The sad demise of Morvs country idyll

Country life eh?….we have been here in this Nottinghamshire village two years now….surrounded by beautiful countryside…..downsized…de-junked…city free…..perfect.

I am an enthusiastic gardener..well..i can’t bend now but…hey…I have to have flowers. My enthusiasm far outweighs my gardening know how…but..I try.

When we moved into our little house it was a boring plot…back and front…..so we rammed it with spring bulbs and perrenials…lots of colour… The first year it was pretty enough…but…no….I am insatiable….I had to have more flowers. So….I scattered seeds like there was no tomorrow. Annuals…wild meadow flowers…the packets showed stunning displays of colour… shape…bliss.

Then I thought….I am in the country now….fruit and veg. Given that we have very little space I decided that I would plant in pots. So…off we went….five pots were bought….a bag of compost…and two courgette…one aubergine…one strawberry and one tomato plant…I bore them home…sitting in the car…dreaming..

”The sun was shining….I was dressed in a long floaty dress…a straw hat on my head….complete with long ribbon floating down my back….The breeze was gently lifting my hair…Upon my delicate wrist hung a trug…I wandered gently round my little haven…snipping flowers here….gathering produce in abundance…..giving it away to family and friends…making chutney…cooking recipes I had never tried before….safe in the knowledge that all the stuff in them was home grown….healthy….wholesome. I even envisaged scores of sparkling jars of strawberry jam upon laden shelves…..complete with frilly gingham tops….and hand written labels…after all….I had a strawberry plant….why not?. Gifts for all and sundry….heaven…..bliss.

Seeds sown….plants planted…..time (wait) and then…..harvest. Oh the satisfaction of knowing that all this was from my plot….my land.

Then came June in the UK…..and rain….I hopefully looked on as day after day…it came down…good for the garden. It came down….and down…time without end…the fruit and veg seemed to be growing….somewhat slowly….but….where were the seedlings???

We went away for a week…the weather had picked up…so I put my daughter on watering duty and enjoyed the break.

When we came back I rushed to look for my baby plants….eer not a sign of a seedling…except a few weeds…patience Morv. I meandered into the back garden to view my fruit and veg….Where were my courgettes? there was about an inch of stalk left on one…the other had disappeared completely….there were two and a half sad looking leaves on the aubergine…but….there were actually some flowers on my tomato and strawberry…..well there were actually three on the strawberry.
Hmmm the great British slugs had had my stuff away…they had watched me plant it all…the b*****s…they must have been cheering!!!…I don’t use slug pellets…..have you seen the disgusting results from them….undescribable!!! Who wants to go round picking that up??So….I left the slugs to it..
.I also came to the sad conclusion that my seeds had all been washed away…but…I had still got my tomatoes….nineteen in all…mind you the leaves did look dodgy. And….three strawberries…well strictly speaking I got none….the slugs were at the dessert stage by now.

So….I must have spent….. £20.00 in all maybe more….and got nineteen cherry tomatoes…that’s just under £1.00 each. Hahahhaha….we can by a good sized box in Asda for £1.00. I have actually spotted three wild flowers….amongst the weed seedlings….not bad…considering there must have been dozens in the packets! Those were at least £1.50 a packet……

Am I giving up?….oh no…not I!..Roll on Spring….I have a vision…..a cascade of sweet peas….falling in a shimmering, colourful, fragrant mass from the fence….Fifty five pounds of tomatoes….enough strawberries to have a small stall by the roadside….for passing motorists to buy…none of this supermarket rubbish I say…Flowers in abundance for arrangements…tastefully put together by yours truly…

.hahhahahah Dream on Morv!!!!

Much Love Morvenna heheheheh