The plant-mobile.

After an hour or so, having chosen our plants, we would then proceed to the car to utilise every available space, since this journey was being made only on a once-a-month basis. It was relatively straightforward filling the boot with a mixture of pots and trays of plants. We became quite adept at layering and even stacking them when required. The roof rack was useful too as we could attach smaller-sized trees and shrubs to it by means of ropes.

Once these areas were used up, however, it was at that point in the proceedings when the fun began. Often, when we had chosen plants of an awkward size, we had to squeeze them into the floor space beside our feet inside the car. When that space was used up, we had to travel all the way home with plants on our laps.

Sometimes the door of the boot was open, secured by means of a rope, due to half a tree with a warning rag attached to it, hanging out the back of the car. Sometimes when I turned round to check that our boys were still bearing up in all the congestion, I would see two mischievous faces, grinning back at me, making monkey sounds amidst a jungle of foliage.