Mistmantle Garden

A spring-like day and a quiet river. The sparrows in the holly hedge don't notice the prickles.

The garden is now ready for planting and we are already to raid a garden centre, so I asked some Mistmantle animals what they thought we should put in. I didn't get far with Fingal who only said 'can you eat it?', but here are some of the others.

APPLE - You want lots of strong mint for cordials, bit of horseradish, plenty onions, you want good strong flavours. And flowers for yer 'at. Nice big daisies are good on a 'at. And big red poppies that you can see a mile off. And 'olly'ocks. I love 'olly'ocks, me.

CRISPIN - Definitely lavender, it's so good for health, and the smell and colour are wonderful. Plenty of trees for a squirrel to climb. Something with berries for birds.

NEEDLE - What about something with berries for hedgehogs? You could plant a row of raspberry canes along that fence. Are you growing strawberries again? And do take care how to blend your colours.

HOPE - You need things that smell nice. Lavender is good, and you can put it in your bath too. Honeysuckle is lovely. And roses, and that one that butterflies like.

GLEANER - My Lady had a lovely secret garden. She grew such pretty things, Nightshade, Lily of the Valley, Lords and Ladies, and there was such a beautiful yellow laburnum tree. That heartless Crispin had it all dug up. I don't know what those flowers are that the foreign queen brings in but they give me hayfever.