{"id":2053,"date":"2014-04-25T12:17:49","date_gmt":"2014-04-25T19:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jcmgf.org\/mg2\/?p=2053"},"modified":"2018-03-30T12:48:52","modified_gmt":"2018-03-30T19:48:52","slug":"im-digging-a-little-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/im-digging-a-little-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m Digging a Little Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

Garden Memories\u00a0Circa 1960<\/em>, \u00a0 Birmingham, England<\/p>\n

Written by Frances L. \u00a0Photography by Frances L.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m crouched and hunched<\/em>\u00a0with my trowel, digging a little hole for one of my wood anemones. I\u2019m tiny like a fairy and I\u2019m pale next to this dark damp soil. Daddy and I dug up them from their tucked-away spot in the undergrowth at\u00a0The Lickeys<\/em>\u00a0and now I\u2019m putting them in my garden, which is in the back corner, by the fence between the Parks\u2019 house and us. It\u2019s under the big lime tree, which has sticky bits and pinkish galls on its leaves, and next to my guinea pig shed and run.<\/p>\n

\"My<\/p>\n

It\u2019s shady under this tree so I think the wood anemones will like it here.\u00a0Sniff sniff<\/em>\u00a0— I can smell the damp. \u00a0The end of the Parks\u2019 garden is even darker than ours because the big lime tree is planted in their garden and just overhangs ours. But\u00a0their<\/em>\u00a0garden isn\u2019t nearly as interesting as\u00a0our\u00a0<\/em>garden. Sometimes their Alsatian noses up by the fence and growls. I\u2019ve looked through the crack and he\u2019s gray like a wolf with yellow and white eyes, and what a big mouth he has!<\/p>\n

These wood anemones have petals like moonshine. I can almost see through them. I\u2019m going to plant\u00a0love-in-the-mist<\/em>\u00a0seeds in my garden, too. The packet shows they have a floaty-cloud of leaves, and pale blue flowers that look all shimmery.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t wait!<\/p>\n

Perhaps my garden will glow with misty moonshine — I could creep down here at night to see. Perhaps mice will sit under my wood anemones washing their faces with tiny, pink paws. Perhaps Mr. Fox will slink and snout around with beady eyes, licking his lips. Thank goodness he can\u2019t get my guinea pigs. He\u2019s like a wolf, too, only he\u2019s got ginger fur, and he\u2019s littler.<\/p>\n

I hope slugs don\u2019t gobble my plants. Slugs are\u00a0very\u00a0<\/em>peculiar with little horns that pop back in when you touch them \u2013 but then they have eyes on the ends and I certainly wouldn\u2019t want someone touching my eyes! They smell with their smaller horns. Daddy told me. And he told me a slug is both\u00a0a boy and a girl at the same time<\/em>. Fancy that! Now I\u2019m looking for slugs but they\u2019re hiding because it\u2019s daytime. They hide under leaves and inside cracks and holes. There\u2019s plenty of those here. In autumn, Daddy likes to burn the dead leaves on his bonfire. He\u00a0really should\u00a0<\/em>change his clothes before lighting a fire. That\u2019s what Mummy says and I agree!<\/p>\n

Perhaps toadstools will grow in my garden. I wonder if I could plant\u00a0them<\/em>? But I didn\u2019t see toadstool seeds at the shop on the High Street. We saw some bright orange ones with white spots at\u00a0The Lickeys,<\/em>\u00a0and looked them up. They\u2019re called\u00a0fly agaric<\/em>. That\u2019s a very funny name.\u00a0\u00a0Fly agarics are extremely<\/em>\u00a0poisonous so\u00a0never ever<\/em>\u00a0ever\u00a0<\/em>eat them. Not that I would because they don\u2019t look like they\u2019d be good to eat, for people anyway, just good to look at. And good for fairies to sit on.<\/p>\n

I wonder if I could dig up some bluebells from the Lickeys and plant them here?\u00a0The Bluebell Woods<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0The Lickeys<\/em>\u00a0are the same. Well, the Lickeys go on further and turn into hills because their real name is\u00a0The Lickey Hills<\/em>, but bluebells stretch a long way, like a deep blue sky but on the ground. Or a sea under the trees and the sprouting-gleamy-green of trees shines down and the blue shines up so everything is dappled like magic waves. Everything smells extra-bluebelly too. If I ever go to Fairyland, I hope it smells like that.<\/p>\n

This bit of the garden has lots of secret places. Places I know about, and Pat Matchett does too, but other people don\u2019t. Well, they know about the currant bushes and raspberries, but they don\u2019t know that\u00a0in the middle of the bushes<\/em>\u00a0is a magic house!\u00a0 It\u2019s invisible to anyone else. And when I\u2019m inside I\u2019m invisible, too. I tried it out once when Mummy was looking for me; I stayed curled up in my house and she walked all the way around, calling my name, and never even saw me! I had to cover up my mouth so laughs didn\u2019t escape.<\/p>\n

Raspberries are here, too, which is good, because otherwise I might starve. I tried eating the red and black currants but they soured up my mouth so I spat them out. Mummy makes the red currants into bright red jelly and we have it with roast lamb on Sundays, and mint sauce, although I don\u2019t like any of these things. I like\u00a0alive<\/em>\u00a0lambs in the fields. Not dead lambs with their\u00a0insides showing<\/em>, hanging up in Gordon the butcher\u2019s window. I\u00a0never\u00a0<\/em>go in his shop. Mummy says it makes him sad but dead lambs make me sad. The raspberries are yummy. Although I have to check carefully before eating them because they might have maggots inside.\u00a0Eeewww!<\/em>\u00a0I don\u2019t want to eat white, wiggly maggots! \u00a0Daddy says they\u2019re larvae and they\u2019ll grow into beetles. But,\u00a0Eeewww!<\/em>\u00a0What if they grow into beetles in my tummy?<\/p>\n

Pat Matchett and I have another secret place. To get there, we have to climb over the low spot of the fence at the bottom of the garden, where the top is a bit broken, and into\u00a0The Wild Bit,<\/em>\u00a0which is full of very tall willowherbs with pinky-purple flowers and scratchy grass and stinging nettles. There are dock leaves too, in case we get stung. You rub them on the nettle bumps until the leaf juice squeezes out. We can certainly imagine we are fairies in\u00a0The Wild Bit<\/em>\u00a0because the flowers and grasses are so high.<\/p>\n

Near my bit of broken fence, Daddy planted a baby horse chestnut tree. In the autumn it grows prickly green cases with very beautiful conkers. They\u2019re so shiny and smooth I can see myself in them, but they\u2019re so hard they\u00a0conk you on the noggin<\/em>\u00a0when they drop. Ha-ha! The boys at school, and some girls but not me, play conkers with them and they make them\u00a0extra extra<\/em>\u00a0hard in vinegar and hang them on strings and bash each other\u2019s conkers until they break into teeny bits.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re glossy brown like a horse. Perhaps that\u2019s why the tree is called horse chestnut. Otherwise it\u2019s a silly name. I\u2019m going to plant one in\u00a0my\u00a0<\/em>garden.<\/p>\n

There are gooseberry bushes next to the other fence. And rhubarb with fat red stalks and very big leaves. I don\u2019t like Mummy\u2019s rhubarb crumble, which is sour, but once Pat Matchett and I picked the leaves and used them as umbrellas in our secret house. I don\u2019t like eating gooseberries either. But they do make me laugh when I touch them. They tickle, and you have to agree they are\u00a0very funny<\/em>\u00a0to look at! And Grandpa told me a joke: \u201cWhat\u2019s green and hairy and goes up and down?\u201d Answer: A gooseberry in a lift!\u00a0 Now,\u00a0why on earth<\/em>\u00a0would a gooseberry be going up and down in a lift? I suppose someone dropped it out of a shopping bag. So, it\u2019s a very silly joke but it made me laugh. I even told it to Pat Matchett.<\/p>\n

I wonder if I\u2019ll always remember it?<\/p>\n

Daddy\u2019s bonfire pile is near my garden. I can see it when I swivel my head while I\u2019m digging. Mummy gets cross because he\u2019s so busy poking the fire, and whistling to himself, and he doesn\u2019t hear when she calls him for tea. \u00a0It\u2019s a good job Daddy likes rhubarb and gooseberries.<\/p>\n

Speaking of tea, my tummy is making growly noises. This has been a good day\u2019s work so I\u2019ll pat soil around my wood anemone and put my trowel away in the shed \u2013 it\u2019s\u00a0very<\/em>\u00a0easy to lose your trowel you know\u2026.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0 *\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

\"SONY<\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div>I\u2019m crouched and hunched<\/em>\u00a0with my trowel digging a little hole for the spearmint I bought today in Poulsbo. I hope it likes it here, in this relatively sunny spot, in my Kala Point garden. I\u2019m reflecting on the plants I learned about in last year\u2019s Master Gardener program, and how a visit across The Pond this past summer reminded me that the Pacific Northwest shares so many species with England, although sadly some of the prettiest — sunny Scotch broom for example — are invasive here. The climate is similar of course. My bones and my soul know it. It\u2019s over half a century since I dug holes for my wood anemones and over three decades since I first snipped mint from the bottom of our Illinois garden where it fuzzed purple and buzzed with bees. I\u2019ve planted\u00a0this\u00a0<\/em>mint where it can escape if it wants, and won\u2019t become annoying, because mint is good at taking over. There\u2019ll be a lot of purple with lavender blooming, and orange from poppies and wallflowers. I\u2019ve planted windflowers, too. They look similar to my wood anemones. They can spread as much as they like. I can\u2019t wait! \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

English English<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0American<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alsatian \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 German Shepherd<\/p>\n

Autumn \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Fall<\/p>\n

Bluebells – English – \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Spanish, Virginia, etc. \u00a0No perfume!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Hyacinthoides \u00a0<\/em>non-scripta<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

Conker \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Buckeye<\/p>\n

Cross \u00a0 (as in gets cross) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Annoyed, irritated<\/p>\n

Garden \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yard<\/p>\n

Ginger (as in fur or hair) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Red (as in fur or hair)<\/p>\n

Gooseberry –Ribes sp.<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Gooseberry, but not well-known<\/p>\n

High Street \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Main Street<\/p>\n

Horse Chestnut –Aesculus hippocastanum<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Buckeye Tree\u00a0Aesculus sp. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Lift \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Elevator<\/p>\n

Lime Tree \u00a0–\u00a0Tilia sp.<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Linden tree, Basswood tree<\/p>\n

Mummy \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mommy<\/p>\n

Tea \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Supper, dinner<\/p>\n

Wood anemone –\u00a0Anemone nemorosa<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Windflower<\/p>\n

Yard \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Paved area<\/p>\n

Willowherb – \u00a0Epilobium angustifolium<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Fireweed\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"SONY<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Garden Memories\u00a0Circa 1960, \u00a0 Birmingham, England Written by Frances L. \u00a0Photography by Frances L. I\u2019m crouched and hunched\u00a0with my trowel, digging a little hole for one of my wood anemones. I\u2019m tiny like a fairy and I\u2019m pale next to this dark damp soil. Daddy and I dug up them from their tucked-away spot in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":2080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[68],"class_list":["post-2053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-68","classic-edited"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2053"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2053\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2058,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2053\/revisions\/2058"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}