The Winter Garden by Heidi Swain

Author:Heidi Swain [Swain, Heidi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2020-09-30T18:30:00+00:00

* * *

Having properly cleared the air with Chloe, I felt much better, but the feeling didn’t last when I crossed the road and walked by Finn’s studio. There was no sign of life, so there was no point in knocking and, given my continued annoyance with him, that was probably no bad thing. Zak had given me no reason to think that his personality change hadn’t been the real deal and that I should doubt his words, but I knew I would be better off tackling Finn when I’d got my temper reined back in.

‘What’s with the long face?’ Lisa asked when I arrived at the Grow-Well.

‘Nothing,’ I said, pasting on a smile. ‘I’m all right. Just a bit tired after a hard week, that’s all.’

‘I don’t know how you do it,’ she said. ‘The garden is already beginning to look so much better and the new planting is beautiful, but how you can work outdoors in all weathers is beyond me.’

‘I’m used to it,’ I told her, ‘and I like being outside.’

‘Me too,’ agreed Graham, who was arranging some planted seasonal containers around the bothy. ‘A bit of fresh air every day is a great mood lifter, Lisa.’

‘I suppose,’ she said, but I could tell she didn’t really get it. Not like Graham and me.

‘These look great, Graham,’ I told him.

‘I wanted to get a few established ahead of my Winterfest session,’ he said. ‘And I’m really rather pleased with how these have turned out.’

‘What would you like me to do?’

I could see Poppy’s brother Ryan, and Lisa’s eldest, Tamsin, were cleaning out the hens and I could hear Carole singing along to the radio as she swept out and tidied the bothy.

‘There’s some sowing to be done,’ Graham told me. ‘Broad beans in double rows are to go in that bed over there and there’s a net cover to go over the top after they’re in, to keep the cats off and we could do with another sowing of winter salad. That’s doing nicely in the cold frame in front of the bothy.’

They were both jobs I was more than willing to take on.

‘We could do with a slightly bigger greenhouse here really,’ I pointed out.

‘Luke’s promised to put the Winterfest profits, if there are any, towards one,’ Graham explained. ‘And he’s mentioned restoring the main garden glasshouses next year too.’

I was pleased to hear that. I really would have to make a point of talking to him about it. I had meant to, but with everything else that was happening and with my main work schedule focused on planting up the Winter Garden, it had slipped my mind.

‘That will be a great help,’ I smiled. ‘We’ll save a fortune raising plants for the garden from seed, won’t we?’

‘Every little helps,’ Graham smiled back.

‘Exactly,’ I agreed then, deciding to grasp the nettle, asked, ‘and while we’re on the subject of helping, I was wondering if you might have a spare hour or two available to help me, Graham?’

‘What, in the house garden?’

‘Yes,’ I nodded.

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