Ask Daisees

1. How did you come to join Gardeners Corner?
My sister (jjordie) found it in May 05 and since I had just moved into a house with a nice sized garden which was a first for me, I was in dire need of all the advice I could get! I'd never heard about forums before and very quickly I had registered on heaps and become a moderator on many.

2. Name the countries or counties you have lived in â?¦
Never been abroad to live but have moved around a bit
~ Wolverhampton (born there)
~ Norwich
~ Chester
~ Hinkley, Leics
~ Leicester
~ Coventry, Warwickshire
~ Evesham, Worcestershire
~ Barnet, Herts
~ Lowestoft, Suffolk
~ High Wycombe, Bucks
~ Harlow, Essex
~ Sunderland, Tyne & Wear

3. Describe the type of work you do.
I am a nurse of some 50 years experience. I spent most of my career working in operating theatres, hence all the moving around! My last count, I have worked in around 21 different operating theatres up and down the country. My experience was mainly in orthopaedics, trauma and joint replacement. I took early retirement in 89 but returned to train as an occupational health nurse. I've been doing a bit of both ever since! Right now, at the age of 67, I am still working one or two days a week in occy health and loving it!

4. Describe how you first got into gardening â?¦
I always had a yen to plant something in the spring but since I lived in flats and nurses homes, never had the opportunity. So when I made the decision to move up north, I made sure I bought a property with a bit of garden so I could grow flowers and vegetables. I was lucky to find this one which has a 40' by 40' back garden and a little one at the front.

Sadly I have been unable to properly tend it for over two years as I developed arthritis in one knee. Had that replaced in March but just as I was about to get stuck in again, the other knee went! I know have to pay a man to come and keep it tidy for me which, let me tell you, HURTS like heck!!

5. What would be your dream type of garden and do you think you will ever be able to achieve it?
One heaving with old fashioned cottage garden flowers, delphiniums, foxgloves, hollyhocks, penstemon, lupins, snapdragons and a host of others the names of which I can't recall at present. IOW, just like my granddad's garden! It should also have some nice wooden benches for people to sit and drink it all in.

6. Have you any particular favourites in celebrity gardeners, flowers, shrubs and/or vegetables?
All the flowers mentioned in Q5 but my most favourite vegetable is purple sprouting broccoli which I never seem to get around to planting in time! The best gardening celenrity in my opinion is Alan Titchmarsh as he has a way of explaining things that gets right down to the nitty gritty and making it sound simple at the same time.

7. Have you ever entered any of your plants into shows?
Nah! Not that good! Haven't actually ever even been to a show.

8. If you had a garden created in your memory, what plants do you think would most adequately sum up you and your life?
One as described in Q5. Something packed with those flowers and ones that will mean there is constant flowering the entire spring, summer and autumn.

 

If u could only go to one garden show a year which one would it be, local or national?

 

What was your greatest challenge in your gardening, and how did you overcome it?

 

I have no idea. Actually shows are not my kind of thing.

Trying to get it right! I started off by hastily planting a lot of 'stuff' in time for my family visiting which was a bit mistake! I mean, who knew some of them would grow so big - too big for the 3 foot square spot they were all squeezed into!

My garden is not so much planned as kind of higgeldy piggled! As a result of which it fits the old saying "like Topsy it growed"!

 

If u were stranded on a dessert island which plant would u most like to have been washed up with u?

 

Which type of garden, or feature ( decking, pergolas, gnomes etc) would you definitely not have in your garden?

 

I'd want my sperengeri fern with me. It's been part of my life and my home for nearly 45 years! I'd be bereft without it even though it did attack me once and prick the lens in my eye!

Gnomes! Anything else is fine but I cannot stand gnomes!