Last Autumn we hosted a Chinese couple from Shanghai who stayed for four nights.
One morning after exhanging a few emails I came out of my man cave and went over and sat in the garden with Chang pu and we shared a cup of tea and we talked. He told me, in Chinese his name means 'flourishing plant or vine' and how he always wanted a garden. Tears whelled up in his eyes as he told me he lived in an apartment and had no access to a plot of land where he could actually grow something for himself. I asked him to come into the potting shed with me and help me strike some Salvias and some Biden for planting next spring. Chang pu was in his element and my feeling was this was one of his nicest mornings.
Tonight I received a request from 加菲猫 Garfirld and 菖蒲 Chang pu....they wish to come back here and get married in our garden!
I have always said I would never host a party but, here I am looking forward to this one.
Hosting brings unlikely people together and creates friendships that no other occupation on earth can do!
Cheers......Rob