DEATH OF THE CAMELLIAS

It was a shame to cut them down. They were budding – much more than usual – and would have brightened up the winter.

But the infestation of camellia moths was just too entrenched ; phalanxes of seething double-sided hairbrushes itching to lay toxic hairs under your skin

( not only the cat sitter’s mother but also our neighbour, we found out, had come out in a horrific rash : and when you see how many there were just on one leaf – we kept discovering new batches and were jeebed out beyond pesticidal comfort: even spraying the blighted with horrible chemicals, might they not still come back? Could we ever actually have fully enjoyed going out into the garden again in reality, hiving up in anticipation just in case ?)

So they were given the chop ( I got a message from d last night : “the camellias have gone !”)

Cut down on their prime.

*

Getting home I was worried the garden space would like bare and forlorn.

But in fact it just looked more spacious, at ease.

I know we certainly were.