It’s bloody hot in Malvern this year, part of me is slightly nostalgic for pissing rain and standing water.
Great.
As I said, humiliation all the way.
Apart from that I did a good interview with Monty Don about his Round the World in 80 Gardens trip in the afternoon and generally had a very jolly time tarting about on stage. It is odd sometimes how one’s ambitions catch up. I always wanted to be an actor until I was captivated by gardening so have a great time at these things leaping around theatres.
Saturday was Joe and I all day talking to nurserymen, garden designers and, yes, doing more floral bloody art. We had to make bouquets of carnations and foul looking florescent sisal. The demonstration bouquet that was brought as an example looked like a stiff jellyfish and was quite revolting. My technique was much better than Joe’s but the bastard won the public vote anyway. Next year I think we should do chainsaw sculpture or cookery or anything but flower arranging !
We also talked about salad leaves and herbs with Kim Hurst from the Cottage Herbery which was great. Best garden tip was to do with mint in pots: every year you should take it out of the pot, cut it in half and turn the halves in on themselves so the inside faces outwards and the outside inwards. This will ensure your plant’s continued good health.
Right now I am feeling pooped so am going to sleep before we go back to the showground for the exhibitors party.
I am listening to Adagio Ma Non Troppo from Bach’s Brandeburg Concertos. The picture is of Joe and I with a rather bored cameraman. At last years show I was writing about this and this.
(Party over and a very jolly time was had by all concerned. We sat in various gardens and thought about Mary Lynes who has worked at the showground for many years. At the moment she is quietly dying in Worcester Hospital. She was a dart of light, a flash of septuagenarian twinkle and a joy to all who had the privilege to meet her. The world of gardening is a small world but often very intense: I meet many people at shows, in gardens, in television, in the RHS. Almost without exception they are delightful but every so often one shines with an unexpected brilliance: one of these is Mary.)
