Gardens and gardening

Hi tvman, may I congratulate you on your green finger's.

All the best Ulls 

Wow, you do have green fingers

Hi tvman,

Looks fab, I'm a gardener too. My edibles in my garden are apples, plums, raspberries and herbs. I grow chillies and tomatoes in the greenhouse. 

I've just finished reading Monty Don's 1st book - The Prickotty Bush. It's often a fortune to buy on Amazon and I raked charity shops for years in the hope of finding it. Anyway, one day my husband saw it on Amazon for £12.99 without a dust jacket so I eventually got it. After all that palaver I thought I'd better get it read before I kick the bucket

Amanda x

Oh Tvman luv you lovely produce, it's took me back to my dad and his veg growing. Lovely memories  xx

Hi Amanda, thank you. I also have tomatoes, sweet peppers, aubergines, and cucumbers in my greenhouse.

In other beds there are peas, courgettes, garlic, shallots, carrots, spring onions, sprouts cabbage, kale, caulis and I may have missed one or two more. 

I've also redcurrants, blueberries, blackcurrants, strawberries and raspberries. Also cherries, apples, pears and plums. 

I get kept busy, not bad for a wheelchair user with an incurable cancer! There are gaps in the raised beds wide enough for a wheelchair and I have various seats around (mainly milk crates) that I can slide onto. 

It's good being crazy gardeners, yeah?

Tvman xx 

Wow tvman, you're kept busy with all your produce. You're definitely doing great doing all that from a wheelchair.

Yes we're certainly a crazy lot, making work for ourselves. I live on a modern estate and most gardens round here are just grass. I've got massive borders with just a grass path. Couldn't bear a low maintenance garden, but each to their own.

Keeeep gardening,

Amanda x

Home grown is best.

Hi again Amanda, sorry I should have asked you about Monty Don's 1st book-The Prickotty Bush. Can't honestly say I've ever heard of it. I'll make some enquiries. When I'm in my nearest big town I would have a look in charity shops for books on gardening in years gone by. I find it interesting to read about killing weeds and pests etc and it's surprising to find out what they used to use. Not just surprising but frightening to discover the harsh chemicals, thank goodness we stopped when we did! I don't find many books from olden times.

Take care and stay safe Amanda

Tvman xx

Hi again Amanda, Amazon is asking £250for a second hand copy!

Hi tvman,

The book is about Monty buying an old house called The Hanburies and restoring the garden from ruin. It was written in 1990 so is an old book. He was under contract with a newspaper and writing articles, therefore the garden needed to be finished in 1 year. It explains the ridiculous amount of work in harsh weather conditions and the amount of debt he got into trying to keep his business afloat and running 2houses with bridging loans etc.

£250 is cheap, I've seen it on there for £600!

Yes I agree with you, don't use sprays or anything on the garden. Leave it to the wildlife, it sorts itself out. I think Geoff Hamilton started organic gardening or was one of the first anyways.

Good luck with your elbow op today,

Amanda x