Back in the old days.

Many years ago I found a wonderful old book in a s/h shop in Helensburgh. It was an 1863 bound copy of the weekly 'Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette', not in the greatest of condition, but a snip at £12.

Those of you in the horticultural trade will doubtless be aware of the 'Chron', as we used to call the 'Gardeners' Chronicle and Horticultural Trade Journal', as it was known in my day! It's now known as 'Horticulture Week', but has always been the place to look for jobs in the business. 

It's a fascinating read - all those wonderful mowing machines; manual machines for one man, for a man and a boy, for a pony; every possible combination. If you bought one for towing by a pony then you needed leather horse shoe covers to save the turf! I love the question and answer columns too - some were actually quite funny. It was founded in 1841 by a group of horticulturalists, including Joseph Paxton of Chatsworth and Crystal Palace fame.

All those new plants! The conifer Western Hemlock was on sale for the first time. I must get back to reading it, dipping into it anyway.

Starting to write a piece for the Oban Times advertising our 'Keep Oban Beautiful'  'Oban Spring Clean' at the end of March and trying to find a company to give us various things such as litter pickers, gloves and bags. One local firm of builders merchants has already offered the whole lot free, which is good. We'll give them some publicity in the after event report for the local paper.

A rather miserable day today - light rain, but at least it's not windy. Community Council this evening.

Quote of the day:

Dot May Dun, 'Bread, Jam and a Borrowed Pram' - "You can die of too little love, but rarely from too much."