A Delicate Balance

From the moment the top-top garden team were given the keys months before, they had been hatching magnificent ideas for the new space. But we had to be careful. We couldn't do so much that Mme B would feel alienated when she returned, nor did we want to spend too much before the deal was in the bag. So Josh had to resist pulling down an old baby gate, chopping down a dead tree, and rotivating the entire garden. He kept wondering, when?

The day of the official handover, moments after the toast in the previous picture, Michelle, Josh and Poppy arrived. Josh had that hungry look for power tools, but had to wait just a little longer. We waved good-bye to Mme Bossi and her daughter Cecile. "The staff" went for lunch at the Grand Cafe. After omelettes all round, we adjourned to the top-top garden.

Months of planning leapt into action. They were off like runners out of the blocks: rotivating, strimming, sawing, pruning, weeding, planting, watering. The garden was a joyous hive of activity!

Josh rotivated several new beds and sawed down a tree, Michelle planted carrots and radishes, I was on weed duty (they're breaking the city girl in gently). Ali bought a funky new wheelbarrow, and Lizzie was a blur between trimming bushes, getting to grips with the well, fielding questions and plotting the new design.

One more member of the team merits a mention. Josh was dog-sitting so we even had a mascot. This is Dolly.

By the end of the afternoon, new plants were in and the design had taken shape. I couldn't believe it. It's going to be fantastic! Thank you one and all !!