DREAMS OF A FLORAL FUTURE
Matchgirl's renewed interest in gardening has survived into a second day.

A trip to the cinema this afternoon gave us the opportunity for a stroll through the flora on offer at the back of the big Homebase store in Inverness Retail Park. Much was found that may be suitable for the proposed but so far unplanned wildlife garden in the grounds of The Rural Retreat.

Planning may never take place. Matchgirl's ultimate idea of gardening is to hire a man and let him get on with it; mine is to plant clumps of varied herbage in various places then wait to see what survives and thrives.

Digging and watering is not Matchgirl's idea of fun. The most animation she showed while window-shopping was when we found an aisle filled with power tools and heavy-duty pruning implements. A petrol-powered strimmer will sooner or later take up residence in the outhouse.

The film we saw, by the way, was the latest Dan Brown blockbuster, Angels and Demons. Very silly, very predictable, but very entertaining.