by Myra Ting

Created on: February 12, 2009

GREAT GRANDDAD'S GARDEN

Gillian and Alan went to their Aunt and Uncle's house every third weekend and their cousin Peter came to their homes on other weekends.

Peter usually waited for them in the front driveway, but last weekend he was out in the back shed when they arrived. They walked into the shed just as Peter took some green containers out of a large cardboard box, flattened it and put on the rest in the corner.

Hi Gillian, hi Alan, I am glad you are here early. Remember how Great Granddad told us that some things will never happen, well, this one will.'

What makes this so different from the others we've tried?' Gillian wanted to know.

Well for one thing, most of the other things we wanted to try cost more money than we had. Everything we need is already here and most of it was free,' Peter explained.

On the bench were gardening tools, the stack of square green containers each with four compartments and some green flat plastic sticks with holes at each end.

Hey, hang on a minute, where've the plants gone? Don't say they died and Uncle Frank threw them out, again!' Alan demanded with his hands on his hips.

No, of course he didn't, and they didn't die,' Peter told him and closed the glass doors of the seedling cupboard.

He took Alan's arm, led him out of the shed, through the back door and into the laundry, where they took off their boots.

They are in the bathroom. I moved them there after you went home the other week, because Mum said theyd grow better there,' Peter told him.

Come and have a look,' Peter gently pushed Alan down the hall to the bathroom.

That's brilliant, your bathroom is perfect,' Gillian said and followed them.

Why?' Alan always asked why!

You'll see,' laughed Peter.

Alan opened the door, and stopped dead, causing the other two to bump into each other.

Wow! Look how big they've grown,' declared Alan.

Yes,' said Gillian, that bay window acts like a greenhouse and the steam, when the hot water is on in the shower, saves us watering them. That is why it is perfect!'

So, are we agreed that this thing will work, and we can make it happen?'

Yes, absolutely' said Gillian.

Too right,' agreed Alan.

Come on then, we need to take them out and finish the job.'

Peter crossed to the window where six sets of nursery pots balanced on the sill. They each lifted two pots carefully so as not to break the young plants.

In the shed, Alan grabbed a bag of potting mix and dragged it closer to the bench.

Gillian collected three watering cans, placed them at the side of the bench and

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