Garden wall

Early last year our Workaways that came to help us ready the garden for the upcoming season had worked hard to clean the cement from one side of our garden wall. It was a mammoth task, and it left another mammoth task in re-grouting the entire wall.

Brian knew I was very concerned about leaving the wall ungrouted over winter. He’d shared this concern with Chris, a good friend, along with the fact that he knew some jobs needed doing in the garden, but he had not had the chance to do any of them whilst caring for me. So he was also a little worried about the situation.

Within days Chris had organised a group of fabulous friends to visit and help us prepare the garden for winter. Sara contacted me with some dates, and asked if they could come to visit us. I was probably at one of my lowest points health-wise, but she assured me they would not need any looking after. It was all under control and not to worry about anything.

Chris, Sara and Trevor arrived a couple of weeks later, around midday, and were immediately all up on the slope getting the grass cut and strimmed. The next day each of them took on tasks: Sara became head gardener, attacking the courtyard and formal garden that had quickly got out of control, Chris and Brian adopted the wall, and Trevor became our odd job man, making sure they had grout when they needed it, taking on the task of cleaning out the weed in the river and trimming some shrubs (actually I’m not sure where my honeysuckle went, but I keep telling myself it will grow back).

The wall was a huge job to take on, and as I kept looking out the window I wasn’t convinced Chris, with a little of Brian’s help could do it, but after three days of very committed effort through rain and sunshine the last of the gaps was filled with chaud.

What a magnificent job. The garden and wall looked amazing, and I was so pleased and relieved the jobs had been completed.

What wonderful friends we have.