The Garden of Forgotten Wishes - Trisha Ashley Page 0,51
rosary pea vines,’ I said, and he grinned.
‘I want our visitors to come back again, not turn their toes up.’
I drained my coffee and said, ‘If you definitely want me to start on the rose garden, there’s no time like the present.’
‘OK, I’ll give you a key to the Potting Shed and show you where everything is kept. Keep an eye open for Victorian metal plant tags in the beds, while you’re working. We’ve found quite a lot in the walled garden, so you might find some for the roses, too. We’re replacing them with temporary plastic ones, so they can be restored and put back, so if you do come across any, leave them in the Potting Shed, for James.’
‘OK,’ I agreed, though I thought it might be some time before I could even see any of the beds, under that mass of tangled thorny branches. ‘Did you say you were going to be opening the garden to the public every afternoon except Tuesdays?’
‘Yes, twelve till four. There’ll be an opening ceremony on Good Friday and then, we’re off. It means we’ll be doing a lot of our work under the eyes of the visitors.’
‘I got used to that, working for the Heritage Homes Trust,’ I said unthinkingly, and saw a wary shadow cross his face that showed he still had some lingering doubts about me.
But all he said was, ‘I’m charging them four pounds a head, so I hope they’ll feel they’re getting their money’s worth. When Uncle Theo used to open it a couple of afternoons a week in summer, it was a pound, which was barely worth the effort.’
‘I think they’ll all be riveted by what you’re doing and happy to contribute to saving such a wonderful garden. Have you got a website?’
‘Yes, and it’s up and running, so I can keep updating what we’re doing and our future plans.’
‘Good, and I think I’d develop that museum area sooner rather than later. Shops can be very lucrative, if you stock the right things.’
‘I have to prioritize, because there isn’t much money. I’m spending what I made from the sale of my house and it’s stretched as it is,’ he said, and I thought he must have stretched it quite a bit to create his Poison Garden and wetland area.
The Potting Shed proved to be as big as his office, a long, low building that served several purposes. The end near the door was set out like a mini staffroom, with chairs, a little stove, a kettle and a fridge.
Beyond this were long wooden workbenches, with racks of tools and shelves of packets, tins and jam jars full of odds and ends, then at the further end were the garden tools, a couple of wheelbarrows and a big heap of those woven green garden waste bags.
‘We’ll have to keep the door locked all the time when we open, because people are so nosy, even when there’s a “Private” sign on the door. Gertie and James like to have their lunch in here and I sometimes join them … but if I forget, Gert brings something over to the office, or wherever I am in the garden. I suppose we’ll need to rearrange things a bit when we’re open, though. I’ll need someone to take over from James on the ticket hatch while he has lunch or a break.’
‘More expense?’
‘Yes, but necessary, and I’ve got someone in mind who might do a few hours when needed – Gertie’s husband, Steve. I’ll see.’
He showed me some of the spiked metal plant markers James was treating for rust, before repainting, then found me long leather gauntlets and two different sizes of secateurs, though probably a machete would be more use in the first instance. He put them in a wheelbarrow and topped them with several of the green bags.
‘There we are: all ready to go,’ he said. ‘Bring the tools back here at the end of the working day, but leave any bags of cuttings and I’ll take them away later.’
He looked at his watch. ‘Both Gertie and James are much later than usual today, but you can meet them in a bit. In fact, if they need you to help with anything heavy, they’ll come and find you anyway, once they know you’re here.’
‘Oh, I’m used to being bossed about by elderly gardeners,’ I said resignedly. ‘Do you have a cunning plan for how you’d like me to deal with the rose garden, or shall I just go for