Gardening

I am not a keen gardener. I would love to be and I watch Gardeners' World with fascination; I dream of a thriving vegetable plot, a productive cut flower patch and beds of glorious colour. However, I lack knowledge, motivation and any idea what to do. Gina is my gardening angel and she was back again yesterday to help me out. Gina is the most encouraging person I know and I always feel less useless when I am around her. My daughter enjoys her company too.One plant I am very fond of and have long desired to have in the garden is a Japanese Maple or Acer. My dad kindly gave me the money for one for my last birthday but I had held off buying until I knew where I was going to put it. A few weeks ago, I caved in and bought one. As is was very rainy at the time and I knew Gina was coming soon I did nothing at all with it. When its leaves began to curl, I assumed that this was an Autumnal thing. However, Gina tells me that I have failed to water it (which I guess I kind of knew!) and that it is shedding its leaves in a effort to survive. Here, in the middle of the lawn you can see the Acer, still in it's pot: And here it is now, finally in the ground, hopefully beginning to recover.
I post this in faith that next Summer I will be able to post a picture of a glorious Japanese Maple in my garden!