I know the photo isn’t great but it was taken in poor light at around 6pm so I think it’s more than acceptable. (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.) This represents something completely amazing though. It’s a shrub, that’s still in a pot from a garden centre, that I BOUGHT at the weekend. Yes, really. I went to a garden centre, pottered around with a trolley and bought some shrubs.

It was absolutely the most life affirming thing I’ve done in ages. Since I left work and became a student, I have neglected my garden dreadfully. It’s partly been lack of time and partly lack of money to carry out any jobs. All I’ve been able to do is to mow the grass and to do stuff that’s been free. It’s been a constant source of misery because it was once my pride and joy.

The purchase of five shrubs to hide the ugly fence between us and our neighbours is a massive step forwards. I chose carefully – things that would thrive in poor soil and semi-shade. I chose things that would bloom sequentially and would be happy to be pruned. It was a lovely, joyful experience and one of which I’d completely forgotten the subtle pleasure.

They arrived home in the boot of my new (old) Mercedes Benz and I thought to myself “yep, Linda, that’ll do…”. It’s enough.