May Flowers

If you leave Butterglove House by the front gate and start to walk along Dandelion Lane towards the junction with Dock Road you will soon pass Perry Babblebrook's house. Number 32 is notable because of the beautiful garden, at one of its peaks in May. It is Perry's pride and joy.

It isn't really surprising that this horticultural gem attracts attention. Even if you're not particularly knowledgeable about flowers, shrubs and such, regular passersby would confirm that Perry is forever working there, making tweaks to his flora. Not long ago, after we had a spate of April showers, postman Pete Petite was making a parcel delivery to our house and he remarked that Perry had still been outside, rooting in his borders, a parasol diverting the rain from his endeavours.

I should spend more time in my garden. I do the minimum to keep it tidy, chopping back excess growth, doing some weeding, but rely upon perennial plants to provide colour. I can't be troubled with the hassle and expense of annual bedding plants. I'm no Perry. Merlin does his bit, but he's more concerned with his herb garden - tending his bay tree, clipping ingredients from his sage and rosemary bushes - than the flowers. I'm fortunate that Denzel - my cousin Samantha's husband - is a gardener. The council employ him as one of the greensmen/gardeners that keep the village's common land tidy. As such he has the skills and resources to keep in check the back field that separates our houses.

I was at Number 32 chatting to Perry about his display of May flowers a few days ago. As we walked around his garden I happened to mention my gardening shortcomings.

"Ah, Jackson, if I had that amount of land I'd have no time to go to work," he said, laughing. Perry, the youngest of the Babblebrook brothers, is a plumber. "I'd want to landscape the entire field, add some water features and a selection of aquatics."

"Anita would never see you," I nodded.

"She wouldn't object at the moment," he grinned.

"Surely not."

"She must have mentioned me to your Cecile."

I recalled a comment from months ago. "Is it something about making a bit of a mess?"

"Sounds about right. I don't blame her. You see, Anita is rather house proud but I was always forgetting about muddy footprints and spreading grass cuttings when I went into the house. I'd be taking her in some flowers, but my good intentions were always wiped out along with her hard work at keeping the carpet and floor clean."

"Oh dear."

"Oh dear's right. I started spending longer in the garden avoiding the brief breaks when I'd ordinarily pop indoors. It helped keep the house clean. But it became more difficult when we had little Joseph."

"Babies do take time away from other tasks."

"You've got it. I did my share at night, but even so, she had to be more directed in her housework. Less time to clean up to her desired standard. Careful planning."

"But Joseph's older now."

"True. And that's part of the current awkward situation."

He must have seen my confusion, so offered an explanation. "You see, Joseph takes after me rather than Anita. Except where I spread mess by being a touch thoughtless,  Joseph loves being mucky."

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"I should explain. To try and avoid leaving a trail of dirt around the house I've installed a shower in my shed."

At this point I should say "shed" is an understatement. The building is a small summerhouse that stores his garden equipment and furniture, plus an area for potting and pricking out plants. Perry could probably live in there. The addition of a shower and wash room was not the surprise it could have been.

"That's... considerate," I said.

"It is, isn't it?" said Perry, examining a fuchsia, "A quick wash and a change of clothes, and Anita won't be troubled with me dirtying up the house."

"And how does Joseph figure into this?"

"Pails of water from the shower room. Mud pies. All used to stick May flowers to the kitchen wall. A picture for his mummy."

"Ouch. That didn't go well, I take it."

"Not for me. I had to take Joseph back to the shower room, clean him up, take him to his grandma's and then keep out of Anita's way whilst she sorted out the kitchen. She said she didn't want to see me until all was fixed. And I'd better be clean when I did return. Apparently it was all my fault."

"Why?"

"Don't ask me. Maybe I should have watched Joseph more closely."

"Maybe that's it. I take it you were preoccupied with your gardening."

"I didn't want the bluebells to spread beyond their borders."

"Understandable," I chuckled.

"And the forsythia needs pruning now the flowers have gone. The new growth is shooting up and sneaking into the branches of the prunus."

"And what about Joseph?" I was highlighting the carelessness that left a young rabbit to run wild - but Perry misunderstood.

"I'm to collect him from my mum's house at four o'clock."

"Three quarters of an hour ago?"

"Oh no! I'd better be on my way!"

I pointed to the clay that adorned his trousers. "Perhaps a shower and change of clothes?"

"Right. Thanks, Jackson."

He rushed off down the side of his house.

I shook my head in amusement. I'm glad I'm not a gardening addict like Perry. Maybe I am better letting my perennials provide the May flowers in my garden.

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