Compulsary behaviour..

Or: How sad can one be to ‘must have’..

Recently, I’ve taken on the task of making the Step-son’s garden look more presentable (read: contain more floral features). Be that easy a task as it is for the likes of me (as a member of clan Green-Fingers), still not an easy task if you see that the garden is already all kid-friendly (which they have two of). I’ve been known to produce nice gardens from virtually next-to-nothing but there’s a limit to one’s abilities. But we’ll make something of it, no doubt.

Anyway, I’m (already) degressing from my prime topic: ‘how sad am I’.. Whilst being in the midst of re-arranging their garden/patio, I became aware of a grape vine, planted in the middle of some big planter, between two Buxes. When asked what to do with it (having in mind the step-son, nor his partner, know the first thing of gardens, let alone plants), they both responded with “If you want it, take it..”

Lesson number one: Never, EVER, say “take it” to a gardner.. it’ll dearly cost you..!

However, the advice came too late for the dears as it was already re-homed to the boot of my car, awaiting an appreciated home. This is where the sad part comes in: How sad can man be to have a vine in his garden (even worse, in my case: yard), knowing full well it’ll very likely NEVER produce one grape on it.

I’ve only recently, after the grape was homed in a plastic bag for some days (don’t worry, it didn’t suffocate, au contraire; it kept the moist inside the bag, ‘t was but the clod, not the vine itself), found a suitable plant pot to relocate it to..

The Vine finding its way to her new home

Now, more sad stuff: The corner the Vine is placed in, is very likely the least expected place to receive any sun.. “So why bother..” I hear some of you ask. The answer is plain ‘n’ simple: Any landscaper/gardner who doesn’t want a vine in his(/her) garden, ain’t a real ‘heart ‘n’ soul’ gardner, in my layman’s opinion. Note: the glass of Wine in the pic is NOT what the grapes should produce. To be brutally honest, I don’t even know whether it’s an Italian, Spanish or French grape.. I don’t think it’ll be Ozzie or Kiwi, seeing how tight they are with letting things IN, let alone OUT of the country. As if we asked them to go live on an island.. Anyway, back to topic..

Where was I.. ah, grapes and vines..

Having given the vine a place in my ever-so-humble yard, I know it’s not going to be a best-seller wine, nor will it ever experience a lot of sun, like its French, Spanish, Clifornian, Oz or Kiwi relatives but one thing I do know: This is one loved vine, in the back-yard of some terraced house in the North West of Englend. Thanks Tom and Kylie, for trusting me with this wonderful specimen of plants! It will be cherished! Saddest part: Seeing the space we have in out yard, she’s bound to live behind one of the two chairs in the yard… but I hope she’ll be happy there, nevertheless, and if she never gives a grape, I don’t care.. I’ve got a vine!

Thanks for letting me have it, guys!

.. The glass of wine is just an ‘extra’ for the pic..