Botrytis

When we first planned the garden

We thought of Sissinghurst and Hidcote

of rambling white roses and love-in-a-mist,

immaculate swards and lavender hedging.

Here would be delicate-flowered baby’s breath,

there passiflora and pink japonica.

Our constant drizzle 

drowned the lilies,

gave the roses black spot,

the marigolds all succumbed to botrytis.

The cold clay acid subsoil

poisoned the lavender and the baby’s breath,

could not support dianthus and carnation,

made the lawns turn to moss.

Now we must content ourselves 

with those that can survive,

bindweed, crab-apple, dogwood,

plantain, polygonatum, spurge,

mind-your-own-business.

When people come to visit

they say how nice

the garden looks.