I don’t generally like to print a negative view but gardening has got downsides. Moans are probably too many to list!

Losing energy when I know I’ve got plants to plant.

Not getting even an hour in the garden over a long weekend.

Getting too hot to do much and then realising the place to sit needs weeding.

Gardening needing done in the coldest, wettest months, to get on “top” of the worst jobs like collecting leaves (unless you leave them to protect stuff and can cope with it looking rubbish).

Groans!

A whole day off going by and no progress on gardening jobs can make me annoyed with myself but if the energy isn’t there what am I gonna do? Gardening blogs and Facebook groups for gardeners also eat into my time. You can sound like an expert with very little knowledge but if you’ve experienced any of the issues yourself it is all too easy to offer up advice. Or post your experience.

Or post a groan and it’s amazing how many others will have knowledge, or sympathy. But sympathy won’t get rid of mares tail? It’s been five or six years of acknowledging it is a problem but the stuff grows through concrete… I can see this more obviously when the car is off to the office with my husband and fronds are waving to passers by! ‘Hello it’s May and I’m back for my summer holidays!’ And seriously if it isn’t pulled out it instantly turns into a frond festival, looking like the greenery florists have but you can’t buy anywhere.

Nemesis!

Can any of my regular readers guess what goes to the top of this list?

• Dandelions or yellow perils, not to be confused with any cartoon characters are not my favourites. I guess we could keep Guinea pigs which love the things but No! I’d rather use my twirly gadget and fill a brown bin with them than leave them to taunt me in the front or the back garden. I can walk to the garage and pass lots by! No, definitely Nemesis number 1 (and 2)!
• Inherited plants that are ‘the nations Favourites’. We chose the house because of it being on one level, the garden had many things I’ve grown up with, like Peace roses, it had apple trees, and fully grown chestnut and sycamore trees. But there are now two huge stumps needing ground down and junior trees springing up all over.
• Clay soil makes for tough planting choices. Unless you can build new beds and put the right plants in.

Happy Places!

• Anywhere with a garden I can walk around
• Lots of purples
• Lots of clever colour clashes. Did I mention orange and purple?
• Tulips, acquilegias, alliums and scabious, pretty much anything purple.
• A well run coffee shop looking out onto lovely gardens with fabulous cakes.
• Beaches… from all corners of the UK and beyond.