The garden looks pretty good now and will look even better next spring when the daffodils and crocuses come up and the wallflowers flower. Maybe by then my aches and pains will have gone, too. But just to help them a little I'm going for a massage this afternoon - a little bit of self-indulgence.

You see not everything is bad about getting old. In fact, everything just gets better really. I remember saying this to one of the young guys who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with me in February. He looked at me as though I had just said the most incomprehensible thing imaginable. "Like what, for example?" he asked. "It's all sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, being old then is it?"

Well, one out of three's not bad, is it?

Take care and have fun.

SOME USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

pruned
cut off several branches

trimmed
cut back to make them look neater

shrubs
plants like small trees but with several stems instead of a single trunk

weeds
unwanted (and usually wild) plants which you did not plant

daffodil
a yellow flower which blooms in spring

crocus
a small, white, purple or yellow flower which blooms in gardens in early spring

bulbs
onion-like roots which grow into plants

wallflowers
yellow, red, orange or purple flowers which bloom in late spring

my back is killing me
If something is 'killing' you, it is painful.

a pain in the neck
An idiomatic expression meaning 'a nuisance'. A person who irritates you can be 'a pain in the neck'. A job you don't want to do, like pruning trees, can be 'a pain in the neck'.

robin
a small brown bird (the male has a red breast)

tame
opposite of 'wild'

perch
to sit lightly

self-indulgence
something you enjoy and which you allow yourself to have or do

incomprehensible
impossible to understand

 

MORE WORK WITH PHRASAL VERBS

You seem to like phrasal verbs, so here are some more to practise.

Find 'pulled up' in my second paragraph. It means to remove. I tried to remove the weeds from my garden.

Complete the following sentences with one of the phrasal verbs with 'pull' listed below, in the correct grammatical form:
1. I was too tired to drive any further so I _______________ [left the road] and parked at the side of the road.
2. Our investors decided to _______________ [leave] of the project at the last minute, leaving us without financial support.
3. She's been extremely ill and we weren't sure whether she would _____________ [survive] or not.
4. It's a difficult piece of music for an amateur orchestra, but they __________ it __________ [managed to perform it rather well].
5. The hospital where I was born was _______________ [demolished] thirty years ago.

(a) pull out (b) pull down (c) pull over (d) pull off (e) pull through

Now find 'put in' in the same paragraph. It means planted. I planted daffodil and crocus bulbs.

Complete the following sentences with one of the phrasal verbs with 'put' listed below, in the correct grammatical form:
1. I'd like to _______________ [delay; postpone] paying that bill until next month if possible.
2. I phoned you at work today but the receptionist refused to __________ me __________ [connect].
3. We bought a flat-pack wardrobe but had terrible problems __________ it __________ [assembling].
4. My parents told me I should always __________ a little money __________ [save] to deal with unexpected financial problems.
5. I find it very difficult to _______________ [tolerate] children who are so badly behaved.

(a) put together (b) put through (c) put up with (d) put off (e) put aside

Answers:
'Pull': 1.(c) pulled over; 2.(a) pull out; 3.(e) pull through; 4.(d) pulled [it] off; 5.(b) pulled down

'Put': 1.(d) put off; 2.(b) put [me] through; 3.(a) putting [it] together; 4.(e) put [a little money] aside; 5.(c) put up with

WRITE TO STEPHEN

This topic has now closed. Thank you for all your comments.

Paulraj,India
Hi Stephen,It is nice to meet you after a long time. How is Lucy. I have been following you regularly. But I could not make comment on your page. I found some difference in your column from the blog. The blog was reading like a newspaper. This one is reading like an article in a magazine. I would rater like to read newspaper than magazine. I must develop reading magazines also. I follow your idea of spending fifteen minutes for grammar in the morning and fifteen minutes for developing vocabulary in the evening. I started reading simple English books regularly. I could sense the progress. But I found hard to sit long hours for serious reading like learn my subjects. I have to develop on that also. Bye for now.

Justeezhia, India, Cochin
Hello Stephen.Your article was just like lively conversation.It was not only knowledgeable but also enjoyable too.After reading your articles i was wonder it's fun but knowledgeable.Thank you so much BBC, for giving such a wonderfull learning classes.

Shiori Yamashita Japan
Dear StephenYour article is great opotunity so that you trim frowers and plants that touching nature and good feeling, sensibility to colour. I felt bad about your pain.It must be occupational disease. I hope that you will be well soon. I wish that you keep to do that.I am from Japan. In Japan, there are many kind of frowers. My favorit flower is cherry blossam. And, I have lived in the UK now, I love pampas. When I saw pampas in the UK the first time, I was very surprised. Because they are very big and powerful. Japanese pampas grass is smaller and feathery compere with pampas from UK. I like to see frowers and take a walk in the park. I must come to this home page again. Your essay is very useful to stydy English for me.Thank you.

Gomti, India
Hi Stephen,Hope you are fine and had good time with mother nature.Gardening is not only hobby it's a wonderful moment with beautiful flowers and plants which also nurture our mind and soul in exchange of our care to them.First time I have gone through your article.Really ,it is very helpful to people who are learning English language.I can enhance my vocabulary as well as art of wrtting skills through your article.Waiting for your next article...

Naheed, Pakistan
G'day Sir, It was great to read your column as I also love gardening very much. Since the winter is approaching, I planted garlic in three big pots a few days ago. I'm also looking for the seeds of cherry tomatoes so that I can have some home grown tomatoes, too. The hyacinth bulb looks lovely in the photo. It would be great if you share a photo of your garden. All the best, Naheed

Wilfred,Puerto Rico
Hi,stephen.gardens are beautiful,but phrasal verbs are a pain in the neck.

Dian, Jakarta, Indonesia
Hi Stephen, I just read three of your columns and I loved every word you shared with us. They are beautifully expressed. The best column among them so far is the one depicting your “love story” with your beautiful, humorous, intelligent late wife. How lucky you were! And the best “scene” was your unforgetable marriage simply celebrated with some fish and chip in newspaper. Loved it! So jealous! It’s so different with me and my future husband. We’ve been very busy preparing these ceremonial things for our wedding party we will throw on January 12, not to mention our parents’ row about the two families’ cultural customs that we must combine… I wish I were a Londoner or an American that could get married anytime I want without involving anyone but my half. Anyway, I look forward to reading your next columns…(while waiting am now reading your past columns…). Salam from Jakarta, Dian.

Rajkumar, India
Hi stephen,Good work. Keep it up. I have learned some useful words from your teaching. many Thanx steve.

Marcus Tullius, German, Bremen
Hello Stephen, it is reassuring to read about your gardening activities. I do envy you, to tell you the truth. I am very much fond of gardening myself, but I live in a flat here in Germany and cannot afford to buy a house for the time being. When I was younger, living at my grandmother's house back in Brazil, I used to do a lot of gardening then, because her house had a very large backyard full of fruit trees and flowers. I remember being woken up by sparrows every day, even in the winter. They never went away, because the climate in region I was born and spent 26 years of my life, the state of Minas Gerais, is very mild. By the way, I am sorry to read that you have been having problems with your back and your neck. If it is a solace to you, let me tell you that my knees had been giving me the hell of time until I started practising taijiquan. If gardening gives you backache, taijiquan may stop it and make you fitter for the garden work. Best wishes from Tullius.

Valentina, Russia
Hi, Stephen! It's the first time that I read your post. Thank you for the interesting topic and your view of life. There is only one question about your sentences with phrasal verbs. Why did you use Passive Voice in your last sentence: I find it very difficult to put up with the children who are so badly behaved?

Jasmine, Taiwan
for me,the house,the most different thing between uk and home is (nearly)every house has garden at the back of the house. It is just like your own secret place to relax, and to be what you like to be! If I can buy a house, I wish to do some gardening and recycling (make my little world Green!)-- I don't know why I am worried about climate change and I hope to doing something to help the serious problem.By the way,Stephen, you are young at heart!!

Chuguo Gao , China
hello,Steven,this is my first time to read your column,i enjoy it so much. I knew this website from my teacher, she ask us to write your,because it can improve our english level,so i try to write to you,and i am happy to do this.I agree with what you do.Best wishes!

Rong from China
Thank you Stephen,you write many phrasal verb and flower's names that I never knew before.And I think you are not older,you look younger,you can do more and more work at your garden.

Jie China
It is very nice to read your article.From your article I can see a beautiful garden which is tidied by yourself.You show me that I can do so many things with my garden to make it nice for live with it.

Meyer , China
Hi Stephen,I like your phrasal verb excerise that is very good for my English,I try to improve my English too. I learned about this website from my teacher,who said this is very useful for my English. From here i have learned many new verb. Thanks a lot.

Chen Wu , China
Hello, Stephen,The article is difficult for me. But, I learned some new vocabulary, It's very important, Thanks.

Haydee/Mexico
Hello, Steve, I am international student and I try to improve my english and your article help me very much. Also, I found that in this country people like to have a beautifuls gardens, and they spend extra-time for them. I send my congratulations because I know that its very hard work.

Qi Liu from China
I am a student,and I try to improve my English.I think reading your article is a good way to improve my English.From your acticle,I also can learn some interesting things about nature.Hope you are healthy!!!

Adriana, Brazil
Hi teacher Stephen. I am intrigued about phrasal verbs. I was doing your homework here (and eating popcorn at the same time). It might be the popcorn that is bothering me because my first answer would be "pulled off" or "pulled out" and number 5 would be "pulled down" or "pulled it off" and I couldn't avoid my eyes looking your answers. ;-)Are they the only option? Anyway I will have a go over again. I love flowers although I like them in the garden. I can't avoid the disapointment when I receive a bouquet because I know they will die soon. If it was a flower-pot, could it be any better? I'd be marvelled at seeing you knelling down, removing the weeds and working in your flowered garden. I would even take a picture. Or perhaps I would help you. I can't wait to see my land covered by flowers and grass around the house if it could be built soon...but my addiction would be the vegetable garden...I love the green(lettuce, cabbage...)Don't you think it's so beautiful, Stephen? I wish you can cope well with your back pain. Well...about your massage and one out of the three things you've mentioned, I cannot tell anything. Having said that, bet one of your loyal readers would say behave yourself, Stephen. :-) Bye teacher.

Basim, Egypt
Hello man its really nice to see things growing up specially when they are silent, never asking u to water or feed them u just do it when u feel to do. i grow cactus in small vessels in my balcony and they really put it through in many difficult circumstances,any way indulge urslefbasim

Ram Prasad Poudel, Nepal
hello i am R.P Poudel from nepal.it seems that you've arranged your garden very well .i hope i will also have a good garden of english,therefore i am trying to learn; thanks for your writing

Ania, Poland
Hi Stephen, I'm very interesting about first foto.What is this? In my opinion You have right about getting old especially we have more and more mind.All the best to You and Lucy!!!

Sawkmie, India
Hi Stephen, I am thrilled to hear people of your age who love gardening. It is interesting to know of your close contact with nature inspite of your age. It was only in your story that I came across of at least one advantage of Global Warming, while the rest of the world are scared of it and try to do something. If global warming increases the temperature, will not the flowers in your beautiful garden be affected?Thank you very much for such an exiting story you shared.

Aditya, India
My first time here and must tell you I am impressed. And look at the number of comments down there...you seem to be doing some really nice job Steve. Learning english with you's gonna be an aweful lot of fun :)

Amjad, Iran
Hi Stephen, So you've been living in the same house for more than twenty years! How does it feel? How is it there? Did you inherit yours? Where did you spend your childhood? Take Care, A.

Agnes, Poland
Good Morning Steven,Thank you for your very interesting and amusing article.I can imagine how beautiful your garden is!Best wishes

Maria, Belarus
Nice article, easy to read :) Stephen, your sense of humour is enjoyable, makes me smile. Is it inherent? The best recipe for yellow frogs is to keep them alive... Btw, you can train them! (no need to thank me for this brilliant idea... he-he).

Marta, Barranquilla, Colombia
Hi Stephen,I trying to improve my English and I have visited many places and this is one of the best. I really enjoyed your article and your explanations.I like too much the gardening topic but I feel a little jealous, because in tropic, we don't have seasons. Anyway, we have some other wonderful things, so... LIFE IS GREAT.THANKS AND CHEER UP, YOU ARE BETTER THAN YOU FEEL.

Diana El Sunbaty, Egypt
Hi,StephenI enjoyed reading your article and loved the phrasal verb exercises which were very tricky.I also like to tell you that having a garden is one of the best things in life, so you should stop complaining about backaches as they are inevitable as we grow older.

Emmanuel, Nigeria
Hello Stephen, this is my first time of written you and it was really fun reading your article,maybe i will like to be inspire more in other to aspire.

Silwal Kishor, Nepal
Dear Stephen,I have read so many times about DIY and I found good practical experience in your column. I am really impressed that we can write anything we are doing in real life and it may be interesting for other to read. When I read your column, I learned some vocabularies related to gardening and name of flowers. Do you really enjoy gardening or just time killing ? I read one article somewhere in wave page, if anyone enjoy gardening, he can make beautiful garden. I personally like gardening but from last few years I am not able to do so because of my laziness and I remained busy in other things.

Nadda Chitchulanon,Thailand
This is really awesome! This is also my first time to see this Learning English site. It's very useful. Thanks and regards;Nadda Chitchulanon

Chakra, Indonesia
Hi,Stephen. This is my first encounter with your column and I find it very exciting and useful for improving my English.Ihope to read more of your artcless.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Hi Stephen Keeler ........... I will be encouraging my students to use your newly found column.I use your full name because I am Douglas Keeler also an english teacher,67, working in Saudi Arabia. I wonder if we are related ?My family is centred in the Medway, Kent area now but I believe my father was from Cornwall.I would love to hear from you. Regards Douglas

María , Argentina
Hello Stephen! I found your articles extremely useful and interesting. Good to update my English, since I teach to adolescents, and they often want to know new expressions.Thanks!

Iris, Germany
Congratulations, Stephen! A heavy work is done! And now you can enjoy seeing your beautiful garden. As for your aches and pains, massage and physiotherapy help you definitely (from my own experience) and everything will be good soon. You are right the older the more interesting. By the way, one out of three things you mentioned is really not bad. Thanks a lot for “your” phrasal verbs. Beyond doubt we like them very much. It’s a good helpful praxis. I’m looking forward to reading your next column. Keep well and fit! Iris

Anna, Latvia
Hello Steven,I like your way of thinking very much, it is very great pleasure to read your articles. Your very personal attidude makes your articles interesting. I lost my husband some years ago, but nothing stopped in my life. Life continues and it is worth to enjoy every moment.

Dhoodaan, Kenya
hi stephen keeler, i enjoy reading your column and i think it's very usefull to every one who's going to learn english, i like reading more then speaking, i have a trouble in speaking so what a sort of advice you could give me.

Moazam Ali, Pakistan
Hello Stephen! I am new here & I came to know about you by my friend. You are helping us a lot in improving our english. Great job sir, Regards! Moazam

Linyan, China
Dear friend: Your article is so wonderfu.I like it very much.I think from the article I am not only learning the words but also how to enjoy life.

Tra My, vietnam
Reading your passage makes me think a lot. I live in Hanoi, the commercial and administrative center of Vietnam. Hanoi is overcrowded. The population increases rapidly results in high demand for housing. The area for trees and lakes is narrowed. If someone has the house with garden, he/she is very lucky. In my balcony, I try to pull up some trees. They are only decorative plants but they are important to me. They purify the air. I hope I will have my own garden like you for the time being. Thank you once again for helping us study phrasal verbs which are easily mistaken. In my country, this kind of exercise usually appears in English tests for best students.It is also in the university entrance exam. I hope I can get high score in these exams with your phrasal verbs exercises.

Pinar, Turkey
Hi Stephen,I am in my first years of thirties. I remember when I became 25. I was very sad. Now, I remember my 25 th birthday and I laugh myself such a foolish feeling I had at that time. Now, I believe every age has its own beauties.Have a nice day to all.

Jill Huang, Beijing
Hey, Stephen. Is that single, silent, tame robin a sculpture? Ha-ha. Does your back feel better now? I hope so. I’m sure my dad grew more flowers and plants than you. Peony, azalea, chrysanthemum, China rose, bamboo, gardenia, daffodil, cactus, water lily, orange, pear, grape, and other flowers and plants which I don’t know how to say them in English. Besides the plants, my dad feeds many golden fishes, and some of them are five years old! It was a beautiful garden. Yes, it was. Our house and the beautiful garden will be demolished in a couple of days. I’m in a bad mood. A year later, when we move into a new building, there won’t be any garden. My parents told me they had sold most of the flowers before moving into a temporary rented house. I worry about them.I googled the question ‘How long do robins live?’ and found the following: “Most robins die their first year. But the lifespan goes up dramatically for the ones that survive that critical time, because they've learned so many important life skills. Of those that survive their first year, most wild robins live to be about 5 or 6. As of February, 2001, the longest-living banded wild robin ever recorded had survived 13 years and 11 months, according to the Bird Banding Laboratory at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. In captivity, robins have survived longer than 17 years.” Has the robin company you in your garden really survived twenty years or more? If it’s true, then the record will be rewritten. I think I should ask Lucy when she first met it. :-)Who said you are old! Even when you are 60, 70, 80… you are the most kind, handsome and attractive man I’ve ever known (besides my father:-) )! Enjoy the weekend and please have a good rest! Bye! Jill.

Junghoon Joo, South Korea
Dear StephenMy father is 65 years old and always say that he's fine. But I know that he suffer from several bad aches in his arm and leg (inflammation of a joint ). Now, I'm complaining to my father about his busy daily life but it's very hard to persuade him. I think you may be like my father :)I hope you always be good father for your daugther, and you should take care your health well!!

Jana, Czech republic
Hello, Steven, I am a pensioner and I try to improve my english by reading your interesting articles. Thanks a lot for them! All the best to you from your faithful reader Jana

Nikki Chen from China
It seems that you've arranged your garden very well.I hope one day i can have a beautiful and tidy garden too.My family has a yard which is full of wild weeds and insects,because most time my family menbers are not at home and nobody wants to take care of it!Take care when you do gardening next time.

Marula, Scotland
Hi Stephen,I am really sorry about your wife... I lost my both parents, so know how is it like, but of course every lose is different.Seem that Lucy has a great time in Scotland! Next time I go to St. Andrews will try to look around if can recognise her from the pictures. Joking! :)Have not read your column for a while and am glad to see that you have got now some exercises for us. Great, am myslef a fan of phrasals too.Cheerio'

Mohammed Mehdi Karimi,Iran,Shiraz
Hi stephen,I think you are not too old you could not do something such as pruning trees and trimming hedges!You look like younger than you belive!I wish you could work more and more without the backache .Do you really think getting old is the pain in the neck?Aging process is an undeniable fact in the world that people should accept italthough it is a bitter one like death!

LYDIA, HONG KONG
Hi, Stephen,It’s the first time I write to you. Your writing column attracts me really. From that I can learn English such as writing, vocab ,beautiful sentences as well as your exciting living experiences. For your back pain , have you ever tried our Chinese Medical wine? Chinese people are used to put medical wine on skin to treat their hurt/pain. Your can do gardening at your home during vacation, it makes me envyingyour relaxing live very much. Hong Kong living area are very very small. Anyway, hope you can enjoy your life forever. Best wishes.

Vladimir Russia, Rostov-on-Don
Hi my name is Vladimir P. Serikov . It's very amaze stories on page. I wish good like for your readers.

Nima Vazirian, Iran
Dear Stephen,I would like to express my appreciation for your very interesting and useful column. I have recently joined your blog, and I would be grateful if you kindly tell me how I could get access to your notes before April 2007. Best regards, Nima
BBC Learning English:
The 9th April column is the first.

Alex Wang, Canada
Hi Stephen:I've got some questions for you, and I hope that you don't mind.I've found it difficult to pronounce last names. Of course "Keeler" is easy to speak, but also easy to be heard as "killer". I mean some names. Have you got any good online reference for that?You’ve done a great job describing your British life and helping people to learn English. I like this article since there’s some flavor of nature in it. As a writer, you must like literature, or poetry, I suppose. If you can blend some pieces of great prose or poems in your blog articles, I would appreciate it very much. It won’t hurt, will it?All the best,Alex

InHak, Korea
I agree with you saying ".. not everything is bad about getting old."I think so. Although my physical condition is not good than before but I love myself more and I feel better about myself. With getting old, I've learned patience, serenity and the attitude to appreciate life and surroundings.At moment I really enjoy small pleasures of my life. For example, Meeting Stephen Keeler everyday with dreams traveling all of the world someday, walking along the seashore everyday, going to the movies every now and then and visiting my mom who is struggling with dementia for more than 5 years.Thanks for your columns. I love this kind of writings so that I could experience other's lives and other places. It always amazes me!!

Sahara, Sweden
hi stephen can you explain the last paragraph. I dont understand what you did meant with this sentence (It's all sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, being old then is it?")

Truc Ly, Vietnam
Hi Stephen! It looks very pretty garden & you looks a good gardener for your garden. I love flowers, special lily and I also love to do something for garden as was like you done but cannot. My house have no garden.When you pruned the trees, cut off grass and so on... you could thinking of everything in the life, on the world, about someone, something that you had been...yes, It's an enjoyable feeling! I love feeling as like that. You take care your health. Regards!

Posmishka, Ukraine, Poltava
Hi, Stephen! This is the second article of yours that I read. I am deeply impressed by the warm and natural atmosphere you create talking about such a simple things and everyday life! In Ukraine it is also time to 'putting the garden to bed for the winter', so we here have the same pleasure of communicating with nature and pain in the neck at the same time!:-) Thanks and all the best to you!

OIHANE, BASQUE COUNTRY
Hi stephen: sorry because my english is not very good but the teacher says that if I write to you I will improve my enghlish level. I like your articles a lot but sometimes I don't understand the words but I supose little by little I'm learning english.

Indu - Colombo, Sri Lanka,
Bonjour Monsiue Stephan, C'est magnifique ! ( I got this word recently from Frech Steps @ BBC.) Hi ! I was so delighted to know that you r having a green thumb ! Hope your garden looks great. and what's an interesting person u r ! Teaching, reading, writing, Traveling Now it is gardening, you have variety of activities, I would like to add this kind of variety in to my life style too.Bonne Journ'ee ! Have a nice day.

PHANI KUMAR ANANTHOJU HYDERABAD INDIA
hi keeler, your articles are very interesting. I am working for a regional media in Andhra pradesh of india. BBC learningenglish section showed me the way to learn good english. I am improving my vocabulary by reading your article.

Shadi, Iran
Hi dear Stephen, thank you for the article i learn so many phrasal verb during the text, the phrasal verb part is so practical.

Nora, Sweden, Stockholm
dear stephen, i enjoyed read your article, easy to understand. I would like to ask you that why i fill so difficult to learn english. I'm an old lady but i really want to learn english.

Forough
Hi Stephen,I just wanted to say that I'm very happy that your words have encouraged Noora from Iran to start moving on with her life...Best Regards

Asan, UAE
Hi stephen Keeler, I have been reading you column ever since I came across it and it is very useful for english learner will continue reading as long as I can, Thanks.

Tina,Yazd
Hi Stephan,Learning English is a pain in the neck for me.I don't know how to indulge myself after studying English.Any suggestions?

Angelica Sweden Gothenburg
Sorry I mean 8 october 2007 article :-)

Angelica Sweden Gothenburg
Hello Mr Stephen Keeler.Thank you for your very interesting articles.I am 16 years old and I am new to this site.I hope to learn alot more.I was alittle emotional when I read your 22 october 2007 article?Do you say article?

kassim, Cotonou
Hi StephenVery glad to find this useful blog.Your excise is also good. I am sure I will be fluent soon. Kind regardsKassim

Vijay, India
Hi Stephan I am really veru impressed with your work and the way you teach grammer.Thanks

Kirsti, France
I found the 'pull' questions really difficult. I'll try to remember the pulling over the car imagining the driver is putting on a pullover before having a little nap.

Noora, Iran
Hello Stephen, I was cooking, preparing lunch for my nine-year-old nephew, in my kitchen which overlooks the garden. My sister in law has gone on a mission and her son's staying with me for a couple of days. He is so fond of speghetti and I was busy with my cooking, and thinking. After reading your notes on your garden, I was tempted to set the curtains aside and look at our once glimming and neat garden. Eversince the demise of my husband, I never looked at the garden again. Your doffodils took me back to the springs I used to put some of ours in a golden vase in the middle of our kitchen table. In the backyard, we always had vegetables; radish and basil were his favorite and I was always grumbling over his ever toiling himself for nothing.It is more than eight months now but it seems that for ages no one has looked after his beloved garden. I look at the pair of palm trees planted precisely at the centre of our garden and feel ashamed. I could not give him any children, why I've been neglecting his darlings all this time!

Marianna, Slovakia
Hi! Do you see a big white flag? Yes, my surrednder. I want to adopt London weather immediately! Since I fear that I have hardly pull through in a good condition my one weak lasting running escapade, now I may only pay a fly ticket for my father to come to help with a garden work (he is glad!). Remember, there is not allowed to complain about a pain in this house! I´ll take a sleeping pill to avoid the next night without a minute of the sleep and horribly swelled eyelids in the morning, for the biting cold wind makes tremendous noise with trees in a forest. And you, after pampering yourself will be well prepared for a new expedition to unexplored world again. PS: I hope so, otherwise from so weedy person it might arrive only the title of the column to us next time. I am bemused at the last sentence, than I decided a rock´n rol out for you - but sometimes it´s a better remedy as the two previous.

Kujur, R.P. Albert, Inia, Raipur
Hi stephen! you seem to be a good gardener.I too enjoy gardening.It's not bad to work in the garden, but at the same time you have to be careful at this age. Because gardening needs physical excercise and energy.Thanks for showing an example for the young ones. Hope after reading your article they may immetate you.your article helped me to have some new vocabularies, as I am engaged with Language teaching.

Habooba, Ahwaz
Marhaba Stephen, I read your new note more than three times and then I closed my eyes and enjoyed watching you cutting & trimming. When you "stood up straight" to watch your work, I smiled with you. Well done, pal, it's so lovely! Can I invite myself for a cup of tea in your garden? All the best, Habooba

Maria, Greece
Hello Mr Stephen :) Your column is magnificent as usually. (expept for the phrasal verbs which I really hate because I never manage to guess straight, if haven't seen them somewhere already) When I was at school, I used to learn all the other grammar parts of the exam expect for phrasal verbs - and I managed to pass the tests because there were a good many other questions from which I could achive points... BUT now, what??? I find them everywhere!!!! it seems that they want to take vengeance.... Bye bye Mr Stephen :-) (I will study your's - I promise)

Ghanieh, Ahwaz
Dear Stephen,It's so nice hearing from you again. I was so anxious to see if anything from you has been placed or not. As soon as I got up I checked. And VOW, here's a new one! Too eager, ha! Oh, no, don't be scared [kidding], I'm adoring my husband and only son.And envying the way you're living, keeping a garden and taking care of plants and flowers. It is the house I always dreamed of having, but for many reasons we've decided to live in a flat. Your flowers look lovely, thank you for sharing them with us.Impatient to hear from you very soon, Ghanieh

Ana Paula, Brazil
Hi Stephen!!!Wow! You are very careful with your garden :-). Here is Spring now, and our garden is full of colourful flowers and delightful fragrances. The grass is green and well cutted, oh, and the roses are blossoming with all their beauty and intensity, catching the attention of the hummingbirds, which softly come to extract their nectar. Oh! And when it´s raining Stephen, it´s so amazing! You see all sort of forms that a single drop of rain can draw. Hmm... That´s my favourite season. Take care and have a lot of fun too, Ana Paula.

Tina,China.
hello and how are you !I'm so excited! It seems that I'm the first here. Getting up early is benificial!If I got a chance, I would like to work for you in your garden since your back is killing you. I think your back ached is not because you're old, just that you're not a super man. Only the super man won't feel tired and pain from work. who knows, maybe they felt, they hide their feeling.Aging is not a thing, being old is a big deal.

Analu Lima - Brasil - Curitiba
Hi boy,That's great to hear you like plants.Even you feel as a pain in the neck. It's good because you can relax and harmonize your place. Whatever you don't be more a young, It's not true...I'm reading your columns and I know you keep young in all that you do. bye for now and don't forget to water the plants.kisses,Analu

Paco Spain
Hello Stephen, it's really a pleasure to read your column every two weeks. When I started reading this one it was as if I were reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter one, for the descriptions about gardening. I must say that I didn't end reading that book because by the time I started my vocabulary was extremely poor, and it isn't very funy to look so many words up in a dictionary, so I gave up. But with either your help and the BBC team, I'm gradually improving my learning, so, in no time, I'll give it a go. Best wishes.

Niaz from SMC, Swat, Pakistan
StephenI just don't know with what part of your name I should call you. I choose the first. Is that OK? I am totally new to your column and found it much too useful. The way write is terrific. In this way it becomes both learning and fun. I wonder if you could tell me how to write it in english:...if a person claims that it is he who has done a particular work while infact that work is done by someone else. This is a very common practice in Pakistan. If one politician does some developmental work like build a road etc. another politician of the opposite group would attribute that work to himself. Hope you understand this rigmarole. Haha. Have a good time. Bye

Mohsin Ali from Aryana, Madyan, Swat-Pakistan
Hi StephenHope you and your daughter are in good health as are my family and myself. This is second time that I am sending comments about your column. I came across your column just three weeks back and read all of them right from the beginning. You right in an interesting way and I wish I were able to do so. Anyhow I am enjoying your columns too much. The time while waiting for your next column seems as tedious to me, as the night before some great festival seems to an impatient child, who has got new finery whichit may not put till the morning (as Shakespeare said in Romeo an Juliet). In this column I learnt many terms and phrases about gardening. All that I can do for you is to pray to God to bless you with His most Precious blessing. By the way what is the term or idiom etc. for sleeping incidentally when you are not intending to do so. Thank you and BBC in advance. Adieu

Anna from Siena, Italy
Hi Stephen! So you have green fingers! On the contrary, I'm not keen on gardening, but my parents are very much! They are 93 and 90 years old and are used to spending the whole day taking care of their big garden. Gardenig is a very healthy hobby, I suppose. So I think you will be better after your massage!

Solange - São Paulo Brazil
Hello Stephen I really enjoy reading your collumn.Well I live in a big and busy city with any gardens at all, I would love to have a garden in my house but my yard is all cimented.England is really a beautiful place!