Early Garden Journal 1997

I've recently found an old gardening notebook dated Christmas 1996. It consists of lists - far too many to publish without putting a reader into a deep sleep. There's little analysis and hardly any emotion - here are some of the heavily edited pages.

Another describes my trip to visit English gardens in the middle of 1997. Ah - what wonderful memories!

November and December 1996...
Tue 3rd Dec 1996

'This is my Summer Garden Notebook. In the front, lists of 'things to do today' will be found. In the back, quotes and ideas from books...' So starts my earliest garden journal - I sound very well organised!

March 1997...
Sun 30th Mar 1997

I am rationalising my Dahlias. Colour groups are as follows: lemons, yellows, brick reds, magentas, mid-reds, bluey-reds, soft oranges, lilacs. All soft orange and lemon Dahlias are to go in the Jelly Bean Border near the Graham Thomas roses...

April 1997...
Fri 25th Apr 1997

Things to do in April - dig out any frost tender plants remaining in the garden. Put compost in the Island Bed and all up the Driveway Border. Take cuttings of penstemons, daisies and roses...

May 1997...
Wed 28th May 1997

May - shift the red and yellow aquliegias from the Driveway Border. The pink Heritage roses go in here. Weed, mulch, and trim edges. Put Round-Up underneath the Wattle trees. Tie up the New Dawn roses...

July Holiday 1997 - 1...
Wed 9th Jul 1997

I've found another old Moosey journal in the garage, which dates from 1997. It describes my travels around parts of England in the middle of 1997. It's the English gardening summer, and I'm zooming around visiting open gardens...

July Holiday 1997 - 2...
Wed 9th Jul 1997

It's the first BIG open garden touring day - three Norkolk open gardens, with Non-Gardening Partner in tow. He even starts the day looking bored...

July Holiday 1997 - 3...
Wed 9th Jul 1997

Now I'm staying in Devon for a week, on my own in a Bed'n'Breakfast. Devon is world famous for its gardens, but all I really want to do is fly home and work in my own. Hopeless!

July Holiday 1997 - 4...
Fri 25th Jul 1997

My final day in England is spent driving from Devon across country to Heathrow. I am well-planned, with a couple of famous English gardens and an ancient historical site to visit. And I'm so much closer to going home to my own (not-so-famous) garden...

September 1997...
Sun 28th Sep 1997

All pots around house to go to the glass-house. Re-pot plants and organise. Get all pots from upstairs balcony. Cross fingers that the perennial Lobelia is still alive...