I’m not sure exactly where Lyn got the idea (she says she saw it in one of the local pubs) but yesterday afternoon, after my parents went home, Lyn instructed Marta to get a roll of fake grass she’d ordered online, cut it to shape, and staple it to our garden table. I was slightly bemused at first: I had never seen anything like it, and thought it was a bit of a mad idea. But once Marta had started, I suddenly saw what lyn was getting at. The effect is stunning; it adds a shock of vivid green, not just to the table but the whole garden. Marta put it on the bench too, and the garden now feels somehow more natural and soothing. The green of the fake grass blends with that of the real grass and leaves behind it; the brown of the table echoes the wood of the trees nearby, giving off a natural aesthetic. It really was a great idea, odd though it may sound. The worn out old table and bench have a new lease of life*. Not that I’m asked for gardening tips very often, but it’s something I’ll certainly recommend.

*How it fares when we spill, say, coffee or beer on it, however, remains to be seen.