Being good

My last full day of gardening before I have to head back to London for a spell. Curses.   But it was another one of those impossibly sunny and dry winter days, so I was up early and out.

I have chitted some of the potatoes I bought at Gamm Vert in Aubenas (not enough, I need to find more) and planted a few bulbs of garlic.   They should go in the vegetable garden directly, but I don’t have time to rake and prepare the soil.   The soft fruit orchard has put paid to that.

I calculate that I have just half a day’s more digging to get all the area weed free.   And I was about an hour in when my lovely neighbour bounced up to say it was time to plant the hedge in the village and would I be able to help?

How could I say no. That’s the one small curse of living in a commune (council) that prides itself on civic duty.   We are only about 250 people in the village and surrounding area, and the Mayor, deputy mayor (Jean Daniel) and all the staff don’t accept payment for their work. Instead they plough their wages back into the commune.   And they work hard; very dedicated volunteers.   So how can anyone not follow suit?

Beautifying the village is my remit.   I’ve done the five climbers that will cover a large municipal building, planted daffodils and tulips on verges.   And now it’s turn to hide the campsite tents with another of these instant hedges.   The campsite, with a large swimming pool, is the biggest revenue earner for the village in summer.   It is hidden down on the hill below the village, but owing to the popularity of the campsite, permanent tents have been added at the top of the campsite, in view of the road.

But instant didn’t come to mind when I surveyed the site.   It’s a mess. Dead fence, brambles, dead shrubs, rocks galore, and weeds.   And it’s just under 25 metres long. Ugh.

So armed with just an enthusiastic pensioner wielding a pick and mattock, we set to work. And in a few hours the area was clear enough to dare to place plants in the soil.   If you aren’t a gardener you never think about how much preparation is required to give the plants a good start. You can’t just plonk them in among the rubble.   Good thing I was there. I have placed them in a sequence set out by Nicolas for maximum interest and colour.   No green concrete one species wall for us.

And I was even rewarded with an invitation to lunch back at the house with Daniele and Jean Daniel.   I looked forlornly at the soft fruit orchard as we set out again after lunch to wrap up.   Half a day on the village gardening, and all I wanted to do was selfishly get on with mine.

Luckily I have been promised the mayor’s mini digger will clear the rest of the area before I return in a few weeks to plant up the rest of the hedge. It may go more smoothly, and if I can get a commitment from someone to do the watering, it may well work.

I scuttled back and weeded until dark.   I’m an hour off finishing the work.   And just hope things don’t germinate before I can get the weedproof fabric and mulch down on the soil.   But gorgeous weather is predicted, and it’s even going to warm up.   So I’ll just have to hope for the best and get stuck in the second I return.