"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
om...
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...
"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann
writes

"Janet Baraclough.."
wrote in
message ...

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Franz
Happy Birthday to you

Even if I am a cantankerous old argumentative octogenarian?

Yes indeed - from a c.o.a. septuagenarian.
Keep digging Franz!

Impossible. Most of my garden has less than 6 inches of soil over
shattered sandstone. It is even difficult to push stakes into the
ground. The interesting thing is that the soil is in fact quite
well
drained.

Anyway, thanks for the good wishes, Alan.

Sorry I missed the party, Franz. Many more of them, and keep
cantankering!

I didn't get you a present; but if you like I'll start an argument
about why you seem surprised that a shattered sandstone subsoil
should
be quite well drained..My last garden was on boulder clay, while
only
five miles off they were on the Devonian red stuff: the timing
difference was dramatic, but our late soil cropped more heavily.

On second thoughts, the stuff between the stones is what will
determine the draining qualities of the soil. Mine, touch wood, is a
good loam, being the remnants of centuries old grass land.
Its only problem is that it is undiggable. For anything larger than a
plant bought in a 1 litre pot, I have to use a small hand pick to
clear a planting hole. Most of what I plant seem to be happy with the
situation.

I did try, but just could not find grounds for starting an argument.
Never mind, some future opportunity is bound to arrive some time or
other.

Franz