by alison on Wed Jan 29, 2014 5:20 pm
In October last year (2013) I had a letter from our landlord Leeds City Council to say my garden was in an unacceptable condition and the shrubs were overgrown and I had to cut back the Ivy the grass and shrubs, and that I had 4 weeks to put it right. They even sent me an A4 photo they had taken of it which I thought was really nice. As you can imagine I was shocked because mine is the only garden that is like any sort of garden. All the others had paved or tarmac-ed theirs and these neighbours always commented to me how lovely it was.
The Ivy had only a few days before been cut back up to the bedroom windows but I wanted to keep some of the flowers as nectar for the insects so was waiting until they had died off before cutting it all back. As the day went on I got really annoyed about it and decided to send the letter writer a return e-mail where-in I wrote a poem. This is what I wrote.
I can't believe what happened today, A letter came through my door.
It was from Leeds City Council, I wondered what it was for.
To my surprise (which changed to shock) A letter and photo were inside,
And an order to evict my wildlife, who rely on my garden to reside.
It is Autumn now, a time of change, when my flowers all but fade
But before I usually cut back my shrubs, the leaves for my earthworms, decay.
From the flowering Ivy and Caster Oil shrub who give nectar in time of need
For all the insects traveling on, needing sustanance, -A jolly good feed-
We are asked to -" give nature a home or all nature will be gone"
I try my best all year around to hear all natures song.
From March until September my garden is full of flowers
And many neighbours smile and say "Thankyou for your gardening hours"
They appreciate the beauty as they hurry too and fro,
Their gardens are concrete jungles, And nature had nowhere to go.
And so it may look a little unkempt or unloved in eyes that can't see,
The wonder of nature tha's living here, They are like family to me.
It is such a shame you didn't come in June, as that's the best time of all
The gardens a zing of colour galore, shrubs are not as good in ' The Fall '
I always tidy my garden, It's just such a part of me
Unfortunately you came when I was not at my best, A virus had overtaken me.
But out in the garden my feet will tread, with boots, hat, scarf, and glove
To make it a garden like all the rest - devoid of any love.
Is that what you really want, A neighbourhood, dark, dull and grey.
I promise to cut back my shrubs... but maybe not today..... IT'S RAINING
We have lived in this house since 1987 and have never had the garden looking so nice as it does today. Obviously the person who saw the photo didn't know what a garden should look like in the first place.
I also told them to come back in June and take another lovely picture for me...
So far have not heard anything else.