February 2005
Tuesday 1st
I have to visit Addenbrooke's for my annual check up today. It's exactly a year since I had my operation for breast cancer and I hadn't realised how stressed I was over these tests. I have to have to check if everything is now OK after the operation and subsequent radiotherapy. Unfortunately I will have to wait 2 weeks for the results.
Sunday 6th
Phil Game, artist and furniture maker, Colin Walton-Smith, wildflower grower and I left Stansted this morning at 6.45. At the airport, we met Hazel Murray, who is helping us to find the last pieces of material that we need for the garden. Hazel's house is just outside Cortona and we arrive there in the early afternoon. The weather is absolutely perfect, with clear blue skies. We sat outside on the terrace and had a glass of wine. Strangely there was ice on the swimming pool. Our plan of action is to visit the olive terraces which have just been pruned, this evening, and check to see if the wood which Azelio has cut is suitable for us. Tomorrow, we will visit the local junk yard, leaving the task of finding the furniture we need until last.
The olive terraces are just below Frances Maye's house, where she wrote the book, 'Under The Tuscan Sun'. There was an enormous amount of wood heaped up for our inspection. Thankfully it was perfect for our needs. We went through the heaps, pulling out pieces which appeal to Phil and which were structurally sound, as the wood will be used to make the bench to the rear of the garden. It was nearly dark when we left the terraces.
Monday 7th
Hazel has located the most amazing junk yard - and I mean JUNK! There is no way this could be described as architectural reclaim. There is everything in this Junk Yard, from rusty buckets, decaying mopeds and slabs of marble, to logs of rotting timber and piles of rubble. We sifted through probably half an acre of junk and found some wonderful old hoops of wine barrels, and an old wooden hand barrow (which was missing its front wheel); but the find of the day was a beautiful old oak grape press. The press is very fragile and I don't know how it will travel. We decide to return with Azelio, as he will have to haggle with the owner for the items that we want. In the afternoon, we visit a couple of Hazel's friends, one of whom is an architect, to see if they have suggestions as to where we might find some really lovely garden furniture. We are given several addresses in Parrugia.
Tuesday 8th
Our visit to the furniture outlets in Parrugia are very unproductive and Phil and I we beginning to despair of ever finding what we were looking for. I want a small table and four chairs, but I want them to be reasonably comfortable. I hate the kind of metal chairs that, having sat on them for half an hour, make you feel they have been designed by particularly vindictive members of the Spanish Inquisition! None of the furniture outlets that we visit had anything that appealed. We have one final address to visit but, after driving around the one way system for over an hour, we decide to abandon the search and go back to a garden artefacts supplier which we had passed previously. As we drove into the yard the first thing that caught my eye was a beautiful waterfeature made out of a solid lump of rock. We wandered through the showroom where there were enormous amounts of antique furniture, yet still nothing that really caught my eye. However, as we walked out of the backdoor, we came into a yard that was like an Aladdin's cave - full of the most beautiful furniture, perfect for our needs. I bought a table, five chairs and a pot stand. We arrange to have everything delivered to Hazel's house the next morning.
Wednesday 9th
Early in the morning, we revisit the olive terraces and drag the pieces of wood that we have selected down to an area by the road where they can be collected. We then visit the junkyard with Azelio and haggle for the pieces that we had selected. Ironically, the junk was more expensive than the furniture! The furniture arrives at Hazel's house and, to my surprise, I had bought not only the pot stand but the pot that was within it! It was a beautiful pot, so I was thrilled to have an extra.
We spent the afternoon with Azelio sorting out transport of all our treasures back to England. Our big olive trees are being transported back to England next week from just outside Florence. We have arranged with the transport company that if we can get our purchases to the nursery, they can be shipped back to England with the trees. A relative of Azelio has agreed to take all the bits and pieces to Florence next week, in time for the tree shipment. Loose ends tidied up, we set off for the late night flight from Pisa to Stansted.
Thursday 10th
No rest for the wicked! At one o'clock, I have a meeting with Bonnie and Nicky in London, to meet the team from WaterAid! Over lunch, we discuss ways in which we will be able to help promote their charity through the garden leaflets and publicity.
Monday 14th
Today I heard some tragic news. Steve, who does all our IT, web pages, leaflets, etc, has been feeling rather ill for some time, and today received news that he has cancer of the bowel. What is it about our gardens! It seems that we can't do a garden without one of the team coming down with a life threatening disease. His tests show he is in need of an urgent operation but, as in all of these cases, we won't know when this will be until he has had further tests.
Wednesday 16th
I drive across to Bristol to visit Jekka McVicar. With me are Jane Summerfield , who has helped plant my Chelsea gardens for the last two years and Amanda Riley, another friend, who is currently taking the RHS design course. As it is such a long drive, Jane and Amanda offer to come and keep me company. The plants at Jekka's are looking fantastic, though Jekka was concerned that she didn't have quite enough lavenders. Turning from the perfect specimens we were looking at, I looked behind me at a number of large 'woody' lavenders which have not yet been cut back and given the show treatment. I tell Jekka these would be perfect as the lavenders I need on the wild terraces. She was overjoyed, as this was the last part of the order to be sorted. Jekka is also growing a number of wildflowers for me, and these too are looking beautiful. The season is quite early this year, although extremely bad weather is forecast for next week. Somebody mentioned minus 10, but I can't believe it!
Thursday 17th
I return to Addenbrooke's for the results of all my tests. Thankfully, I have been given the all clear. Unfortunately, the medication I have to take is disagreeing with me and it seems that their preferred option is for me to have another operation to remove my ovaries. The only other option is to have hormonal implants every month. I am really upset to think that I may have to go through surgery again, although I make it very clear that I will not consider anything until after Chelsea. Unhappy with this, they tell me I will have to back for further discussions in two weeks' time. I call in at the studio on my way back to discuss the garden leaflet with Phil. Steve is there, he tells me has to go into hospital on 28th February.
Sunday 20th
I spend the afternoon working on a 'herbal' brief which Nicky has prepared. She has gone through all the herbs in the garden and described their appearance and medicinal properties.
Tuesday 22nd
For the first time, the RHS have organised a seminar this year for organisers and designers of Chelsea Gardens. Having been involved with Chelsea Gardens since 1989, I wondered if this function would be worthwhile. However, I was very glad I went, as there are considerable number of changes being made to the Health and Safety regulations at Chelsea. It was also lovely to hear talks on plants and design from people who had had exactly the same experiences and problems that I have had over the years. I also heard that one of the rock bank gardens was having to withdraw because of lack of funds, so I took the opportunity to speak to Anita Foy (who organises Chelsea) about the possibility of moving our garden. This year we have been placed right at the end of the rock bank, closest to the BBC Tower. A large tree, coupled with all the temporary administration buildings behind it, make this an extremely shady site, not really ideal for a Mediterranean garden. I asked Anita if we could be moved onto the site which was now vacant, as this would be in the centre of the rock bank and in full sun. She felt that this was a very good idea and is going to check the site maps to see if it is feasible.
Thursday 24th
I am supposed to visit Kevin today, but a seriously bad weather forecast makes us decide to cancel. The trees have arrived from Italy and I am a little concerned, as the threats of minus 10 seem to becoming a reality.
Friday 25th.
Our 4head meeting at Hitchin today concentrated on the Italian trip, the garden leaflet (which is nearly finished) and PR. Nicky and Bonnie have been extremely busy and have lots of press, radio and TV lined up. We call in at Colin Walton-Smith's nursery on our way home, to check up on the few wildflowers which Colin is growing for me this year.
Monday 28th
Today Steve goes into hospital, with the operation due for the 1st of March. I order the irises for Chelsea. This is the last plant group left for me to sort. Thankfully, David Root at Kelway's has a number of the species I need.
