While I was watering the other day I came to the conclusion that it’s an activity which makes me anxious. There are many reasons for this but mainly it’s due to the number of different things which seem to need doing while I’m waving the lance around and dragging the hose to the right place.

Often there is a tussle in my mind about whether to do the watering now or, if it is calm, maybe the spraying is important. But if I spray first then the water will wash it off. There’s also the garden which is crying out to be weeded. The watering can take up to 2 hours. This depends on whether there are customers who might need some help or they might be standing exactly where the next lot of plants which need water are. So, if I can get on uninterrupted I notice plants which need repotting; plants which we need more of; plants which need labels; dead plants which need removing; climbers which need staking; labels which have come adrift and should be replaced; plants which are looking good and so need moving to a more prominent position and so it goes on and on. By the time I’ve finished I’ve forgotten most of those urgent thoughts and I might be standing wondering what the urgency was.

I forgot to say that there is often a dilemma about whether to water or not due to vague or misleading weather forecasting. Sometimes rain is promised which doesn’t arrive or not enough. Then, conversely, no rain is expected so the watering gets done only for the rain to come shortly after. We are on a meter so try hard not to waste water (and time) doing unnecessary watering.

Warm and sunny days are usually welcome but there’s always a downside…..