April 29

Well today is my last day to Work at West Dean Gardens. I was up at 5:30 and packed my luggage so that I could store it with Cathy and Nigel while I do a little sightseeing. Its sunny and about 20 More about that later. I was off to work at 6:45 to get some early morning pictures. Half way there I realized that I had forgotten to make my lunch so it was back to the house and then after a quick lunch preparation was back to the Gardens. I did get a few pictures but mainly of birds; goldfinches that look nothing like ours except the shape and movement. I also took the time today to get pictures of everyone who worked there doing their regular jobs. I am going to miss them. This morning, work consisted of edging a bed opposite the laburnum arch and it went very well. At tea time, Sarah had provided a lovely cake to recognize my last day here and it was very much appreciated. I continued to work on the edging and a group of volunteers under Steve’s direction worked at the far end working towards me, cleaning and weeding. The result has turned out very well and is a huge improvement over when I first looked at this two weeks ago, This continued until 11:00, when Anne and I started to plant the rock garden using plants that Jim had set out in a pattern. There were ferns, cyclamen, hostas, violets, ajuga and others that made a very nice vista. Yesterday and today I had started using a bicycle for travelling back and forth to the staff room and I don’t know why I waited so long. At any rate I rode one back at lunch and joined two volunteers in the walled fruit garden while we ate our lunch. Some very interested and dedicated people volunteer here. It was sunny and about 20 degrees today. After lunch we continued to plant and the work was reasonable easy as Jim had ensured there were no rocks under the plants he set out. There were some rocks of course as the soil in Sussex is made up nearly entirely of flint and there were lots of roots around the centre of the bed. We were concerned that we wouldn’t get everything planted before the end of the day and tomorrow is forecast for heavy rain. We worked along however and did accomplish our goal (though Jim says I missed one at the very beginning) and even took our tea break. We were all done and cleaned up by 3:45 and started the walk back to the office. Lots more pictures and then said good bye to everyone. I was to meet Sarah and Jim at their place (the Gardeners Cottage) at 7:00 for supper.

In the meantime I went home, sorted out the rest of my packing and then showered and over to the college to update email and my blog which you saw last night. Got to Jim and Sarah’s a few minutes early and had a lovely time watching Sarah prepare the meal and enjoying an ale. Jim joined us shortly and the conversations covered a broad series of topics from gardening, travel, beer, art, music and geography. Sarah and Jim are very erudite and can talk on any topic in an informed manner. Jim gave me a tour of the cottage which was built in the early 1700s and that fact is reflected in the design and additions that have taken place over the years. Some doors are quite short and the third floor has two rooms that would challenge those with any height. One of the things they asked was what I wanted to accomplish while I was there and did I. My response was to experience life in England while living and working in one place, gaining knowledge of garden practises that I could take home with me and just seeing if I could work at physical labour for an extended period now that I am getting older. I definitely accomplished all three of these goals. Dinner was a fabulous roast chicken dinner, with a full suite of vegetables including home cut potatoes. Dessert was a custard flan creation and the wine was a lovely Pinot Grigio.We finished off with coffee which Sarah pretended to be concerned about because I had done a rant once saying that I couldn’t get a good cup of coffee in England and the cups they served it in were meant for tea and too small. Well she did a great job of preparing a lovely Java and I was offered a large mug. It was quite good and definitely the best I have had yet. Jim and Sarah are great hosts and a lot of fun. They don’t take themselves too seriously, just their work and have the ability to laugh at themselves. At 9:45 I left for a walk home for the last time through the walled fruit gardens, around the college and down the back lane to the Selsey Arms and across the road to 108. I have walked many times at night and have always felt very safe. Home at 10:00, charged my computer and off to bed at 11:00.