October 1, my garden guru’s birthday. Dudley Drabble was my foster father. Took me and my brother in when I was five and Chris was six. Gave us a home. Dad was insatiable for land. He turned a field into an orchard. He loved a long lawn.
I have written before about how he and Lilian, my mum, gave Christopher and I each a patch and a packet of seed. Nasturtiums for me. Marigolds for Chris. I didn’t realise until after he died that they’re the seed I’ll always sow. Though gardening never took root with Christopher.
