Red Stones in the Sunset

could well be the theme tune for today, except no sun. It never really rose so no reason to set. But we do need to get rid of a very large quantity of red stone gravel-from one of the very few quarries in the UK where this stuff comes from-Northumberland and as patronised, amongst others, by HM the Queen. And it is a huge amount, several inches deep and covers the whole top section of what should be the upper(Hanging possibly) garden in the Small House in Duns. Our predecessors covered what used to be a lawn and a Plum Tree bed with the red stones-nice if you like that sort of thing.

But the wife doesn't. So the plan is for a grassed area riddled with soft fruit bushes: 10 rasps, 3 blackcurrants, 2 redcurrants and a gooseberry. Apple trees also poised. All duly purchased from Woodside today. We anticipated that with the red stones gone by this evening we could get working on the earth moving next week. Here we were a trifle optimistic.

We had advertised our stuff on Berwickshire Freecycle with the usual enthusiastic response but the guy, the first to respond, who came all the way from Hawick filled his trailer to the rim. 'I have hardly scratched the surface' he said sadly. And left. We have other people after the gravel-not HM the Queen unless she uses Freecycle under a pseudonym: BlueBlood 1? so its over to them and the groundsmen at Balmoral are very welcome to phone in. There's plenty for everyone. And likely to be a lot

left over

Labels: Red stone Gravel. Berwickshire Freecycle, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 4:25 PM