Gardens are not just about plants. They are about memories, places to go to dream. The creation of the garden here at Ordnance House began in late 2011 but each stage of its creation was a mile marker in my life which will remain with me forever. A garden without the people who created it, those who come into it to visit and to relax, children at play in it, wildlife that come into it and beloved pets that roam within it, is simply not a garden.An abiding memory of this garden is of our dog Jambo. He sadly passed away just after Christmas. He was a good age and we knew that at some point he would leave us. But he suddenly became ill and we have lost him. He was gloriously named Jambo Bwana as each of his litter were given African names. But he has been a constant, always there at each stage of the garden's creation and as much part of it as any flower, plant or shrub. He had little interest in gardening and mainly used the garden to stroll around and relax in. As we gardened he snoozed. But as well as being my assistant head gardener, he was also our head of meeting and greeting. He loved people and found humans endlessly fascinating. When groups visited the garden he was positively affronted if he was not allowed to mix and mingle with them.
His memory casts a shadow over the garden I look out upon now, even larger than the towering beech trees that stand like giants in the corners of our plot. But at some point, soon I hope, a new, young, four legged friend will come into this garden. He will explore it, be in awe of it, grow and become slowly more confident and then take his own ownership of it. He too will create memories in that way that all our dogs before him have created, beautiful, wonderful and fulfilling memories which have enriched our lives. For those of you who have loved and lost a pet, you will all understand. The contract you sign when you have an animal come and live with you is to love them, care for them, look after them but ultimately to lose them. But for us these memories are entwined like ivy in and out of the times we spent creating this garden.
Goodbye my assistant head gardener. Thanks for the wonderful, beautiful and everlasting memories.
