It was a beautiful sunny evening and I was hosing the flowers on our small balcony on the road side of our house. Each summer I have a nice display of flowers and sometimes I hear the passersby on the pavement as they make approving comments, however, this evening the comments were coming from our side of the wall. Our friend Roland (recently over from Australia and well known to many of my readers as “the bird-man of Brisbane”) had taken a beer and a cigarette to the top of the steps by our front gate, perhaps to enjoy seeing the world pass by and exchange greetings (or meet more birds).

Whilst I was still engrossed with my watering, our friend Jo appeared on the steps of Alan’s house two doors up (Jo is going out with Alan’s daughter Caroline); Jo was going up with hose in hand to water Caroline’s flowers on her balcony and we struck up conversation.

“Your flowers look beautiful, Sally,” called out Jo.

“Thank you,” I responded, “it’s been a really good summer for the flowers this year… apart from those ranunculus plants we all bought. Only one of mine survived. And to think how pretty and promising they looked at first.”

“Oh, they were rubbish. All of Caroline’s have gone,” Jo said, hosing the glorious geraniums which replaced the rubbish ranunculus plants, “but the weather is perfect for the flowers this year. So much sunshine!”

“My petunias are excelling… and the marguerites. I don’t think they’ve ever been better. Last year it was the agapanthus. Each summer seems to favour a particular flower over others,” I agreed.

“I find the dandelions always do well at my place,” Roland said wryly from his position above us at the gate.

There is never a dull moment with Roland around.

And here are some cute photos of a couple of up and coming gardeners in my family…