Tuesday 9 March 2010

BURIED TREASURE?

As the Crocus fade and the sun warms the garden I decided I really had to make a start on tackling this bed. It hasn't been touched for several years, apart from a bit of pruning and arms of Columbine pulled from the ivy at the back.

Some years ago whilst struggling with Lyme Disease and not able to garden I got Mike to clear out many of the herbaceous plants and plant up with shrubs some of which I'd grown from cuttings, thinking it would be easier to maintain, especially as it is full of ground elder, which is difficult to get rid of. Mike is not so particular as I am about the garden if it is green that's ok by him although he does enjoy the garden immensely and is a bit of a wiz these days with the vegetables.

Apart from the very long cold snowy and wet winter there have been other obstacles to sorting out this area of the garden. I dread to think what the grass will be like when Mike finally completes the roofing project which was interrupted by the weather.

So a start was made and only half way through I have already filled two trugs of ground elder roots for the council tip. One bucket of rubble later I found an especially difficult piece of rubble to remove, just where I wanted to move some of the crocus too in the front of the border.

Of course the lump was under part of the grass and with all the rubble used to build this part of the garden up after the previous owner had building work done I had found plants didn't grow well here and so decided to remove the offending piece.

I wondered how big it really was, dug up the grass, was a bit unsure in case it was part of a drain lid, or maybe with the strangle lip it was an old sink or part of a toilet. The house was built in 1900 and originally had an outside privet at the bottom near the pond. I also pondered the idea that it could be a cover for a well as many of the houses along this street had wells at the back.

Well eventually out it came and no it was not any of the things I'd thought, it wasn't treasure of any sort.

Turning it over the name imprinted in reverse, clearly showed it was CEMENT, so what shall I do with it now? Perhaps find some strategic spot and call it Joanne's Folly!
However you can imagine the physical effort needed to remove this from the ground after already spending an hour digging Ground Elder.
I spent 6 1/2 years suffering with debilitating and painful arthritis and muscle weakness, my fingers hurt to blow my nose, my hands hurt to hold a magazine and I could not walk up or down stairs properly for 3 1/2 years how many more people's painful Arthritis could like mine be as a result of Lyme Disease how many more people could get better on long term antibiotics? For more information look at the links on my side bar and follow the link into my other blog Looking at Lyme Disease. How many family members and friends do you know who have symptoms and have never been properly assessed for Lyme Disease because of the controversies surrounding diagnosis and treatment. How lucky was I? Although all could have been avoided if only doctors were more aware and had treated me when I had presented with bites and obvious bulls eye rashes, with a few weeks of simple antibiotics.

21 comments:

  1. Hi Joanne, How great to be able to spend that amount of time gardening! Your soil must be pretty sweet there from the cement! Brings back memories of digging big rocks from my beds. I love your crocus! You are absolutely right about Lyme! I am so glad you are finally well enough to garden again!! Happy Gardening! ;>) Carol

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  2. My goodness! That is a huge block of cement and not an easy job to take out of the ground. I'm sure your plants will do much better in that spot. I'm glad you are better and making people(myself) more aware of this debilitating disease.

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  3. Perhaps someone in the past had dumped a whole bag of cement. A pity you can't think of a way to make it into a garden feature!

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  4. Joanne, what a lot of work you went to, I am exhausted just reading about it. And what a glorious show of crocus, are they tommies?

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  5. That's a bummer - all that work to remove such a heavy and large object only to find cement.

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  6. Well, it certainly gives new meaning to "buried treasure" doesn't it? I think it would look lovely in your garden with perennials planted around it, don't you?

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  7. Definitely cement. I've had this happen to me before. I have bad arthritis. Not sure why. I generally take pain meds just to get thru the day sometimes. It is tough for sure.

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  8. I imagine that battles with concrete and the like must give you so much pleasure Joanne after your illness. Enjoy spring!

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  9. It was great to look at my dashboard and see so many lovely comments, I didn't deserve them all as I have been slow to follow gardening blogs recently with all the time spent posting on my Lyme blog and on Eurolyme a chat line. I will get back to you all soon though.

    I was pleased to see that my lovely trug shows on the second photo.
    This came all the way from Canada with my friend Alison and makes me smile when I use it. I met Alison through Eurolyme and as an ex Brit living in Canada she still has family in the UK. Alison also has Lyme disease and because there are no Lyme Doctors in Canada she travelled to UK and consulted with my Lyme Doctor and at the same time came along to Lyme Disease Action conference with me last September.

    So my Lime green trug was a rather appropriate present from one Limme, Lymee to another Lymee.

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  10. You must be tired after all that work. I wonder how long that cement had been there? It sure is strange what can be found when digging around it yard.

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  11. Ah, a piece of concrete labeled "concrete." Well, there you go. I do like the shape of it, and it has a nice rock appearance. I think about Lyme Disease a lot and wonder about people too. I also think about gluten intolerance and how going off of dairy and wheat changed my life for the better. Keep on digging my friend.~~Dee

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  12. That was a big almost rock! I know a little of how you feel~Now that my hand is healing I can lift again and garden. Keep up the great garden work~You are an inspiration to me. gail

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  13. Could it be turned to a ...garden table? ... a base to put some container plants on? Can you make moss grow on it? Huge green mossy rock would look great! Sorry, this is the first thing I do before getting rid of something, I try to see if I can use it in my garden.

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  14. so glad to see the lime green trug is still coming in handy!

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  15. What a job! I am so glad you are able to do that now. I agree with Tatyana - Let moss grow on it, and it will look like a big rock with character.

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  16. Sorry about the Lyme disease. I am bad about not spraying myself before going outside but this year, I plan to be more diligent about it. I hate bug bites, they are so itchy…

    I vote to incorporate your cement treasure into your garden landscaping. Think of it as a big rock and plant all around it…

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  17. I am awarding you the Happiness Award for this blog and all the smiles it brings to everyone who visits here. You can learn about it at my blog, Joanne...

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  18. I just popped by to wish you a very Happy Easter,

    RO xxx

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  19. Just to wish you happy spring Joanne - you are very quiet - hope that it is just being busy in the garden that's keeping you away.

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  20. Maybe there is treasure in the cement?

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  21. Hi just to say I have been away without a computer for a fortnight and now returned there is such a lot to do in the garden and in the house.

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