Drip drip...
As usual when it rains, everything in the garden needs doing immediately. And it's so visible! Funny how garden work is sooooo obvious when sitting in the house peering out a rainy window. Aargh! I should be out there. Should I? Drip drip...
Lovely Lychnis
For example, the Lychnis (which is growing absolutely everywhere) is ready for trimming. It will have already dropped enough of this year's seeds to last a lifetime. I love Lychnis, and I grow white, magenta, and all shades in-between. It's great for the December weeks when (if) rainfall is a little low.
Agapanthus
Lots of other plants are flopping in the wetness. Oops. Sorry about that, Shastas and Phloxes. You just need to harden up. Take a leaf (so to speak) from the Agapanthus's book. They have much heavier flower-heads, and they don't seem to have any trouble with the rain.
I'm not bored...
The dogs are bored, but I'm not. I have a bagful of new library books to look through, including some rather heavy gardening ones. I can choose between 'Bee Friendly Gardens' (I so approve of this concept), 'Country Style Gardening' (it might be a little late for anything to do with style here), and a guide to Matrix Planting (which sounds rather deep). If a 'matrix' is just a clump of self-seeding plants (hello Lychnis) then this book should suit me down to the ground, hee hee...
Rainy Day Gardening Books
OK, let's try the Matrix Planting book - my goodness, this gardening book sounds technical, and serious, and very controlled. Dare I even peep at the first chapter? I wouldn't want to be corrupted...
Rhapsody in Blue Roses
Still raining...
Right. I've tried my very best to read, digest, analyse, and react to the introduction. And I'm sorry to say that it doesn't make as much sense to me as I'd hoped. The writer is encouraging me to think deeply about my plants, in order that I never have to dig or weed or use a hoe. That's a very nice idea. But the use of the word 'matrix' is more and more a puzzle. I am more comfortable thinking of the algebraic version.
'Self sustaining' is the main title of the book, and to me this implies that nothing will ever needs replacing. But things do grow, right? Trees get bigger, creating more shade, so gardens change with the years. Do matrix planters need to prune anything? Hmm... This is not a book to be read after consuming a glass of the House Merlot. I'll try again tomorrow with a fresh head.
Several Days Later...
I'm sorry, but matrix gardening is simply not sinking in. I've tried again and again, in between cooking and entertaining small visitors. No good. The nearly two-year old makes more sense to me : 'Naughty Winnie pup pup chase pheasant bird long long long long tail'. This rather complex sentence takes ages for him to stutter through, and his version of the word 'pheasant' is - interesting. But here's the difference. He's talking about something that I already know about. Naughty Winnie! Whereas my gardening book should be teaching me gently about something I don't know, or haven't thought much about.
Rain on the Pond
Oddly, Non-Gardening Partner has just flicked through some pages, and announces that he thinks I already do 'matrix gardening'. So here's my newest thought - this gardening book can only be understood by male non-gardening engineers?
White Lychnis Flowers
Tuesday 9th January
Today the rain has cleared and the gardening book has been banished. I've worked hard all morning clearing the Allotment Garden. Lots of Lychnis is out, and I've trimmed and moved a rose with rambling tendencies which was wrongly placed. I've dead-headed other roses and spread horse manure and mulch around their bottoms. Hope the rain stays away for a while!
Nice Day for a ... White Wedding...
Now I am off to play piano at my lovely friend's afternoon house wedding. She is 'walking in' to 'White Wedding' (Billy Idol meets Richard Clayderman). It sounds groovy! Then there's some wistful Metallica piano for the signing of the register, and she's boogie-ing out to 'Happy'. Hee hee. My friend is young and alternative.
Aargh! I got as far as the car. 'A nice day for a white wedding...' played by a pianist with dirty black gardeners' fingernails? The video recorder is bound to zoom in on my artistic hands. Phew. I'm glad I noticed in time.
Congratulations :- What a wonderful afternoon.
Next day...
Looking back, my bride was soooo lucky. Just one day not raining, and now the rain is back. Nice day for a wet wedding! Or do I mean wet weeding? No thanks!