My favourite Gertrude Jekyll rose has just come into bloom again in my garden

Garden Centres opened again yesterday. I was pleased to spot my much-loved local one, Chessington Garden Centre, in news reports. Photos of the coronavirus testing centre next door to it at Chessington World of Adventures keep cropping up in the media, so I guess one or other is putting Chessington firmly on the Covid-19 map.

As soon as lockdown was imposed Chessington Garden Centre started online sales for the first time. Last month the BBC noted that it was livestreaming gardening advice on Facebook. In fact, it is an independent family run business that has always been innovative, experimental and deeply wedded to the local community throughout its 60 year history. It has a laudable environmental policy, which includes an onsite reed bed system for re-using water, a green roof, and an 81% waste recycling rate. As local councillors committed to sustainable working we held them up as an example to other local businesses. What is more, each year they run the best Santa’s grotto for miles around.

Now I’m quite happy to confirm that I am not a gardener. In some ways I wish I did enjoy weeding and seeding, because I can see what pleasure it brings to people. Gentle exercise in the open air, surrounded by beautiful blossoms and scents, not to mention the pleasure of eating food you have nurtured from seed – what’s not to like?

Well, I was brought up to be clean – probably too clean – and I really hate getting soil under my fingernails. My hands go all blotchy when I touch certain plants. I also have a weak back, and in the past I have got stuck and been unable to move. Although it hasn’t ‘gone’ for years, my lower back does tweak from time to time if I bend or twist awkwardly, so I am very cautious.

Now I know I could easily wear gloves and use a kneeler, but somehow I don’t want to. To be honest, gardening really isn’t me. Fortunately my husband has in recent years decided that he enjoys pottering in the garden, so I leave it to him. Since we went into isolation he has cleaned and varnished the decking, re-painted all the wooden garden furniture, mowed the grass regularly, weeded, pruned and fed the plants. Our garden waste bin has been filled and emptied several times.

We do enjoy wandering through garden centres, selecting plants and pots. Most years, by now we would have filled our hanging baskets for the summer season. Unfortunately, we are still not able to go out of the house, so that pleasure is denied us this year. But don’t feel sorry for us – the roses are here!

Please note

We have been in full self-isolation since 16th March to protect my husband whose immune system is compromised.

If you are in self-isolation then join the Lib Dems in self-isolation Facebook group.

You can find my previous Isolation diaries here.

* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.