During the past six months it has been very difficult at times to come to terms with the loss of Paul. Nicola and I thought that it would be good to have something to focus on and we decided that a garden project was just the thing. My large side garden was originally "open plan". A few years ago I had it fenced to the permitted 1 metre high and since that time it has remained completely lawn, ideal for my grandchildren to play football on, but along with my front and back lawns, a tiresome task to mow. I have often dreamed of having a pretty garden to enjoy and Nicola lost no time in designing a plan for my unusual shaped corner plot. Over the past weeks, Nic and her hubby Jim have been brilliant. Jim has done all the hard graft such as taking off the turf to shape the borders and centre bed. With Nic's help he planted 70 laurel hedging plants against the fence which I will grow to 2 metres to make the garden private. Nic and Jim also bought me three beautiful trees, two flowering cherries (one weeping) and an acer which they planted, together with two sapling trees from their garden, a sorbus and a cherry. Along with a few other plants from their's and my friend Jean's gardens, it is beginning to take shape. Jean and I woodstained the 145 feet of fencing, inside and out. With winter coming on, the next jobs of creating a rockery in the centre bed and digging over the borders for planting will be left until early spring. I am planning to plant a rose in my new garden on Paul's birthday in March, named "Remember Me", a beautiful rose with coppery orange blooms. Working on the garden has been very exciting and rewarding. I'm sure that it will give me lots of pleasure, adding plants and shrubs to create the garden of my dreams. Thanks must go to Nic and Jim for all their hard work and I look forward to their help again in the spring.