The life of a country gardener.

20th Dec. The Essex Hunt.

The hunt came through today. I always try to get some good photos, but they do just turn up here when I'm least expecting it! And rather than go away from the house (so I could get a picture of the house in the background) they always come towards it  (with the ugly old farm buildings in the background). Fortunately today they discovered a fox hiding on our land (am I allowed to say that?!) and gave chase (they weren't chasing the fox...honest!) along our hedge line with the sun setting behind them. I managed to get a few great silhouettes, although not the lovely scarlet reds seen in their coats. If I was a bit more tricky with the Photoshop I could probably colour them in.  There's always next time.

9th December. Christmas shopping.

Don't you just hate it when people tell you they have all their Christmas shopping done and wrapped?! I have to admit to not having got very far with mine. As usual I keep thinking to myself 'oh there's plenty of time yet'. What I didn't expect was the huge surge in sales on the website. Things had gone a little quiet over the later half of the year so I assumed that was how it would be until the spring. Now I have everyone else's Christmas shopping to organise as well as my own! The wooden swing seats have been popular with an interesting array of messages to be carved on the sides! I've had Americans ordering Barlow Tyrie furniture to be delivered to relatives over here, and a good mix of everything else, the rusty crowns are popular, as are gardening gloves and our traditional gardening tools too.

It's a good job all the bulbs have gone in the garden, and there's not too much to do now. Roses are being pruned and we're getting proper wires set up all over the walls so we can tie in plants nicely as seen at Bourton House earlier this year. Christmas trees are coming in the morning. I'll let them stand  for a couple of days before I decorate them to let the branches drop.

Time to get the Internet warmed up for a Christmas shopping spree...

8th Dec. Monday mornings.

As regular readers will know, I'm not a fan of Monday mornings! They usually start by the phone ringing from 9am. All those annoyingly efficient people beginning work for the week. Today it was the carpet cleaner who comes just before Christmas every year. He'd like to come on Thursday.

Then a shop calls with whom I placed an order online this weekend, what is the address the card I paid with is registered to as it doesn't match the delivery address. It never does, but no one else bothers to question it. Obviously a company that take their work seriously. I don't actually know the address they want as it's the husbands work address. "The city, London?", I reply. This won't do and I have to put a call in to husband who also does not know his full work address despite being there for thirty years! Several calls later I get the postcode they require and my 'Ugg' aviator hat is on it's way.

Next call is the florist who needs to get the Christmas flowers ordered today so I can get the place looking festive. Do I know what I want?! I have three hours to get my list together! She'll be popping round with her puppy (so the puppies can play together)to discuss later.

As well as trying to get organized for Christmas I'm clearing out ten years worth of junk from the cellars this morning so that the decorator can get in to paint them.

Oh and must order Christmas trees. As we're not having a big Christmas party here this year I thought I'd cut down on the number of trees we have. However we still need four minimum! The sitting room tree (where santa leaves the presents), the dining room tree (where we eat Christmas dinner), a smaller tree in the kitchen (as we spend 90% of our time in here) and one outside to greet visitors.

I had better get a move on then!

7th Dec. Christmas Carols.

It's not until the School Christmas carol service that it starts to feel like Christmas. This took place last night at the splendid school chapel which had flowers and candles to rival most wedding ceremonies. From the First Noel to  O Little town of Bethlehem, the parents heartily joined in while the children yawned their way through it propped up by Mum.

Afterwards we were ready for our dinner in The Swan, the best resaturant in the village (there are four - all actually pretty good). We were surprised to see that out of hundreds of families at the carol service we were the only table in the place! We had booked ahead too, thinking it would be full up. It must be a sign of the times that even in this usually affluent community people aren't spending money this year (or maybe there was a party that I wasn't invited to!).

Dec 3rd. My Christmas wish list.

I suppose It's time to start thinking about Christmas. I have been asked what I would like this year so thought I would share with you The Country Gardener's Christmas list.

Top of the list my most extravagant present would be a Franck Muller Tourbillon Crazy hour watch. In the summer I visited my favourite watch shop 'Kronometry 1999' in St Tropez. They usually have a few special limited editions here. I tried the above watch in black and red, there were only two made and they have now gone! I'm pretty sure neither is coming my way!

For the garden I would like the Octagonal French stone fountain for the parterre. I have been waiting for for a few years now. It's site is suitable weathered.

I'd also like some woven willow hens to add interest to a border. A few good gardening books are always great for the cold winter nights.

And of course every girl hopes for a few pink Agent Provocateur boxes under the tree!