One of the benefits about being a defeated candidate is that time expands. I can now spend more time in the garden and after a long, bitter, wet winter my garden is now looking tidy and springlike.

The iris is out, the leaves on the 100 plus roses are lush and green, no disease anywhere to be seen. Buds appear and over night burst into flower. Some of our enduring favourites are covered in buds ready (I hope) for the visit of the Wellington Heritage Rose Group towards the end of November.

If only the cats would stay away. I hate them for two reasons. I am allergic to them and they trash my garden. The neighbourhood cats, about 8 of them, delight in my garden. Taking to them with water pistols does not deter them. They stalk the bird table. They eat from it, both birds and breadcrumbs. They dig up my seedling veges. I dispair of them!