Mini Adventures are a fun interactive part of the visit. Planned like a treasure hunt – much to Ricky’s delight – with clues that take visitors on a trail around all the individual Welsh rare plants. But that’s a last-minute addition brainstormed with both Amani and Ricky, and I wrote up the material only yesterday. We need to print lots of copies with the routes and clues to hand out to visitors taking part. Another of the things I must organise this morning – I check my fitness watch – in three-and-a-half hours!
Outside, I stand at the edge and look over Hope Gardens. The sky is much lighter, and the clouds seem to have dispersed. We will have our sunny weekend. I hope, please God. The gardens won’t look their best in the rain.
“Too much bloke-ish talk inside?” Osian comes out and ambles over carrying two mugs of steaming coffee. “And now Johnny Cash has joined in.”
He hands me a cup, and I take a grateful sniff of the aromatic brew. “How did you get coffee? I thought it was builders’ tea or nothing.”
“You can’t start this day without coffee. I’ve already told all myPerllansto make sure they have a good breakfast. Heaven only knows when we’ll get a break.”
“You’re optimistic we’ll have lots of people? I dreamt that no one showed up and we were all milling around with nothing to do.”
He widens his eyes. “You mean you managed to sleep? I thought you stayed up all night.”
“You’re one to talk.” I look him up and down. He looks gorgeous in a brown Hugo Boss jumper and tapered-leg beige cords. What wardrobe stylists call laid-back smart. “It’s barely 5am and you’re showered, shaved, and dressed. And so is everyone else.”
“Everyone?” He peers at my face. “You shave very close. I can’t see even a hint of stubble. Can you teach me?”
I let my severe scowl speak for me.
“Not allowed jokes at your expense today?” He winks and sends me a quick but heart-stopping smile.
Oh God, he’s in full charm mode and doesn’t seem to realise it. It’s going to be very hard to keep him at arm’s length when my insides fizz like this and it’s not morning yet. He’s not helping, standing so close to me.
“Anyway. What can I do to help today?”
“Help?” I half-turn to stare at him. Surely he can’t have read my mind?
His expression is innocent. “If you give me some of your task list I can take care of it.”
Oh, that!
“Why is everyone trying to help me? Surely I’m not the only one with a test run this weekend.”
“No, but you have the biggest part of it.”
“Not really. Alex and the professor have exhibits and—”
“A handful of exhibits and there’s two of them.”
“Leonie will be overrun in The Orange Tree—”
He turns to look at the café. “Yes, but what you have is like ten cafés. So…” He turns back to me. “Consider me your assistant.”
I feel very uncomfortable with this. “Everyone is helping me and I have done sod all to help anyone. I feel like a parasite.”
He puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face. “Don’t frown so much, the wind may change. Anyway, you’ll get your chance – never fear. I promise you’ll get your chance to help.” I balance the lever-arch file on my arm – the one with the hand holding the coffee – and open it. “Can you take charge of thePerllans?” I peel off one of the pages.
I haven’t had a chance to hire visitor guides, so for now, thePerllanswill act as guides, information points, pathfinders and adventure leaders.
“And please remind them to wear the special vests so they can be easily identified as staff.”
I’ve ordered special worker vests in the same jade green that’s fast becoming the brand colour for most businesses here. It appears in logos and letterheads for most of the enterprises.My vests come with extra pockets, a mini tool belt and the phraseKendric Parkon the breast pocket. The back saysHope Gardens. That’s my own logo: cobalt blue lettering on pale green in a cursive font with a swirl of leaves around it.
“I’ve given everyone all the info but haven’t rehearsed them. The problem is, unlike me who’s used to learning scripts, they need to practice over and over until they know it all by heart. Could you…?” A little breeze comes up and blows my hair into my face.
“Of course.” He nods, reading the list I gave him. “Anything else?”
I swat the hair away from my face, but a stubborn strand sticks to my cheek. “No, that’s all.”
