The Rules

Posted byofftheedgegardeningPosted inUncategorized

IMG_1110The 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.

43 thoughts on “The Rules”

      1. 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

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  5. 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.

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  6. 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. 🙂

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  8. 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 🙂

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  9. 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

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  11. 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?

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    1. 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.

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  14. 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.

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