I’ve been watching some of the earlier ‘Life in a Cottage Garden’ episodes on iplayer. And I’ve decided that I would like Carol Klein to adopt me. She seems so jolly, so lovely and so, well, decent. I can’t help but feel that she would make a very good job indeed of looking after me. Pints of steaming hot Earl Grey and a mean, homemade coffee and walnut cake, I imagine. Hot water bottles and cocoa in winter; freshly squeezed lemonade and warm quiche fresh from the oven in summer. My dad might be a little perplexed by the arrangement but I think it for the best.
Don’t get me wrong, it wouldn’t be a one way arrangement. Oh no, Carol (Mummy), would benefit to. For a start I wouldn’t have let her go up that terrifyingly high ladder (episode 1) in order to tug off some entangled clematis. No way. I would have sent her husband up. (Terrible head for heights, myself). And I’d buy her some flipping gardening gloves. Doesn’t matter what she’s doing; weeding, pruning or digging up an herbaceous clump the size of a Pacific atoll – bare hands. Poor love. Her hands must be in a shocking state. I barely step out of the greenhouse without donning at least one pair of leather mits. And mine (cunningly designed by yours truly) steadily secrete hand lotion all day long. I wince when I see how little care Carol takes of hers.
Mind you, I do wonder what on earth she does with all those seeds she sows, plants she divides, self-sown seedlings she pots up and cuttings she takes. I know she runs a nursery but how big can it be? I imagine she must be the sole supplier of garden plants to the entire garden centre industry in the UK. If so, she must be worth a tidy penny. Adopt me, Carol. Adopt me.
The Anxious Gardener 
Thanks Jason, I should give you a prize, or at least a badge, as my first contributor.
I have no formal training in gardening and up until 5 years ago no experience either. Indeed up until September 2004, I was working as a postman. It's been a terrific journey since, with a really steep learning curve. I just wish I'd held my nose and jumped overboard into gardening a great deal earlier.
Still huge amounts to learn and, I suspect, there always will be.
Proud also to be an enthusiastic novice!
David
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Hi David,
As you visited me I wanted to return the compliment. I really like your posts and your writing style and am looking forward to following along. Unlike you I'm just an enthusiastic novice when it comes to gardening so I'll be coming by for lots of sound advice!
Jason
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