Dee's Diary (continued)
By melchisedec
19 comments
19/07/1982
Pansies and annuals looking nice in the wall-ruined border, with a background of asparagus and sweet peas. In the autumn, I am making a rose bed of this border – with a frontage of miniatures and a background of three evergreen climbers- japonica, pyrocanthus and ceanothus. The boys have sprinkled grass seed in most of the bad spots and the once sand pit is beginning to look part of the lawn. The roses are beautiful this year and most seems to have recovered from the DREADFUL winter with the exception of the Cecile Brunner. The sports ground for the school – now at the back – is beginning to look really lovely. [When we arrived in 1972, the area over the back was derelict ground, the site of a huge carriage works (railway) which we watched being knocked down. The ground was cleared and the school built in the early 80s)
12/08/1982
Already halfway through August – how quickly the time flies!
The family are away which should be a good opportunity to do some gardening, but so much has to be left till autumn. I always find August a bit difficult – just keeping lawns and edges trim – and spraying insecticide and fungicide [I don’t do any of that!] and keeping down weeds.
[Granny celebrated her 80th birthday that month]
11/10/1982
Back once more [after holiday]. B drove me home, stopping at Spalding for bulbs. … Got to S’s at 2.30 Left bulbs and Levington’s there and came home to flat. Next day did one front border, removing all plants and digging. Sat – A called for me and we sorted bulbs – 500 tulips and a sackful of daffs. Mon (today) Took up annuals in asparagus bed – and dug over ready for bulbs and roses. Quite a job [!!!] but soil lovely. Discovered a large hole – rabbit – mole – or rat?
Really feel I’ve made a start! Here in flat I potted three begonias and re-potted clivia. Gardening is a bit interrupted today by TV – raising and settling on barge of Mary Rose!!
Oh! While I was away the Ivy wall was blown down!
[Eventually, all the walls collapsed within one year. Fortunately, their replacement did not cause as much angst as the first one (see previous diary blog). In fact, the man we found for the walls we owned put into the mortar large staples to help support plants. A friend for life!]
[Poor Granny!]
11 May, 2012
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Comments
Thanks for your comment, Rose. I hope I'll still be as active then, as well. I find it increasingly interesting which parts of the garden still survive. Most of the border destroyed by the first wall collapse did not last long - it's not the most adaptable border. Yet the Cecile Brunner and the clematis that she often worried about are still going strong! Strange, isn't it? I have found the experience of looking at the diaries in detail to be bitter-sweet. I had a young family, and so many other priorities. Granny so often told me that she saw the garden as her own obsession (she could have walked away from it at any time, after all) but it is only looking at the diaries now - as an obsessive gardener myself!! - that I fully realise what it must have meant to her. There are areas of the garden that still retain characteristics that were laid down by her, and my siblings - two sisters and a brother (and my younger son - my only child of two sons and a daughter to have a garden of their own) are all enthusiastic gardeners directly because of her. I should also say that my mother, who is approaching her 86th birthday, is still a very keen gardener! She has just replaced her garden pond with the help of a younger friend. The original was dug - by her alone - within the last 10 years! So let's hope I have a good few gardening years left in me yet!!!
11 May, 2012
Just wonderful,Mel..I have only just seen the first one..so have left my main comment there..Hope we can see more of these lovely stories ..:o)
11 May, 2012
I do love those delicate pictures and the whole idea of the diary, its just fabulous. what a wonderful record.
'Dee' would have been on GoY blogging away merrily today but it isnt the same as that wonderful diary ~ quite inspirational ~ thanks again melchi
11 May, 2012
Bloomer, thank you ! I have also replied to your comment on first blog!
Sticki - Dee would have LOVED GoY!!! I can just hear her confessing to being on the site till the early hours !!!! But yes, the books are special.
11 May, 2012
and none of us would do that would we?????? oops i wonder how many times i have been on GoY all evening and then again next morning and burnt the tea in between!!!
Dee the original blogger!!
11 May, 2012
Sticki - in her own words, she would have been "absolutely THRILLED!" by all this!!!! And she would have loved the word "blogger" :-)))
And NO WAY would any of us even consider anything like that - how can you suggest such a thing???
11 May, 2012
well maybe cos i might have just done it once or twice myself???
i bet Dee would have done too!!!!!
11 May, 2012
Oh yes - no doubt!!! (This site is quick, isn't it?!)
11 May, 2012
great isnt it!!! thats one of the biggest reasons i love it.
11 May, 2012
Fantastic!
11 May, 2012
it can get very funny when suddenly blogs seem to take off and you have to rush between 2 or 3 of them, in the end you hardly know which blog you are on!!!
11 May, 2012
I am beginning to realise that, Sticki! Lol! But what larks, eh?
11 May, 2012
;-)
i met up with 6 others from GoY today [well, 5 others at one point and another later] we talked and laughed as if we had all known each other for years.
11 May, 2012
Glad you all had a good day,Sticki..look forward to seeing lots of pics .:o)
12 May, 2012
thanks bloomer, we did, might take me a while but i will do a blog ~ im hoping everyone will. we did laugh so much.
12 May, 2012
I really enjoyed reading your blog and being a little thick i didn't see the dates till reading the comments. How wonderful to have a book of memories like this !
16 May, 2012
Thanks Bill! The books are great. One of my sons has persuaded me to transcribe them onto disc. It'll take a while, but I can see the point. And re-reading them now that I am such a keen gardener will add to the experience. Mind you, Granny is often in my mind (looking over my shoulder!) when I am gardening!
17 May, 2012
Dairy keeping was the original "blogging", but wouldn't Dee have revelled in the responses and enthusiasm of like-minded people? It doesn't sound as though she needed it, but I have no doubt she would soon have had a big circle of friends and admirers on GoY if it had been available!
22 May, 2012
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I hope I can still work in my garden like that when I`m 80, it makes good reading and her drawings are very good, I well remember the excitement over the Mary Rose..
11 May, 2012