affair, and our friend had to set another one. The frame was in situ on 27th, and three days later I had widened the narrow gravel path.
Jackie has completed planting in this garden, but I haven’t been outside to photograph it. Perhaps I will do so tomorrow.
This evening we dined on fish and chips. Jackie also had gherkins. My portion was not very large.
I really don’t know how the two of you do it – most impressive again! I can tell you are feeling better Derrick, this post is longer and you are eating your dinner, even if only small portions. When the beverage gets a mention I’ll know all is tickety-boo once more 🙂
Thank you, Pauline. You will 🙂
Nothing wrong with you if you are eating F&C. Remodelling your garden is certainly not for the faint hearted. I hate to admit it but my ‘after’ photos looks more like your ‘before’ photos 🙂
Thank you, Mary
Isn’t remembering passwords a pain? I have mine all written down in a document called If I Get Hit By a Bus. Occasionally I have to check it myself! I think your garden must be incredibly satisfying. And the things you have to deal with are the things one person does for expediency and another thinks “Let’s do that right.” It’s interesting all the oddities you’ve come across. So glad you’re feeling well enough to eat!
Lisa, I love your document name! what a hoot… methinks I need something similar! 🙂
Many thanks, Lisa. Great title
Mind if I pinch that title and do likewise?! It would save so much faffing about should that eventuality arise and I’d know where to find all my passwords in the meantime. 🙂
Feel free! it’s remarkably useful.
I’m sorry you have been ailing and hope things greatly improve. Passwords: bah.
Many thanks, Cynthia. I think I’ll use hUmbUg next time.
I hope you are up an’ at’em again soon Derrick. The garden is a wonder! The transformations are just lovely. Keep well sir!
Many thanks, Danella
Derrick, I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I like the way your blog can be appreciated both by those of us who are completely ignorant of all gardening techniques, and by your often-expert fellow gardeners, who are delighted by the careful detail you provide. Although the practical significance of that detail invariably goes right over my head, it’s the very chronology of the garden as story, of the gardener as story-teller, the precision of labor, and the relationship between human and earth, that has given me a new appreciation for people draped in green water hose, lugging bags of soil through parking lots – I mean car parks.
Thank-you for that, Mr. Knight.
And thank-you for appreciating that my girl, Shirl and I didn’t know that we loved a slum.
PS I ate most of my young neice’s fish sticks tonight, as well as my own. However, she refused to share her Hostess Cupcakes. I finished the Bud Lite. (-:
FEEL BETTER SOON!
Many thanks, Claire Marie. Thoughtful and beautifully written comment, Glad you are back. And, it’s Derrick.
Oh,I know it’s Derick. That was just a style device I picked up somewhere or other; the (sparing) use of the formal address where it’s not expected.I don’t think it transfers well – sorry about that!
No problem. I just thought you might be a wee bit inhibited 🙂
My friend Carl said he will send you $500 if you come up with a legal (or undetectable) way to inhibit me.
What I have to put up with for being funnier than my friends!
I’m working on it 🙂
I hope this finds you “on the mend,” Derrick and the “better half” is taking it easy, too. The temps are going into the 30’s this weekend. Hope the plants and flowers in my friends garden can be protected with old sheets. Have some fun, maybe a special drink? Old movie or newer one over the weekend! 🙂
Thanks Robin. Better each day, and Jackie is taking it easy today, too. Rugby world cup over the weekend.
Love the photos of the garden and the process, it is inspiring. The password thing happened to me also. I shut the phone and re entered and it worked. Have a great day
Thanks, Elisabet
Continue to rest, even thought it’s difficult to do this time of year. Such a lot to do! I must watch and read too much science fiction because I have had the horrid thought that maybe the flu I had traveled via the Internet to infect you. After all, you got it about two or three days after I became sick. Just the right amount of incubation time 😉
Thank you, Laurie. 🙂
As always lovely post Derrick. …
Thank you, Chitra
I’ve just spent the last three hours trying to log in to my WordPress account. Have just succeeded! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 🙁
What a pain. I trust yours wasn’t the problem I had.
The fact that you’d mentioned your problem and that you’d solved it proved a consolation in the circumstance. I kept telling myself, if Derrick could solve the problem there’s hope for me yet!
Definitely!!! 🙂