Thursday, April 17, 2008

Touch of spring

As you might know I'm an avid gardener... not! Farmgirl Susan has delighted us yesterday with a picture of this perennial (the word she uses, I wouldn't have known otherwise...heck I don't even know what a perennial is hehe). That reminded me of these pictures I'd taken some time ago when the first pinkish red flowers bloomed. Like Susan I have no idea what this plant is, the only thing I know that it doesn't need any looking after, it just stands there most of the year and all of a sudden, halfway March the first bright spots appear. It makes me smile every time I see it, too bad I can't see it from my diningroom window!
Somehow I can't grasp the garden concept, I grew up living in an apartment building and I think I'm beyond help, so in comes the gardener! No, I don't really employ a gardener, hold your horses, but here's how it came to be: we live across a small burial yard. And that is not scary/creepy at all, it's nice and friendly, pheasants and rabbits come to play, people go there all the time, sit on the bench contemplating, I kind of like the thought that the loved ones buried there still take part in their daily routine and is so much part of our village.

Anyway, the man that keeps the grounds neat and tidy is an avid gardener, by profession as well as in his heart. My garden wilts whenever I look at it, but whenever he wanders around in that slow gait real gardeners seem to perfect, every plant stands to attention. That's the man I need in my life garden! So the deal is this: we barter. I do sweets and coffee (or the occasional bread and beer) and he offers advice or hands-on help. I think by now he is convinced I am a city girl beyond rescue and I'm fine with that.

8 comments:

  1. I have always wanted to live across from a burial yard. What more peaceful neighbors! And garden help in exchange for goodies? That's a deal I can get behind!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What an incredible exchange! Someone to feed all these goodies! Save the waistline!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, I need him too! Think he'd come to Amsterdam?! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ja- de een heeft groene vingers en de ander witte (meel;)beide met mooi resultaat (als het goed is...;)welke kleur vingers je ook hebt....ze vreten allebei veel tijd...
    (De plant lijkt op een van de vele Camellia soorten....mooi kleurtje :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. De mooie bloem die je laat zien is een sierkwee en bestaat zelfs in het wit of dieprood. Tuinieren is erg leuk maar maar het wordt al iets minder als het stortregent. dan kun je tenminste wel bakken!
    Marjoke

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lijkt me een prima deal!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ooh wat zijn jullie goed! Marli, ik had al gehoopt dat je het zou zien en weten! (Die witte vingers onthoud ik!)
    Marjoke, geweldig! Inmiddels hebben er al veel mensen gereageerd bij Susan en iedereen is het er over eens; een sierkwee!

    The consensus is indeed that it's a flowering quince, readers at Susan's and here agree. I'm in awe that people know that instantly! Wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would definitely go for that deal - cookies for gardening help. Instead, I'm stuck trying to muddle through on my own. It's not working very well, though. Brown thumb. Good for cookies, not good for plants.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting! I really appreciate and enjoy reading all your comments! If you have any questions feel free to email me.