They did actually prune the article, but nevertheless it gave a wonderful
display in print. Here is the original ;-))

The Shape of a Gardener

Gardeners, like the plants, shrubs, bushes and trees that they tend, come in
different shapes and sizes. Short and squat and hardly move in a breeze,
tall and willowy and will drift about in same amount of breeze, never being
still for two minutes. Some are colourful and one falls in love with them
straight away, others dry, boring and you wonder why you put up with them.

And they come in all ages, the annual which like a Grandchild you nurture
and encourage, the perennial which you hope will turn out OK, the
established Bush, rather like a stalwart Committee Member of a local Club,
always there, sometimes needs trimming back.

The history and experience of a gardener sometimes makes interesting
reading, again like his plants. A 'One off', very rare and not at all common
in every garden such as the gardener with a very colourful experience of
travelling the world, writing books and appears a lot on TV, then there is
the ordinary plain 'run of the mill' gardener, like the daffodils,
primroses, cabbages, grass, crazy paving path, the potting shed etc. One,
which can be found in many many, gardens the length and breadth of the
British Isles, like the one who served his country in the form of National
Service in the Royal Air Force.

He is the gardener we are looking for to join our new Association. We have
been sowing seeds for about two years now and the crop has been very
fruitful with a little over 2000 members. We have our Quarterly 'catalogue'
with contributions from the 'gardeners' who hope to 'germinate' future
friendships with other like minded people and renew 'established' ones from
years ago. Many are being reunited with those who they thought had been
tossed onto the compost heap a long while back.

So if you are one of those rare breed, an RAF National Serviceman, contact
the 'Head Gardener' of the National Service (Royal Air Force) Association,
Mike Crowe and let him add you to the wonderful harvest we are reaping.

Very best wishes

Mike Crowe

Address deleted here but it's not too hard to find in the wide world webb
:-))
PO36 8PG is sufficient :-))