A monthly diary of activities in Susan’s Garden.
Photo heavy, text light, following a natural timeline.
Before the sap has risen, as the days turn to spring, the buds are forming and it’s time to wake up the garden. In Susan’s garden, that means a visit from the tree man, Robert. These days, they come equipped with electric secateurs, drawn from the holster with more panache than Clint Eastwood, chain saws twirling on a thumb, used one-handed, shooting from the hip like the best of the Hollywood gun slingers. A quick look, a decisive cut, a few minutes pass by. Another tree is presentable: clean-cut and ready to attest to its virility.
The Mulberry Project
The process is more extreme for some than others. A tidy-up for the olive, a radical make-over for the mulberries. After discussion with Susan, a practiced eye is cast over the subject. It’s time has come: radical surgery is required.
And then , few days later, it’s life as usual, as the raspberry canes are attached to their more permanent and stable trellis.
The garden has almost come full circle since the story began in March last year- the odd leek, the mulberry standing guard in its stark new outline, the potager ready for a good cleanup and replant. All reminiscent of the first entry in this diary of botanical briefings, only now we’re a year older and wiser.
And what of Susan? Idle - not. She’s been plotting the plantings with her favourite ‘pépinièriste’ over on St Quentin market.
Kohl-rabi, lettuces, beetroot to follow, strawberrries already in.
In a few days, a year will have passed, our privileged time with Susan at an end. That’ll be the moment to mark the progress made, and to know that the progress will continue whether we are watching or not. Join me next month for the final installment of a Year in Susan’s Garden.