continuation

Old Joe, smiled and dipped his head and went off. He of course had his own ideas of just how the glass house would look, and of course being the experienced gardener his way would prevail, at least with the Baron, who would then explain simply to the Baroness at great length why Old Joe was right.

The very next day Ted arrived with his horse and cart piled high with assorted lengths of timber and his huge dirty grey canvas tool bag.  He was a very skilled carpenter and for him only the very best job would do, made from the very best materials, wood and the ironmongery available. Old Joe was waiting for him with Jethro, who was Old Joe told Ted, there to be helpful to Ted fetching and carrying. Ted was very pleased, he had not been expecting any help, this would allow him to get more done.

He set Jethro to unloading the wood and carrying it carefully into the glass house, while he looked around the splendour of the glass house and in his minds eye saw all the things that needed to be done and just how they would look. Without wasting any time he set to work, measuring, sawing and joining pieces of wood together, until finally the interior was half finished. He stood back and surveyed all he had accomplished, tomorrow he thought I will finish it. On his return the following morning, he set out to develop a staging area, to show off a multitude of plants, he continued with a low boxed area to hold the fruit trees, and finished with an area of double staging with fixed trellis behind to show off all the fancy climbers he knew had been ordered. When he had finished, he was very pleased with his work, and when Jethro brought Old Joe to see, he also was delighted. Now all that was needed was for the interior ground to be prepared then to wait for the arrival of the plants. Old Joe could not wait, if ever anything excited him it was learning about new plants.