Dubai in Pictures 18

This is a common sight in suburban Dubai.  An independent Garden Service Provider travelling from house to house (or villa as it is known here), maintaining the gardens.

They carry everything they need on their bicycles, or pull it along side them while they ride.  You can see the rake, secateurs and other tools sticking out behind him.  The smaller items and sometimes even plants are carried in a basket or a bag on the front of the bike.  The lawnmower is usually shared between a couple of gardeners. 

Garden therapy

I am not a gardener.  I like having a garden, but I don't do gardening. Alas every now and again in every person's life there comes a time when you have to make exceptions.  Today was such a day.  

Now, I don't usually write about negative things.  I try to make this blog about beauty, creativity and inspiration.  But I have to get this off my chest. 

It has been building up over the last few days...  that feeling of wanting to strangle certain people (read: a darling beloved offspring or two). So this morning after school drop-off I attacked the garden.  It was in it's end of season, overgrown, not very attractive state, so I ripped up old perennials, dug up dead shrubs and pruned back low hanging branches.  Then I dug up all the empty flower beds and mixed in some compost and other dead stuff.  I worked up a good sweat and burned a load of calories (or so I like to believe).

Then I went for a swim, showered and went back to school for pick-up. 

 I think I saved at least two lives today.

Tomorrow we will go to the Garden Center and buy something bright and flowery.