7.30 start – the key to the tool box is missing and we can’t move the digger because it’s key is in the box….however, this delay was really helpful as our garden area is officially marked out and the extra 50mm grass strip included that we had originally omitted, so that would have put a lot of measurements out.
Forgive me for getting philosophical but sometimes I think things happen for a reason…..

Deepdale arrives with the trees at 9.30 and we decide to put the far corner tree straight in as its root ball will be under the curved wall footing and it is in the centre of the group of gardens. A bull finch briefly enjoys it’s branches and looks down on the otherwise empty muddy plot.

Trees are positioned

I fix the top two perspex sections on and we set out the garden according to my plans using strings and levels. The team excavate most of the site to around 700mm and we spend time precisely locating the centre of the garden, the specimen Betula nigra location, the centre for the base of the sculpture, so that the sculpture encircles this key tree and looks right from all angles.

We attach the lower sections of sculpture (minus perspex leaves for fear of damage) and then the upper sections.

It rains hard for half an hour and most people seem to down tool;, a pair of ducks look on amused and try out the impromptu pond that has appeared in my plot!

In a last push for the day we mark out the location of the wall footing and nearly forget the 50mm grass strip again!!!! These go in and we decide to call it a day at 7pm. I plod back to my accommodation feeling tired but fairly pleased with progress.

Caroline Butler