the abyss means...

When first we saw the apple tree
The boughs were dark and straight,
But never grief to give had we,
Though Spring delayed so late.

When last I came away from there
The boughs were heavy hung,
But little grief had I to spare
For Summer, perished young.

-- Dorothy Parker - The Apple Tree

- - - - - - - - - -

There was once an abandoned garden filled with nothing but ivy.

Then it was cleared.

There was once an abandoned garden with flowerbeds empty apart from cat shit.

Then it was mine.

I took the empty garden and put two years work into making it my own. It had potatoes and strawberries and herbs and flowers and rose-bushes and climbing plants.

It had my knarly groyne*.

It had the barbecue I built with leftover bricks.

It had my espalier apple tree**.

It had my soul, many hours of my sweat, and a lot of my money.

Then I had to move out.

It was midsummer. The plants could not be moved.

I was assured that the plants would be maintained and cared for by the new tenants (relatives of my friend the landlady).

I now know I was misled.

They are in the process of cementing over everything. Most of the plants have already been killed, or so they tell me.

Tomorrow I go and dig up my poor apple tree.

Either I move it or it dies, they say.

I have no home to give it.

So tomorrow I dig and hope for a miracle.

Anybody want an expensive apple tree which is designed to grow against walls in small gardens? Serious long-term homes sought. (I'm not sure if it has a GSOH, but it did once produce an apple...)

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

* A kind gift from my upstairs neighbour Patrick. "Do you want my knarly groyne?" "Erm. OK." And so I ended up with this wood.
** A kind gift from a woman whose computer I fixed.

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Oh gawd. I'd love to offer your tree a home, but I don't have a wall suitable for an espalier tree. Sorry. Good luck finding somewhere for it.

Dave Ph on March 11, 2003 09:48 AM

Not sure what kind of wall is needed, but we've got lots of walls in our garden and areas of ground it could be stuck into.

A tree that's been vaccinated against cat shit has a better chance of surviving too...

Tom Hume on March 11, 2003 10:29 AM

Not sure what kind of wall is needed, but we've got lots of walls in our garden and areas of ground it could be stuck into.

A tree that's been vaccinated against cat shit has a better chance of surviving too...

Tom Hume on March 11, 2003 10:30 AM

Not sure what kind of wall is needed, but we've got lots of walls in our garden and areas of ground it could be stuck into.

A tree that's been vaccinated against cat shit has a better chance of surviving too...

Tom Hume on March 11, 2003 10:31 AM

Not sure what kind of wall is needed, but we've got lots of walls in our garden and areas of ground it could be stuck into.

A tree that's been vaccinated against cat shit has a better chance of surviving too...

Tom Hume on March 11, 2003 10:31 AM

Doh - getting a "server hangup" error when I post a comment (hence the multiple reposts as I attempted to get thru)

Tom Hume on March 11, 2003 10:32 AM

And there I thought you were being extra eager!

Sold to the only (actual) bidder.

joh on March 11, 2003 10:39 AM

I'd have loved to have had an apple tree, but I don't think my tiny plot of earth is really deep or big enough - sorry possum!

Sophy on March 11, 2003 12:14 PM