17 I'm P.A.Topay. Welcome to my gardening website. I hope you'll find my adventures with gardening both of interest and value in guiding your own.

My name is Topay. Unusual, I know. Philip Alexander Topay is how I was christened. P.A. is how I was called at school. Mr.Topay is how I have branded myself in gardening circles - and I'm well-known in my area for being the best informed gardener and roof estimates expert for miles and miles!

Gardening comes natural to me. I've got what folks call "green thumbs". Anything I touch grows nicely, within reasonable limits, of course! My particular favorite is growing roses, which I love and enjoy doing.

My fascination for gardening started when I was a kid wearing ceramic braces. I'd hang around with my old man, helping him weed and dig around the yard. He'd give me some tips and advice, little knowing at the time that the tricks Graham shared would turn him into a household name in our circle thanks to his son's growing fame as a gardener!

Dad ran a greenhouse supplies business, and doing some construction work for his friends on the side. He had grown up on various building sites, and still had a knack for installing roofing and fireplaces whenever needed.

The greenhouse business was middling. Not spectacular, but there was enough demand to keep the fire burning and the larder filled for the long winter months. Graham's Greenhouse Guide was more a place for gardeners to hang out and chat about gardening. What fertilizer works best. What seeds will grow this year. What precautions to take against pests. All this and more was shared willingly in the store.

I'd be around helping dad during school holidays, and soak up all the chit chat, storing away nuggets of wisdom from those whom I knew to be great gardeners in the area. After all, when we went to deliver greenhouse supplies they ordered, we'd get to actually see whether the guy's talk matched his walk. When it did, I noticed - and remembered.

There was one man I still remember - old Joe Farley, who ran a dog training school. The scarecrow, we'd call him. That's cos he was rail rake thin and wore clothes that flapped all around him when he walked. A straw hat completed the resemblance to a scarecrow, and from his mouth there was always a half-smoked cigar dangling, which he chewed and moved around from one corner to the other as he passionately described Japanese garden design.

Now Japanese gardens are those tiny rocky places where the landscaping plays as important a role as the plants you choose and the flowers you grow. Space is usually limited, so it's a challenge from a design angle to fit all you want into it, while creating a visually appealing appearance. Joe Farley was a genius at Japanese garden design. Some said it was his time in Japan during the war. Others said he had a Japanese wife who died. No one knew what made him so expert at designing Japanese gardens, but he was the best.

Every time I visited Joe's home, I made it a point to talk with him. He'd gesticulate wildly as he highlighted a design element, or grab a stick to draw patterns on the ground as he explained what he knew to a 12 year old boy - who listened and remembered.

Today, if people come to P.A.Topay and ask about my gardening advice, they are getting a part of the wisdom of a man named Joe Farley who lived here many years ago - and wowed the landscape with breathtaking backyard designs.

P.A.Topay gardening advice is what this site is about, too. You'll get much of my information and experience for free. I've learned from giants, and am grateful for all they taught me. I'm simply passing it along to you.

I do sell some gardening guides, at modest prices, so if you're keen on buying stuff about solar lighting or backyard design or garden beds, let me know. If you're a landscaper or rose growing enthusiast, please contact me. I love to meet and know enthusiasts like you through my website, and if we can meet or chat, I'd be delighted.

Happy gardening!

P.A.Topay
Gardener