Those of you who regularly ramble in the garden with me will know that we have been opening our garden for the National Garden Scheme for the last 3 years and this year are opening it in February for the first time, as well as our usual June openings. This early opening is approaching rapidly and numerous job lists have been scribbled and gradually crossed off. The Golfer, being a gopher rather than a gardener, has his own list of tasks that he can be entrusted with and The Cleaning and Sweeping of Paths is one of them; indeed, if previous years are anything to go by there should be a medal given for TC&SOP, and the Golfer should be an annual recipient of it. At the very least we can give him six cheers on Saturday for his outstanding service!
It always amazes me what a difference this task makes, accentuating the structure and definition of the garden and its borders, and perhaps even more so at this time of year when the structure and hard landscaping of the winter garden already stands out without the softening effect of spring and summer greenery. See for yourself the magic the Golfer has sprinkled over the garden from what I am now calling the Entrance Border above (temporarily called the Fig Border in recognition of the removal of the mature fig tree which allowed space for its creation), to the granite circle of the Blue &White Border near the bottom of the garden (below), and all the paths in between:
From the back of the house we are constantly reminded of his efforts on the Paved Area and the adjacent Streamside and Shrub Border:
The thoroughfare past the Main Borders towards the Woodland Edge has been thoroughly spruced up too, as has the path through the Rose Garden (and every other hard-surfaced path the Golfer could lay his knees on):
With four weeks to go until the open day, no leaf will dare blow onto these immaculate paths, nor any cat flick soil or chippings onto them – and the Gardener will have to be ultra-careful not to leave any evidence of her plantings or prunings or trimmings too! As I admire the Golfer’s handiwork, however, I am mindful of how lucky we are to have been able to lay paths like these around the garden, enabling ready access in all weathers, unlike those bloggers who currently struggle to ramble in their own gardens due the effects of continued rainfall and the resultant waterlogging and bogginess.
Six tidy paths and six cheers for the Golfer are my contribution to today’s Six on Saturday meme, hosted by Jon the Propagator.
It sounds like you have a SUPERMAN on your hands, in the person of The Golfer. A hearty well done to him, and good luck to you in February.
Oh so good to hear from you John – I was thinking of you as I wrote it as I knew you would comment if you read it!! Thanks so much John, and hope all is well with you
Fantastic. Do you ever loan him out?
You will have to ask him yourself – and get in the queue probably!
What an excellent job he has done Cathy! Yes, it really does make a difference and looks very spick and span. π
They are very frosty and clean paths this morning, Cathy!
The hardscape looks amazing, well done, Golfer.
I love all of the brick and pavement. The golfer did a wonderful job of uping the garden look/
Yes, he did, didn’t he?
Does he imagine he is swinging a golf club when he is using the broom?
Haha – I shall have to ask him that! π
Well done Golpher!! The paths look so tidy, very inviting.
Yes Lisa, I agree!
Everything looks spiffy and ready for visitors, Cathy. If the golfer wants to hang out in sunny southern California for awhile, I’ll set up guest space in return for clean-up help in the garden π
Haha – one of his friends asked perfectly seriously if he would come and do work for him at his house in Thailand (it’s not just sweeping paths he us good at!), but no, he like me is a home bird
Fantastic. Spic and span!
Very much so π
Well done that lovely man! He deserves some shiny new golf balls and a set of new knee pads.
Yes indeed, although golf balls are a moveable feast as he finds as many ( well, more than in fact) as he loses! π
Looking good – you’ve been working hard! (Too wet for golf at the moment anyway)
Thanks Phao, and yes, I think he has only played 2 or 3 times since Christmas as his course has been too wet to be playable and therefore closed (more time to tick off his allocated jobe perhaps…?!)
How busy you have been, mr Golfer. Fantastic job. Looks ship shape and so tidy. Great job!
I am sloshing around and because of this I am keeping off the garden. You are ahead of yourselves I should imagine? Going to look amazing for your NGS open day. What date?
Not ahead of ourselves, but getting there. The garden taskd are mostly done (down on my knees today trying to see if the crocus are appearing in the streamside grass yet!), but I have labelling to do for the plant stall and should really do an updated map as so much changed since last year! We haven’t had our posters yet and I need to chase up NGS Head Office tomorrow (our County lunch is not till March, and that;s when we get our main posters and other stuff). Four weeks today, Feb 16th
Gosh you are good doing two openings. If weather allows I shall see if I can come to see you on 16/2
Two openings? Well, this one in February and then the usual ones in June (3 again this year, but we may go back to 2 next year). It would be lovely to see you if you were able to come – and if we are under snow we would sadly have to cancel it
Donβt mention the four letter word
S N O W
Looking smart and tidy. Putting mine to shame!
Whatever the borders look like, clearing the paths always makes everything else look better!
Each of the paths have their own character w/different coloured bricks & stones, the sides of the house, pergola & fencing . . . such a wonderful garden that must be to wander through & what a very good job the Golfer did do.
Thanks Lora. The paths are mostly a combination of brick paving blocks and imitation stone, but with some cobble inserts in places, so there is an underlying continuity and I am so pleased that the overall effect is pleasing to others as well as ourselves
I am sorry I missed all this. I had to skip ahead to February 5. I was just too far behind.