HOBBIES/INTERESTS/PASTIMES . . .

I was amazed to see that the most popular hobby/pastime in the UK is fishing. I do not cognize how they arrived at this conclusion, but I cannot agree with it. I can't think of one friend or acquaintance that goes fishing, BUT every one of my friends is a keen GARDENER. I have simply returned from a Bank Holiday visit to a large garden centre, and it resembled the local grocery store on a Sabbatum morning. It was heaving with people, with queues at all five checkouts; so I would-be decidedly say that during spring and early summer, horticulture is the No. 1 hobby/interest/pastime.

There is thing special simply about an English country garden. I can understand why it has developed into a multi-million-pound business - songs have been written simply about it and over the past few years there has been a deluge of TV programmes, and I am one of the alcohol-dependent millions. In fact, once I am away from home for any length of time, the only thing I miss (apart from the family, of course) is my garden. Sometimes once sitting on a hot huddled foreign beach I think with nostalgia of the simple pleasure of restful on my cool green field with a book and the silence broken only by the sound of trickling water from the pool attended by the singing of the birds. . . and all this taken for granted and, furthermore, not cost accounting a penny.

Now that I have conjured up this simple but happy picture, how can we accomplish a beautiful restful garden whilst keeping ache and aching joints to a minimum?

1st of all, have a plan in your mind of your completed garden and the intention of it. My personal plan is on the lines of a country garden; a curved field with plants and colourful blooms spilling over the edges, giving a soft natural effect as nature intended. I love the sound of water in the garden, so I built a small rustic pool in the corner with a falls emerging from behind an old tree and with plants covering the sides of the waterfall. On the plus side if you bring water into the garden, you wish besides bring the frogs, and frogs mean less slugs.

Every garden should have a focal point whether it be a pleasing view, statue, arch covered in blossom, water feature, etc. - a focal point which does you happy and is in tune with your mind. Also, of course, necessary seating in order to enjoy the chosen focal point/s and, simply as important, seating wherever you can sit and enjoy the last rays of the sun with a glass of wine in your hand, and, often overlooked, seating in a shady spot. At the moment, an old cherry tree provides enough shade to cover our large eating table, but I'm hoping (with a important nod in my husband's direction) that a arbour wish as if by magic appear in the near future. It wish probably appear faster if I conjure up in his mind a image of himself restful under the arbour enjoying the glass of wine etc, etc. Now, if your garden is blessed by an old knarled husband (sorry, my mind is wandering again, I mean old knarled tree) - possibly an old apple tree, don't be tempted to chop it down, but aim to incorporate it into the garden by devising a focal point out of it. Possibly by building a circular seat about it or allowing climb blossom to drape over it. It's things like this, which money and garden designers can't buy, which give a garden character and individuality.

So, we'll assume that you are aiming for a restful and peaceful space, wherever you can see a book, enjoy a glass of wine, and let the rest of the earth go by. Now, if your aim is to have a garden wherever a couple of boisterous dogs can play and the grandchildren can play football, then forget the romantic country garden. The colourful blooms wish not be spilling over the green lawn, they wish probably be crushed into a sea of mud wherever the beloved field used to be.

Now with the shortage and high cost of building land, the majority of houses built over the past 30 or 40 years have small back gardens, and mine is no exception. Also, like similar gardens, it is a parallelogram basined on three sides by a fence. At 1st glance, it doesn't now appear to be a rectangle, as my 1st effort was to change the boring shape by introducing curves, a corner seating area partially shaded by Japanese Maples, another larger family-orientated seating area, and a covered arch backed by a mirror, so that it gives an optical illusion of the gravel path continued into another area. Star lights placed on the edge of the path add to this reflection. It's cheating I know, and I don't usually like artificial additions to a natural garden, but it surely adds interest and a feeling of space to a small garden. (A serious word of warning here. The effect of the mirror behind an arch is so realistic and inviting, that small children could easily harm themselves by attempting to run through the arch)

Now, if during the summer months I am unable to see any fence or soil, then I cognize that I have achieved my aim - a fence which appears to be no longer there - it is wholly covered with shrubs and climb plants, and a garden covered with country-garden flowers combined with ground covering plants and foliage. In another words a garden with the emphasis on pleasure and less on work.

So my tips for easy horticulture -

1 Plant trees, shrubs and climbers about the edge of the garden simply about 12-18" away from fencing or boundary walls. For example, Cherry trees, evergreen shrubs - laurels, cotoneasters, camellias, lilacs, etc., butterfly bush to attract the butterflies, dilleniid dicot genus to supply masses of summer colour, and then the trees and shrubs to be interspersed with plenty of climbers, particularly a selection of vine to ensure flowering at several times of the year. The vine American state is really nice for rapid growth and quick coverage with a profuseness of flowers in the springtime. Really nice for concealment an old shed, or covering arches, pergolas, etc. In fact, it wish swamp pretty well everything if left to its own devices. Another rapid and exuberant climber is Virginia Creeper which inevitably to be unbroken in check but rewards you with beautiful red foliage in the Autumn. Another easy to grow climber is Asterid dicot genus with nice coverage and beautiful blue and yellow blooms. But, of course, a favourite of everyone is Wisteria. I prefer to see it climb over a house. I have yet to see a home wherever beauty and value hasn't been accessorial by the graceful cascading blue flowers. However, if it is full-grown over a fence or wall, then it is a lot easier to maintain and support in check. A nice climber for a north-facing fence is vine Amandii. Not only is it evergreen (which is rare in a clematis) but the beautiful white flowers are a delight, nestling on the shiny green foliage. Of course, no fence or garden would-be be complete without the old favourite, honeysuckle. To be encircled by the perfume of honeysuckle on a summer's evening is bliss, and for the perfume to drift in through the open sleeping room window is much bliss. Now one really important point from a safety angle. If there is any particular part of the fence or wall which provides easy access for a burglar, then not only add trellis to the top, but position the really prickly plants there, such as berberis, holly, or haw with its needle-covered branches. These act as a useful thief deterrent, as do gravel paths. It is really difficult to walk quietly on a gravel path.

2 Now in front of the taller shrubs and climbers, plant the medium-sized shrubs, such as hardy fuchsias, roses, ceonothus; possibly interspersed with eg. hollyhocks, delphiniums, lupins, irises, lavenders, hydrangeas, day lilies, etc. I support the middle-sized shrubs that require ericaceous soil and mottled shade eg azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, together in one area for convenience. Similarly, I support all the rose bushes in one bed as they seem to do better in each other's company.

3 Next, plant ground cover plants eg the tough and colourful blue bell flower (campanula) which wish carpet stony ground, lemon balm with its acid green and cream leaves, oxalis, saxifrage, aubretia, hardy geranium, lady's mantle, saxifrage, and Asterid dicot genus with its pink and white leaves, mounds of pinks, and as the name implies we must not forget the self-seeding forget-me-nots which always signal that spring has arrived. Whilst you are waiting for the ground cover plants to do their job, cover the spaces between the plants with a mulch, such as wood chippings, in order to suppress the weeds.

I have all the above plants in my garden and the result is chiefly trouble-free horticulture (apart from the slugs, of course). However, if you want to ensure an attractive trouble-free garden all the year round -

HERE IS THE Better Horticulture TIP I CAN PASS ON TO YOU - PLANT ALL YOUR BULBS AND FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE SAME SIZE FLOWER POTS (I use approx. 7" dia. pots) AND SINK THEM Wholly IN THE GROUND, COVERING UP THE RIMS WITH SOIL. THEN Once SAY THE Narcissus pseudonarcissus AND Liliaceous plant BULBS HAVE FINISHED FLOWERING AND THE LEAVES ARE TURNING YELLOW, Simply TAKE UP THE POTS AND PUT THEM OUT OF SIGHT (I support mine behind the conifers and laurel bushes and bring them out the following year once they start to shoot) AND THEN YOU FILL THE SAME HOLES WITH THE POTTED SUMMER PLANTS SUCH AS GERANIUMS, ETC. AT THE END OF SUMMER, Once THE 1st FROST THREATENS, IT IS QUITE A SIMPLE MATTER TO Simply LIFT OUT THE POTS AND PUT THEM UNDER COVER. I have been doing this for a couple of years now and it surely does light activity of manoeuvring plants to desired positions.

I think now that I wish manoeuvre myself to a desired position, ie restful on the garden lounger and enjoying the garden. Remember! that's what gardens are for - our enjoyments. So, enjoy your hobby/interest/pastime and reap the rewards.

PS Whilst we are on the subject of hobbies, I can't resist sharing this nostalgic, amusing story with you ... Can you remember as a school child the school inspector's visit? I attended a Church of European country village school, so prior to the awful visit we were schooled to be engrossed in devising 'baby Moses in the bullrushes' out of synthetic during his visit. On looking back, it's now the school inspector that I feel sorry for, as the poor man had to punctually inspect and comment on the consequent 'babies'??

Every time I hear the word 'hobby' there springs to mind the following story, related several time back by a retired school inspector. The class he inspected had no doubt been well rehearsed and schooled to 'work hard and look interested'. During his round he detected one small lad with a glum expression as he worked fiercely on a piece of wood. Hoping to give the small lad a word of encouragement, the school inspector asked 'and what are you doing, my lad? To which the lad dutifully replied "It's me 'obby sir, and I 'ates it".

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