The farmer and his wife

SHORTLY after we were married, a farmer’s wife from near Lanark rang Anne and asked if I was going to the sheep sales there that year. I was, so she persuaded Anne to come with me and stay the night w

‘ Her dream house was surrounded by gardens: a berry garden, an apricot garden, a cherry garden, a persimmon garden, a potato garden, a vegetable garden and a huge compost.” Ana Roš, a passionate rock

“Breaking up is never easy, I know…” Good old Abba – always ready with an apposite lyric, though in this case I suppose it should be “Letting go is never easy” as I say farewell to the garden I have m

IT was about nine o’clock on a Friday night when we heard a vehicle pull up in the yard. You couldn’t miss it. I think it must have had a hole in its exhaust! Jip let the world know we had visitors. T

IT was a Wednesday night and we were sitting round the stove trying to get warm. It had been a cold day, the window blowing from Siberia. “John, let’s have someone in on Saturday night.” I had to smil

To walk around a midwinter garden on a fine day when everything has shrunk down to its essential elements is like walking around a gallery. You can take your time, see things with fresh eyes and be ch