Winter is a wonderful time to see the structure of a garden, but not quite so enjoyable when the temperature drops to -10!
Spring arrives, sometimes not soon enough, and work on the garden restarts!
Having been lucky enough to see Bagan from a hot air balloon when we had the chance to do the same from the field across the road we jumped at the opportunity. Anne and Pierre deLaune from Auvers le Hamon sent their son Viktor round and we got the balloon filled and ready to fly! However the weather was against us and the mist came down and the flight had to be cancelled…. another time maybe!
Presidential elections bought out the mischievous and politically correct! “The bin is your place!”
A surprise gift of four chickens was delivered by Josie, Edward’s sister in law…. there would be no shortage of eggs this year! The initial freedom of the garden had to be curtailed after the chickens initially wondered around raking up mulch in their hunt for food! Sharing the sitting room was the final straw and an enclosure was made to keep them in check! Whilst they took a short time to settle in it quickly became clear they needed naming… Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia! Their new enclosure included a fig tree, which got stripped once the fruit became ripe! At the end of the Summer they were repatriated to the Deux Sevres.
The first opening of the garden for the season meant lots of work and preparation. The neighbour replacing their roof was and opportunity to cover yet more plastic and create another planting area. A royal visitor to keep an ey on visitors to the garden…. it went down well with the French! Requests for selfies came thick and fast!
Things that go bump in the night! An almost nightly disturbance was ended when two beautiful if very aggressive young pine martins were caught in the rood space! Their potential to do damage to electrics, insulation and anything they could eat was averted! They were rehoused in a local forest… roughly 10km away from the house! Less than that and they are likely to reappear!
Once more back to gardening!
Interest in the garden continues to spread and with the loving help of our neighbours Michel and Regine Cottereau we were visited by the committee for verifying the Village Fleuri in the Pays de la Loire. Much interest and disbelief that we had done this all by ourselves without a team of gardeners and amazement at some of the planting techniques we use to encourage self-sowing plants to find their own homes! This proved to be very demanding for my French! Needless to say…. David was again in London for this unexpected visit!
Summer continues…. as do the plants! The hedges require nearly monthly cuts to maintain the crispness and neatness! It takes around five days to cut the tops and sides and tidy up… something to keep Edward busy!
When the sun shines the garden is alive with colour! All the hard work seems to be worth it and a pleasure!
The end of the Summer comes with mixed blessings! The colours continue to entrance and longer shadows create different perspectives. The knowledge that the garden will be getting ready to be put to bed for the Winter allows reflection time for what needs to be changed for the following year. A garden never stops and delights with its very own idiosyncratic nature.
Le Domaine 