The green and rolling countryside of Worcestershire, England, is home to the cider apple orchards which surround the gardens of Pear Tree Cottage. They enjoy a sunny south westerly aspect with sweeping views across to Martley Hillside, Woodbury and Abberley clock tower. The Teme Valley lies just over the hill and, not far away, is the Herefordshire border. Although our climate is temperate, our seasons are often uncertain and always a challenge to a gardener! This began in 2010 & follows the weekly ups and downs of garden work chronicling both successes and failures but, above all, demonstrates the fun enjoyed by three people who regularly garden in all weathers

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25 February 2011

FMJ Remembered


I just thought that we should have a couple of photos of my Daddy and gardening mentor.  These are glued in my Gardening Notebook 1993 - before the days of blogs or even Pear Tree Cottage!  His knowledge, expertise, patience and measured efficiency were truly amazing.  Nothing was ever too difficult or too much trouble.  Before starting a major project, he could always picture the outcome and result.  He knew about levels, soil types, vegetable varieties - the list is endless.  When I was little, he taught me how to recognise different seeds. He taught me how to differentiate between tiny weed and plant seedlings and he gave me my first garden plot aged about 5 years!  He taught me all my wild flowers and showed me where the best specimens grew.  He showed me how to recognise weeds by their root systems and identify pest damage.  In fact, he gave me my interest and inspiration.  Gardening with him was always fun and there were always pranks, tricks and jokes!  I still have specimens he gave me growing here.  I'm not sure what he would have thought of blogging but he liked the old notebook!


    






Top & Right:
Cutting canes and staking dahlias                                                           

1 comment:

bonstio said...

Gone but not forgotten. I wish he'd been around when I was a bit older. FMJ-XXX

25 February 2011 at 17:45

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