Fic: Planting: G

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Title: Planting
Form/Wordcount: 476
Characters/Pairings: Dr Watson, Seth the gardener
Rating: G
Warnings/Content: Summary: It is time to plant the annuals in the garden of the Sussex cottage Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes share.
This is part of my Sussex Retirement 'verse, and the third chapter of A Man Can Dream although can standalone.  Also written for fffc "Garden" prompt.

Seth arrived early the following Saturday.  We had everything planned and now all that was necessary was the digging, which required younger limbs than Seth and I possessed.  William now had an apprenticeship, so it was only Arthur, his younger brother, who was helping Seth on a regular basis.  However Richard, one of the boys’ cousins, had been persuaded to come, and the two lads set to digging with enthusiasm.

One of the first flower beds to be planted was one in a far corner.  I took particular pleasure in planting corncockles and cornflowers there.  These were the flowers I had seen in Holmes’ beekeeping journal and I knew he would be delighted when he found out.  I had resolved not to tell him as yet, but would let the bees themselves inform him once the flowers were in bloom.

The rest of the borders were filled with a mixture of snapdragon, phlox, zinnias, petunias and pansies.  The roses were already in bud, as were several of the other bushes, and I was delighted to see so many of the perennials we had planted the previous year were growing well.  In about a month’s time the garden should once again be the riot of colour I had enjoyed last year.

We were all pleased when Mrs Maiden called us to say she had made a pot of tea.  The two lads bounded towards the house, in anticipation of the homemade lemonade she had promised them.  Seth and I made our way rather more slowly, as befitted our more mature years and aching backs.  She had also made some rock cakes, which the lads were devouring by the time we arrived.

“Leave some cakes for your grandfather and the doctor,” she was admonishing the lads sternly when we entered the kitchen, although we could see she was smiling.

“And make sure you leave room for your dinner,” Seth added.  I don’t know why he bothered – Arthur had hollow legs, and Richard seemed to be emulating his cousin in this respect.

I had arranged for Mrs Maiden to provide a good dinner for us all.  Seth charged considerably less than I deemed was merited for his services, and would have been very offended if I had tried to press extra on him.  By providing a proper meal I felt in some small way I was redressing the balance.

The final small bed was left to me to plant.  It was the bed just outside our front door.  Seth passed me the impatiens plants and I dug the holes and set them in the soil.  We had first planted them there two years ago, and I had vowed I would continue to do so.  They had been Mary’s favourite flower and to me it was one way of bringing her presence with us now we were living in Sussex.

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I'm delighted you like visiting this world.

Both Holmes and Mary are a part of who Watson is now, and I can see him wanting to cherish and remember both.