We’ve just heard from an old workmate, Fran Sandham who has done a fair few things since we parted company at the workplace many moons ago. One being trekking across Africa on his todd, writing a very entertaining book about it “Traversa: A Solo Walk Across Africa” (half of the way through at the moment and it’s excellent stuff), owned a donkey and a mule for a short period of time (not many people can say that) and worked what looks like a miracle on his garden in the Wirral. Most of the work was done by himself but as he says “I could have done with the Time Team to dig it all up.” 

We love a before and after pic here at Weeds but the “before” pics sent to us by Fran made us think “blimmin’ ‘eck” and a few more choice words too! I know Weeds HQ was in a bad way when we moved in with its mummified underpants, handfuls of lurid coloured plastic clothes pegs and knackered pushbikes lurking in the undergrowth (a reminder here) but that’s nowt compared to what Fran must have experienced looking at the pictures here.

If you look at the “After” pics below you’ll agree with us here how much hard work went into the restoration of the garden as it originally would have been (in a 1930’s Art Deco style). He described the work involved as “one of the labours of Hercules.” It looks brilliant but I can imagine there were a few wheelbarrows worth of rubbish have been moved and a few skips involved. Fran we salute you!