talking dead banana

Work in the garden today, to clear some of the dead stems and make some space for new things, was really a long chat interrupted with only

occasional action. I didn't get much done.

For some reason, it wasn't a particularly cheery day, the garden had a steady stream of visitors - most of whom wanted to talk. Apart from the all-weather regulars there were the first of the returning fair-weather ones, nice to see some of them back (though not all - one or two will need watching again this year), and new faces too.

People were very complimentary and congratulated the good work. Lots of comments re:global warming and everything being in flower 'this time of year'. I explained, increasingly automatically as the day wore on I'm sure, that the plants were doing what they do at the right time and reeled off the list of plants that flower in winter, and got them to sniff the coronilla (now staked) that was performing today. Some days it seems to have no fragrance whatsoever but when the temperature is just right it is smashing.

Had to advise that poking the goldfish with a stick was not a good idea.

A slightly confusing conversation with a lady - about the banana not being dead. She wanted to know what would replace the dead banana. I said it just looked tatty and wasn't dead so nothing. For some reason she clearly thought this was ridiculous. It sort of went back and forth between us for a minute until she demanded to know "why, in that case, is it crisp and brown?". "It's winter! The leaves fall off!" I replied rather bluntly.

I try and answer questions about the garden but am not at my best whilst off-balance, on one leg, half-doubled and trimming helichrysum. Some people do pick their moment.