Otto Gets High

I'm not much of a gardener, being inherently idle. I like loafing around in the sun 'on the back way' as the Northerner in me says but on the whole I can't really be bothered to put any effort in. I can admire a nice garden, of course, and every so often I make a raid on B&Q or Haskins Garden Centre, spend a good few quids on stuff and sometimes I even get round to planting it.
Spurred on this evening by Big Man's jeers of 'you'll never plant it, it'll go the same way as last year's' I went into the garden, accompanied by Otto, and repotted a lavender tree, a lavender bush and two clematis that I bought the other day. Whilst I was out there I uncovered a puny catmint bush from last year. I say bush - it's more the size of one of those little scabby tinfoil-wrapped sprigs of lucky heather that tinkers thrust wheedlingly at you on a Saturday afternoon in the city centre. Otto spotted it and, despite ignoring it all last year, had a good old chew on the leaves.

Otto got high. He's currently sitting outside the back door, staring intently at the garage wall, face about 6" away from it. Typical stoned behaviour I'd say.

Garden Chaos

Firstly, thanks to my lovely blogging pals for your kind words and support re Mr Charming. I think he would curl up and die if he knew I'd said anything to anyone but but that's what mums do, right? And their pals, real or virtual help them out, so thanks again. The latest is he has already approached a nearby uni about transferring (eek, the one time in his life he doesn't procrastinate and it's something I don't want him to do!!) and they've said to wait until about May. Red says it's just as well he didn't know he could apply to transfer after just one term or he'd be home now. She is going to speak to him and I know Babcia will. I'll keep you informed.

This is my garden at the moment. JUST KIDDING!!! This is my garden.

The courtyard at the side of the house, where cars can, in theory, be parked securely. The pile of stuff near the gates is for a fire (all three of the men in my household are pyromaniacs).

Pretty awful I think you'd agree. Although I like the idea of having a beautiful garden in theory, I'm not so keen on all the work that goes into it. We did make a massive effort one year and it looked pretty good - Big Man made the swing set at the end of the garden himself and Carb Addict still goes on it almost every day, whatever the weather. Big Man also spent a heap of time and money on the pond in pic 3 - he was desperate for a pond and eventually dug one; bought all the equipment, including an expensive pump, and eventually had about 12 koi and other fish in there that he absolutely cherished. One day the pump stopped working and Big Man decided that the pond had to be drained, so he put the fish into a big plastic crate, all together (I bet you can almost guess what's coming). The crate was too small and to cut a long story short, all but two of the fish died. Cue much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. So he totally lost interest, hence the sad excuse for a pond you see now. I think I might have to do something about it myself, come the warmer weather.
Some people, like my lovely mum Babcia, have a green thumb. I do not. Babcia has a kind of cottage garden where she has raised little bushes and twigs she bought for a pound at the car boot sale, into giant trees and shrubs. But she puts a lot of time and effort into her garden. I think that's the secret. My in-laws Babs and Patsy also have a beautiful garden (including a pond, btw!).

Maybe it's a getting older thing? Not so long I would have curled my lip at the thought of such a crashingly boring idea as gardening. Now I think how very relaxing it would be to sit out in the sun on a lounger with a cool glass of something. Is it the impossible dream? I don't think so. I am resolving to try and beat my garden into some sort of shape this Spring - watch this space!!!