Becky put this on my Facebook page early this morning:
Clever, isn’t she?
We began with a trip to the municipal dump, now upgraded to Efford Recycling Centre. Included in the rubbish we took there was a green plastic table we had bought from there in the first place. The Head Gardener, now she has a shed, has no further use for it. I got quite excited when I thought this might be the first time we would leave the tip without making a purchase. This was not to be, for Jackie spotted a hanging window box and just had to buy it.
Off we then drove to Highcliffe, and our old favourite, Fergusson’s, in search of a suitable chest of drawers to double as a work surface and storage for packets of seeds, tools, ties, plant labels, and almost anything else you can think of. Elsa and Boyce produced the very thing, that would probably have got the Bargain Hunt experts very excited. This addictive televised antiques programme involves two pairs of punters shopping in normal retail outlets in the hope of making a profit at auction. We have learned that G-plan, the iconic furniture of the ’50s and ’60s, is in at the moment. The Ercol piece that we found would definitely have been in the money. But we weren’t going to auction, and Dad, Dave Fergusson, accompanied by Elsa, delivered it for us and helped me place it in the shed.
This friendly family firm is to be recommended.
Jackie had already begun to make herself at home.
Dave had first delivered furniture to us last May, when the garden was still a jungle. He and Elsa went on an amazed and delighted tour. He asked for a notification when we open to the public. Here is a selection from what he saw today:
From the bed by the wisteria, this small pink rose has a good view of the new acquisition.
This is the view along the outside of the kitchen window. The rose above lies in the bed at the end.
Obscured by the planting in the centre background, the dragon stands on a concrete plinth. This is his view through to the urn and beyond.
Near the start of the brick path, geraniums and Japanese maple form a pleasing swirl;
and a different variety of geranium hangs at one end of the Phantom Path.
A concrete building block lifts a pot of pink petunias taking us across another section of the Brick Path.
We also walked along the Pergola Path. Like any of the others, this view changes daily.
In the new rose garden, Kent is now in bloom.
At the far south end of the garden, passion flowers cling to the support arches we erected last year, and clematis Margaret Hunt ascends those Jackie fixed in her new boxes at the start of the back drive.
This evening we dined at Lal Quilla, where we enjoyed the usual ambiance, service, food, and Kingfisher. I chose Purple Tiger and Jackie chose Navrattan Korma. We shared lemon rice and a naan, and both drank Kingfisher.
