29 Feb They’re a lovely flower

 I started off growing vegetables then started growing dahlias on the allotment. They’re a lovely flower, there’s a real variation. Some are 2 inches in diameter and some are 10, then it’s the giant ones. I prefer the medium ones, about 8 inches. Listen to what others say, try it and adjust it to your own needs. I was asked for some help once and stripped the plant right down. He said to me “you’re a bloody butcher!”. When my wife got ill, I gave up the allotment.  I gave all my equipment to the next person who took on the allotment. I had 300 dahlias to plant out and hit the floor after 18. I have COPD so these days I have the old cars and I have my oil painting. I had a place at the London School of Arts when I was leaving school. My parents couldn’t afford it and so I got an apprenticeship as a millwright, that’s how I became a fitter . That’s just the way it was. I paint dinky toys as well. My son also collects them. He grew dahlias before he went off to university too.