A productive shopping trip to Jordon & Addington’s garden centre for more plants and equipment and then the rest of the day working and planting in my new riverside garden as the New Zealanders arrest two French agents as their government is in denial about sinking the rainbow Warrior and the killed boy’s father is remanded in custody for a week despite his family’s loss and Bishop Tutu’s son is arrested for voicing his views about the arrest of schoolchildren
Another poor night as first it was too warm and then Della made a nigh time appearance when we were well asleep. Awake to my morning tea and, there being no papers today, time to catch up on my journal. Down to a light breakfast again and, after washing and shaving, out to feed the doves and ducks. I gave up the new position for the bird table and, as soon as I had moved it back, the doves swooped down to feed hungrily – what creatures of habit they are! Four eggs from the ducks again. Out then by Diana’s car and alone to Eaton Socon for my two errands. First to Jubilee Hall and the antique fair, but nothing that I couldn’t live without. On to Jordon & Addington’s Garden Centre with my shopping list and a good two hours assembling my purchases. To help me, I bought some stout but flexible gloves, new secateurs, a pruning saw, some Abrex for the tree wounds, vine eyes and plastic coated wire and smoke for the moles and weed killer for the nettles. Then the plants – five fine standard roses, 2 buddleia davidiipurple knight, 4 hypericum calycinum, and the climbers – a boston ivy and 2 wisteria floribunda.
In all some £150 and some time to load and unload when home. Lunch of a rather disappointing cheese potato yuck and dry peas and sausages (which I forewent for bread and jam) and then ice cream to follow. The afternoon planting the hypericum under the balcony space, the climbers against the walls and great care to align the standard roses accurately on our riverside garden boundary. I mixed peat, soil and bone meal to plant them, which was quite a task in a wheelbarrow with holes in! Tea of bread and butter, more ice cream after and I hope for a bit more variety when Diana has bought the week’s shopping. Back out again and working until dusk finishing the planting and starting the process of constructing the training wire grid for the wisteria. By drilling the holes in the mortar between the bricks and driving home galvanised vine nails, it was not too difficult to construct a solid and lasting structure, interconnected by plastic coated wire. Still much to do and I will try to work on the garden on free evenings and weekends. I put away all of the ducks again, fully fed and have enjoyed the dry, sunny and warm day and particularly that I used it to the full. Confirmation in the news tonight that the two French nationals in custody were French agents, but the French investigation by Bernard Truscott denies that they were involved in the sinking, or that they were briefed to sink the Rainbow Warrior, but only to keep them under surveillance. The New Zealand Prime Minister, David Lange, refused to believe the report and considered the actions of the agents a gross breach of NZ’s sovereignty. In the Old Moat restaurant robbery, the killed boy’s father was remanded in custody for a week, despite his family’s loss. The South African police have taken Bishop Tutu’s son, Trevor, into custody after he made disparaging remarks over the arrest of school children truants, but they will not charge him. Zola Budd knocked 10 seconds off of the world record for the 5000 metres. The Notting Hill Carnival took place today and is now the largest street festival in Europe. After today’s sun, tomorrow is forecast rainy.