Please, Don't Judge Me!

It's been very busy around here, with me spending much of my time doing rather than writing about doing.

I've been on a field trip. (which I will one day blog about on the Potting Shed. Sorry Marlene!)

Tried something new while baking bread.

Been hard at work in my own greenhouse.

Started ripping out much of the plant material in the back yard to prepare it for my new interests. (Fruits and veggies!)

Attended meetings to get the new community garden going.

Been biking to work whenever I can.

Had a birthday.

And spent yesterday in the garden.

Digging, transplanting, watering and. . .

Pruning the topiaried cedar I purchased for $24.99 at a big box store a few years ago.

It wasn't the perfect specimen with the top being rather wonky, but at that price I was not going to be too picky!

It sat in a lovely blue pot on the front steps all season. Fall arrived and I knew it had no chance of surviving through the winter in the pot. The front garden wasn't ideal either as it tends to be quite windy during the winter.

But that is where I had always dreamed of having a topiary and for $24.99 I figured it was worth a try.

It survived!

And grew.

Now I have to tell you that pruning is not my forte.

So I didn't prune it at all last year.

This year it had to be done.

Courage in hand (as well as sharp pruners!) I approached the shaggy cedar.

After a while I gained a bit of confidence.

Whoo Hoo!

It looked like I knew what I was doing after all!

The time had come to finish it off.

Following the spiral I began working on the wonky top.

I began to clip and snip.

I stood back.

Surveyed my work.

And had the fleeting panicked thought that you can't glue branches back on once they have been clipped off.

Because you see, I hadn't followed the spiral properly.

So. My topiary is now a spiral topped by a little pompom.

And every time I see it I giggle uncontrollably.

Because, well, it looks ridiculous!

The big problem however, is that I have, without remorse, mocked badly done topiary in the past.

So all I really want to do is put a big sign beside my topiary saying. . .

Please, Don't Judge Me By My Topiary!

Giggle.