Yesterday (Monday) morning, Sue and I took gardeners Stanley and Beatrice to the office to help us start a garden. We'd also taken a huge pile of plants and shrubs from both our gardens. When we arrived, I realised that the level of the area was sunken and asked the Stanley and Beatrice to shovel soil from the mound of ground above the plot. Sue phoned the safety officer who brought half a dozen people from the environmental department to help us. To show them how high the level should be, I used a pick (no-one thought to bring a rake) to drag the piles of sand to the centre and edges of the garden. Soon two of the ladies were doing the same while three men and another lady also shovelled soil from the bank above.
I continued to help them for about twenty minutes (back-breaking work!); I then fetched the plants from the back of the vehicle. Sue, Beatrice and Stanley (who had come down from the bank having shovelled sufficient soil) quickly sorted the perennials, shrubs, succulents and small flowering plants. While one of the two ladies, who had helped me level the bed, dug holes, I inserted the plant and the other covered it and pressed down the soil. Behind me, Sue was doing the same with our two gardeners.
Following our example, up on the bank above the garden, three men were planting aloes, ferns, mother-in-law-tongue (I prefer the latin name of the latter plant: Sanserveria) with hen-and-chickens and gazanias in between. At one point the Safety Officer was on his knees planting day lily bulbs and agapanthas while his 2IC, planted bulbines in between. It was hard work, but great fun with lighthearted banter which I'm sure, made the enviromental workers feel as though they weren't actually doing a job! In less than two hours we had finished planting up the bed, we stood back and took photos. Then Sue and I applauded our helpers! A true case of many hands make light work.
As you can imagine, tonight my shoulders, wrists, arms are very stiff not to speak of the blisters on my hands! I will continue more of "my world" tomorrow, but for now wanted to share this project with you.
Stanley shovelling soil from the bank above onto the garden below. Beatrice was doing the same on the other side of the bank
Once we started planting, everyone got into the spirit of the occassion. Here the safety officer knuckles down and plants agapanthas and lily bulbs, while his 2IC plants bulbines in between
The top of the bank is planted up as well to prevent soil erosion
The garden planted up. It was after midday when we finished so the photos are light
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