Do you remember Friday [April 17]? It seems a long time ago now, doesn’t it? But, if you can recall that day, you may also remember that it rained heavily for most of the day, especially over the Three Counties Showground, where my contractor, Kevin Styles, and his team were laying a foundation for my stone circle in all the wet.

I was called for bright and early on that day, at 8 o’clock in the van, which we then proceeded to fill with my tall bamboos and other structural planting for the garden. When we arrived at the plot the others helped us to unload and we surveyed my rather sorry looking plot, one end of which was rapidly filling with water. Nothing daunted, the lads set to and began to lay a block foundation for my stone circle at the other end, both to raise it up a little from the rest of the garden, and to give a firm base for the heavy stone bench which will be sitting on it. Meanwhile, Rob and I went off in the van again into deepest Herefordshire to collect some very special bamboos from Swing Gate Nursery. By the time we arrived back the block work was all but finished and the weather was showing signs of drying up – good news!

We returned on Tuesday to be greeted by a much happier sight – almost balmy sunshine and people working in shirtsleeves instead of wellies and waterproofs. However, the good Worcestershire clay in the bottom of the garden had now set after the rain and the sun almost as firmly as the render between the block work. Let’s hope that not too much digging will be required because most of the planting will sit on top of this amid some lovely, fluffy soil conditioner.

The stone circle was soon broken out of the crate and Kevin and Rob began laying the sandstone pavers, gently easing each one into its place with taps from a rubber headed mallet. The stone itself is very pleasing with a bronzy- green colouration. If it does rain during the Show (and I really hope it doesn’t!) the one consolation will be how lovely the stone will look in the wet.

We will be back on the Showground tomorrow morning when the stone circle will have set in place enough so that it can be pointed. “What style of pointing would you like?” they asked. “I don’t know” I replied. “What’s my choice?” Apparently, there is much more choice than you would think, some styles with weird and wonderful names to a newbie like me such as ‘bucket handle’ and ‘snake’. Suitably overawed, I have decided to leave the choice of pointing up to the good sense of my contractor.

I had hoped to enhance this post by a suitable photo of Men at Work, but I managed to forget the camera! Never mind, it is ready to go for tomorrow. Meanwhile, I am attaching a photo of lavender double tulips with some lovely white Thalia daffodils, my all time favourite variety.