Lawn

Trying to find someone to do simple gardening work around our cottage has been a nightmare. No-one seemed to want to do any work.

Our village is typical of many small isolated locations, where unemployment is endemic. One really would have thought that a very small investment to meet a much sought-after service would have been jumped-at; but no. They prefer to sit at home and do nothing.

Luckily we have now found someone, and he's excellent. He's very conscientious, sending photos of his work, etc. No longer will we arrive home to find metre-high grass. He makes sure that everything is pristine.

We still have plenty of other gardening work to do, but nothing compared to trying to convert an overgrown hay-field into a lawn. 

I don't know how much grass we have to mow; about an acre I suppose. But with 'Rory', my ride-on mower, now in perfect condition, it is a pleasure mowing. The whole job takes about 20 minutes.

Most of the garden looks after itself, but there is always pruning, clipping, and titivating to be done. And before we leave in early Autumn there's some serious cutting-back of Hedges, Fig trees, and Vines to be completed.

These days our biggest problem is what to do with all the detritus! I must sort-out some new disposal system.