My neighbour offered to take me round her garden and give me some roots and cuttings of some of her plants as I am getting to the stage of thinking about planting at least something in part of my garden and she wanted to thin things out. We were forking up a shrub (cotoneaster for the horticulturally minded) and she said to me to grasp it from the other side and pull gently. I did so, but couldn't see what I was holding and there was a large nettle right by the plant, which I had firmly in my grip! My hand really hurts now - the nettle got me on the palm and every finger, and it is very swollen. I have tried all the usual remedies, including dock leaves and have taken some antihistamine, but I guess it was just too much. At least I have a whole wheelbarrow of good things to plant tomorrow.
