Master Gardener

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- The formal garden imposes geometric strictures on plants,

circles, squares, triangles.

These are also known as French gardens.

Informal gardens, also known as British gardens,

were popularized in the 18th century and adhered to the

shapes and contours of nature.

A third type, the wild garden, only appears to be wild.

It contains a seemingly random variety of plants and shrubs,

which supports insects and wildlife.

Gardening is a belief in the future,

a belief that things will happen according to plan.

That change will come in its due time.

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Okay, we have officially begun the timeline

for this year's spring charity auction.

Charles Grow and company have begun the event logistics.

No doubt you've been following the design schema.

I don't envisage there's gonna be any changes,

so we're locked and loaded.

Xavier and I are going through the assignments and after this,

Maggie, Xavier, we'll head over to the main greenhouse.

Last year's charity auction collected 150,000

for Meals on Wheels.

This year I would like to exceed that,

not just for the community, but for...

Ms Haverhill herself.

When you're ready.

- The angel wings have recovered.

Mm, it was quite a scorching.

I don't know what I was thinking.

- You can't spreadsheet nature, it'll only surprise you.

They'll recover in the gate garden.

Mm, more beautiful than ever.

For the visitors, there'll be a moment.

- Mr. Roth, we got a message from the Gracewood House.

Ms Haverhill would like you to drop by.

When?

- Whenever you have a chance, nothing urgent.

- We all know what that means.

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Janine?

- Narvel, take a seat on the porch.

Ms Norma will be out in a moment.

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Hello, hello.

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Narv, Sweet Pea.

Shall I go and change?

No, porch is just fine.

I love the early morning rain.

It's very, ahmm... What's the word?

Nitrogen oxide.

Soulful.

Yes, that's it.

Move over.

Yeah, I named him Porch Dog when he was just a pup.

I knew that was all he'd ever be good for.

Now, how's the event coming?

Very good.

I'll walk you through the garden preparations.

Thanks Ronnie.

- Last year's show had a wonderful reception.

Hmm.

- This year we're gonna ramp up the auction a bit.

A dozen Variegated Monsterra cuttings.

Our crème de la crème Princess Irene bulbs.

And this year, thanks to Yong Nursery, a Slipper Orchid.

- It's always fun to watch grown men in pastel pants

outbid each other over a flower.

- But that's not the reason why you asked me to join you.

What is it, Norma?

I have a favour to ask.

What is it?

- My sister Betty's daughter had a daughter.

That makes her my grand niece.

Well, my sister's been long gone and last year her daughter died.

And it's been hard on my grand niece, so I hear.

She's mixed blood.

When she was a child, she would come to Gracewood

with her mother.

One summer they came every week.

And Maya, that's her name, was enchanted.

Enchanting just to see her play in the gardens.

Here's a picture.

When her parents broke up, he was a bum.

They moved away.

You know how she ended up with him.

No accounting for people's taste.

It was okay with me, of course.

And then she got cancer.

Like my sister before her.

Tit cancer.

Well, Maya's life apparently hasn't turned out so well.

She got in a funk, dropped out of school,

and then lifestyle choices, I believe they call them.

A bad crowd.

It was only a matter of time.

I felt I should do something.

I would like you to take Maya on as an apprentice.

I will provide transportation and minimum wage

with adjustments.

You will teach her how to tend a garden,

as well as classes in horticulture and so forth.

What age is she?

I'm not sure.

Twenty?

No, more.

How long has it been since you've seen her?

I haven't.

That's your job.

She's family.

Gracewood is family.

- And you would like me to respond how?

- I was hoping you'd say, "Norma, it would be a pleasure

to be of assistance to your grand niece."

- Norma, it would be a pleasure to be of assistance

to your grand niece.

Good.

Now let's see about that garden.

Hmm.

Come on, boy.

Come on.

There's a few variations this year.

Some practical, some seasonal.

You know what they say, Narv.

Money is the best manure.

The better the money, the better the manure.

- She went on to explain that aesthetic gardens

were a recent development.

In colonial times, gardens were utilitarian.

A cross between a grocery store and a pharmacy.

In the Gilded Age, they became an entrance to high society.

A place of conspicuous display.

- At Gracewood, we have the best of both worlds.

Four generations of curated botany, horticulture,

and display.

Now, where were we, Sweet Pea?

- You were wondering which colour dress would be best.

You wore the emerald green last year.

- With white frill on the sleeves and neck.

That's right.

I looked pretty good.

Yes, you did.

Porch Dog, come.

You sit.

- The soft yellow Autumn Minaret Day Lilies

begin their long season first.

The second week of July.

A week later, a profusion of Sunset Cosmos follows.

Their sulfur petals overshadow the day lilies.

Then, just before high summer, the colour wheel comes alive.

Toward the end of the month, overnight,

the purple and pink perennial Asters burst into bloom.

And for 38 hours, they are all glowing.

The gardeners, we pull out the weeds.

Hello.

I'm Narvel Roth.

Narvel?

What kind of name is that?

What kind of name is Maya?

Oh, that is my name.

Where's Norma?

- Ms Haverhill thought she'd give you a little time

to get settled in.

When was the last time you saw her?

Oh, have a seat.

Uh...

I don't know.

Years?

- She said that you used to come here with your mother.

Do you remember that?

Of course.

It looks the same, mostly.

Except for that.

Magenta guard.

Hmm.

- What did Ms Haverhill say to you,

when she called?

Uh...

I can't remember.

Um...

Yeah, she said she had a job.

Like, an apprenticeship.

Do I get paid?

You started getting paid

the moment you stepped out of the car.

Minimum wage.

It goes up every month.

Car service included.

You provide your own lunch.

And I pull the weeds.

That's part of it.

It's also an education.

You'll learn how to garden, and you'll also have classes

in the history of gardens.

In horticulture, botany.

Seriously?