Every week I stay over with friends who have just moved to a house that has a 10 acre garden. Not all the garden is cultivated, but the section that was most recently agricultural, has been kept mowed as a giant lawn for perhaps 10 years. The main reason for the move was 3 young boys needing safe outdoor space. Coming from a small hard surfaced back yard in which to ride their bikes, they now have use of a giant trampoline, a cricket net on wheels, football pitch, some golf flag poles and a tennis ball throwing machine. In their first summer, last year they slept out under the stars and had giant bonfires. This is all in the first year and there is still sooooo much more garden.

But at this time of year there  is little outdoor activity for the boys.  For me the pleasure of being there every week is that I  see so vividly the first of everything as it emerges and fleshes out the vast open space.