By Carol from India

We have 2 garden days at volunteer’s house, one is in winter and another is in summer. I have already written an article about the winter garden day, if you would like to know about it please feel free to scroll and read about it. I was really looking forward for the summer garden day as everyone told me during winter that summers are really good in Germany and everyone just looks forward towards summer. And just like every other person I was excited and impatient to experience the goodness and warmness of summer. But due to COVID 19 situation garden day was cancelled in April and got postponed.

In May, Jenny (who currently stays in volunteershouse) and I, we both were having a discussion about the garden, how to cut the long grasses and how good it will be to sit outside in the garden. And, hence, Jenny and I, we both decided to have our small garden day. So, as planned we decided a day for gardening, it was a week day and Frauke was supposed to visit us for her baking/cooking sessions. We decided that after our baking session with Frauke and after eating her delicious food, we can do some gardening. So, we got all fueled up with lots of energies which we both received from Frauke’s food and we were all set for gardening. As soon as Frauke left, Jenny and I, we both decided our tasks and we started cutting the grasses with the grass cutter in the back garden. Jenny’s task was to use the grasscutter and I was taking the grasses to the bin. Because of the previous winter garden day, I learned to use so many new and different gardening equipments, which I never used in my entire life, of course under the guidance of Dirk, I would like to give him the credit for teaching me how to use all gardening equipment.

Within 3 hours we both managed to clean 80 % of the back garden, though a lot of work was still needed. We also have 2 small front gardens, which are not that small but not as big as the back garden. And hence, we decided to have another garden day soon and we started looking for a new date, which is called as making appointments. I have mentioned many times that Germans always make an appointment which is called as “Termin” in German language. I think I like this word a lot and I love to make appointments; it is something which I learned here in Germany and would love to continue making “Termine” when I go back to India.

Okay, so on our second garden day, Robert (who was a German volunteer), Rosie (Robert’s friend) and Jenny’s friend also joined and helped us in gardening. We started in the afternoon with some coffee and tea and then later on, we planned and distributed the tasks/work. This time my task was to use the grass cutter and everyone had their own respective tasks. During cleaning the pond in the garden, Rosie found many tadpoles, which were really cute and adorable. Finally, after few hours of fun, hard work and team work, we all successfully managed to clean the garden completely.

After cleaning the garden, we all sat down, talked and relaxed in our beautiful and clean garden. I made two new great friends that day, which I wouldn’t have if this garden day didn’t take place. So, this is how we had our summers garden day and we will definitely have more of them soon.