Gardens are a form of autobiography - Sydney Eddison

If it is true that gardens are a form of autobiography then it probably suggests that my life is a bit of a disaster! I am not a gardener, given the choice I would always choose a beach to a garden, in fact I would choose field in preference to a garden. I don't like to see things growing in rows and I don't like big brash plants in bold colours. I prefer a gentler, more natural look, with more subtle flowers such as bluebells and primroses. 


In our back garden we have a couple of large lilac bushes, which I am quite fond of. The trouble is that they are thugs, if you turn your back on them they double in size and start marching across the garden. In the far corner is a large Hawthorne tree, I love that most of all, the blossom is beautiful, it cheers me up when I look out of the kitchen window. We have a couple of other trees too, the holly is still there because it puts off anyone who may think of coming over the back fence, but maybe I should plant a couple of Pyracanthas as well, they have some serious thorns! There is a big tree at the back of the garden, I don't know what it is, but I know it is too tall and it really should come down. The trouble is that it is easier said than done and it is one of those things that keeps getting put off because there is always a more urgent call on our finances.


In the front garden we have several rose bushes a climbing rose, clematis, forsythia and my absolute favourite a very large Philadelphus. I am fond of the roses, especially the climbing rose, but it feels as if they are in competition with the hedge to see which one can grow fastest and take over the garden. Allowing things to look natural is one thing but allowing them to take over is quite another. The rose bushes had become too tall and too wide so that it was hard to walk around the front garden and the hedge was reaching out into the garden and threatening to stop anyone walking down the path. Clearly it was time to take drastic action, so this weekend we the whole family made a concerted attack on the front garden. Robbie was incredible, he tamed the hedge next to the drive. I was really worried that he would aggravate his back and I could tell that he was hurting but he did a good job. I did battle with the roses - they fought back and they fight dirty, but in the end they were cut down to size. My daughter's boyfriend tackled the rest of the hedge and my son and daughter tamed the other shrubs. It looks a lot better now, but it will be a while before I want to do that again.