The Rules. Mostly I dismiss them with a quasi-rebellious flick of the hand. “In your face, conformer!” I shout, on a daily basis. Orange next to pink – you just watch me! Sowing in July when the packet says no later than June, yes that is me, forever a wild thing. I don’t even wash my pots out after use, no exaggeration, I am truly that extreme. There is one Rule, however, that I haven’t been able to defy, although I have been desperate to do so for a long time. I haven’t been able to defile the sacred tenet. But today I did. And now I don’t know quite how to feel. Am I relieved, scared, proud or perhaps feeling a little deflated? Yes it is true, today I planted some marigolds in a group of four and then, just to cast the dye, in a group of six. Those of you who know The Rules will probably be wincing, some may have fainted, a few of you may get together to start a petition. I am referring to Horticultural Rule No. 364 “Thou must arrange each and every plant in groups of odd numbers, definitely not even but always odd, until yea reach the grand total of ten whence yea can do whatever yea feels like. Disobey this at your peril.”. I am yet to be struck down, but if you don’t hear from me any more you will know why. It was nice knowing you.
This weigela is planted in a “one” which is plenty with its boughs heavy with its candyfloss flowers.
i am too superstitious to stray from ‘odds’
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps one day ….. it is very empowering 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I understand Gill, but I do not think that I am ready yet. Can imagine planting a ‘pair of pears’. What a quandary! Would need to plant an extra just in case
LikeLike
Ha! It is tricky, I dare you to have a go …..
LikeLike
Good for you, one question – are the marigolds under the Weigelia?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, they are far, far, away 🙂
LikeLike
Probably a good thing, despite my design degree, I like pink and orange as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am in good company!
LikeLike
You devil!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wild thing, you make my heart sing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
we are all doomed…….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eeeeeeeek!
LikeLike
I just read The shrubqueen’ s comment. Tell me the marigolds aren’t under the Weigelia. I can forgive anything but that.
I don’ t wash my pots either. All that scrubbing and sterilising is for softies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t worry, the marigolds are off on their own. Glad to hear you are in the rebel gang too!
LikeLike
Does Chloris have pink and orange issues?
LikeLike
Well to be honest, yes I do.
LikeLike
Really? my issue is begonias planted in stripes, or anything else ..
LikeLike
There’ s that too. Can’ t stand the things.
LikeLike
It took me years to embrace the pink orange concept. I think you have to try it in containers, do you think I am freaking Gill out?
LikeLike
Each to their own, I say. A deep cerise with a rich orange, to me, is a lovely sight. 🙂
LikeLike
After several hours gardening in humidity so high my glasses fogged up, I thank you for the chuckle. I am familiar with the uneven number and do take it into consideration, but I get more hung up on balancing things. Why? I don’t know but I probably need a support group to get over it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think we should form an on line help forum 😉 Glad you got a chuckle out of it x
LikeLike
You go girl!!! (I’m glad they weren’t planted under the Weigelia 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
This made me smile 🙂 Go for it – I’m a rule breaker too – I’ve always wondered why plants are often sold in 4, 6 or 12 packs when people are ‘supposed’ to plant in odd numbers 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly! Just to put us into a moral quandary I bet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And here I was, thinking that I was the only dirty-pot girl on the planet, LOL
I’d been happily gardening for three years before I was made aware of the odd-number rule. My face was red with shame, but did I rush out and buy an extra for all those pairs and double-dates? I did not! However, the rule has shared top billing ever since with “never wear white pants or shoes before Memorial Day”. Just can’t seem to shake that one, even though it was 85 degrees on May 20something – can you believe I actually put the white jeans back on the hanger?!? Could NOT bring myself to break that one… :-O
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is the Chatswoth Lady English?
LikeLike
Sorry, I thought the whole white clothes in the summer thing originated in the American South, guess I should realize probably not. Do you have Winter White and Patent Leather shoe rules as well?
LikeLike
I don’t know of any such rules in this country, but the upper classes (of which I am not a member) may well have. The Lady is indeed American. 🙂
LikeLike
Nothing wrong with two groups of three!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely blog.Made me smile.
I also read somewhere that at Chelsea this year the new look was”untidy garden” .So I seem to be conforming after all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My favourite look too!
LikeLike
Which makes six!
LikeLike
We are going to have to have words at the weekend Gill! Seriously though, can’t be doing with too many rules and I gave up washing pots years ago. A good brush is all they get before I use them again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My knees are knocking! Hope the weather clears up before then, absolutely hammering it down here today 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Darn! We are just leaving a warm sunny London!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bring that sunshine with you please x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think we really did!
LikeLike
Oh!! I do wish I had read this blog earlier, have just spent a very wet and windy afternoon in my potting shed – washing pots. Perhaps it is my own OCD but I do love to see a pile of clean pots and I thought it was essential to keep the bugs and nasties at bay. I was obviously misled.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whatever makes you happy TT! Not sure it is necessary but sure it wont do any harm. 🙂
LikeLike
Rebel, rebel without a cause…good for you sometimes we just need to stir things up! Happy planting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, even a small rebellion can be a good thing 🙂
LikeLike