Garden Part Three — OOPS I mean Garden Part Four

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I am going to talk about my actual garden – well the plot on which my caravan stands.  In thinking through plans for this garden, I can see how all of the decisions, planning and action can be applied to my life.

I had a plan for my garden.  I wanted a large decking area which could be accessed directly from the caravan door.  I wanted a fence around it with a gate so that my little Pretzel dog could not escape every time I attempted to exit the caravan.  I wanted comfortable garden furniture, some plants and lots of twinkling fairy lights.  I wanted the trees and shrubs around the plot to stay with minimal pruning.  I know that they shade the garden quite heavily but I love the colour, the rich greenery, the birds and the squirrels.  I wanted one side to stay as the parking area and for the rest to be gradually filled with plants, bird tables and a bird bath.  That was the plan.  It was a solid plan.  It took into account the Park rules, the conditions of the plot, the needs of my escapee dog and my likes / dislikes.

So I started with the most expensive, biggest part of the plan – the decking.  And that is there.  The decking has furniture, lights, a lovely calm Buddha and flowers.  It is there.  I am so pleased with it.  I am quite surprised as to how dirty it gets – but it is cream after all.  I can live with that.  The day has to be very hot for me to be able to sit outside because it is very shaded but – again – that is ok! After all I have jumpers and blankets.  I love my decking.  I love the twinkling lights and my calm Buddha statue.  All is good.

But … as so often in life – I think that I have to change my plan for the rest of the garden.  My circumstances have changed beyond my control and so I have to alter my plans to allow for them.  Basically the garden I wanted to create would mean some hard work.  Lots of digging and planting.  It would also require lots of maintenance.  And all of that is a problem for me now.  My joints and back are conspiring against me to the point where I can barely lift a kettle half full of water let alone dig a garden.  I do not yet have a diagnosis but I cannot believe that this will all suddenly go away!.  So I have to be accepting that I may not be able to have exactly the garden that I want.  I have to admit to being disappointed.  I must admit to having sulked quite a bit!  But I have to look at what is possible and work with that.  I can still have the trees, the birds and the squirrels but will have to come up with a less high maintenance plan for the garden itself.  And this is what happens in life isn’t it?  We have dreams, aspirations and plans but we do not know for sure that they will be possible. It is good to have a plan – but we cannot get too firmly attached to that plan.  We do not know what is going to happen.  We cannot take anything for granted.  So I need to stop and reconsider.  And it may be that my garden will end up even better than I originally wanted.

 

Any thoughts?