It the time of year when gardeners begin to eye up seed harvesting potential. Of course this involves our own gardens but also includes the plots of our friends and neighbours, and sometimes perfect strangers. Ever vigilant, ever watchful, we earmark the prey and use all our wiles to win the bounty. We slip into conversation how much we love the plant in question, we wonder aloud how easy it is to propagate and sometimes we ask directly for a contribution, perhaps promising some of our produce in return. This weekend I have returned from the Midlands with a small bag of french marigold seed, a compact and floriferous little gem that caught my eye and my imagination. Redistribution of the flower wealth is all well and good, the trouble lies after the chase, when we have gained the prize. This is our downfall, the weak link in the chain. It would seem a little presumptuous to travel with seed packets and a marker pen so we have to make do with what is on offer to store the seed. “Don’t worry” we say “I will remember what they are and deal with them as soon as I get home”. It may surprise you to discover that my life isn’t that organised, I have given up hope that it will ever be, so this rarely happens. Thrusting a chilly hand into a pocket I invariably come across some unidentified pod floating about. Looking for a hanky to mop my fevered brow, secreted black pearls will scatter on the hushed museum floor. When searching through my handbag for smelling salts I make the sticky discovery of a napkin squashed with over ripe berries. Rarely do I have a clue as to where, how, or why they are there. Sometimes I sow them anyway, sometimes it is a missed opportunity. This cartoon shiner of a hollyhock is on my acquisition list, I will definitely remember this one.
- Comment
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Off The Edge Gardening 
On you do it too! The efforts I go to in order to acquire seed of some rare plant. Once acquired they are pushed into a pocket and forgotten. Every pocket of every coat and every handbag I own, contain nameless seeds and berries. The berries are usually wrapped in a paper tissue. This can be alarming to come upon weeks later. Sometimes for fun I sow the contents of a pocket, you never know what will come up. I think in future I will never leave the house without some little envelopes and a pencil.
A lovely hollyhock. I am rather taken with the halo hollyhocks at the moment, have you tried them?
LikeLike
Glad I am not alone. I think envelopes and a pencil at the ready is the answer. Just googled halo hollyhocks, not heard of them before, they look lovely.
LikeLike
And me! But some Ursinia seeds you gave me and I brought home in my jacket pocket made it in to a flower pot pronto and one germinated and is flourishing, so it gives one hope.
LikeLike
Oh, so pleased, perhaps you could save some for me now as I haven’t got any!
LikeLike
It may be a while before it has some seed (like next year hopefully) but it will be a pleasure to save you some.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks x
LikeLike
If it’s any consolation, even the organized people 😉 end up with question marks seeds in their pockets. Impossible to have a pen all the time plus that the unexpected strikes as a rule, when you don’t have one anyway 🙂
LikeLike
I took full advantage of collecting some ripened seed today and yes they were wrapped in a piece of tissue paper. Perhaps something you might be interested in having a go at? Crinodendron hookeriana!
LikeLike
Never heard of it but I would try it just for the ‘hookeriana’ name, out of respect for a great botanist 🙂
LikeLike
Send me your new address and I will send you some 🙂 https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=577
LikeLike
OK, thanks but give me a ‘minute’ – we just moved to the new location and got back on line this evening…
LikeLiked by 1 person
What are pockets FOR, may I ask? My seeds have come out of my pockets, though, and are scattered over books and furniture in the house. I understand they (the seeds, the books, and the furniture) should all be treated better. I know they should! At any rate, I am still happily convinced that I have a pretty good notion of what the different seedpods are… Don’t undeceive me… yet…
LikeLike
Exactly! Perhaps we should design some gardeners trousers with special pockets for collecting. 🙂
LikeLike
My partner, the mobile one, always has pencil stubs and plant labels and bags in his pockets so he should be the perfect one but here’s the rub, he also carries holes in his pockets. Does this make him another ghost of Miss Wilmott or one of Hansel’s siblings?
LikeLike
Who knows what beauties may appear in his wake? I should have guessed he would be prepared for action!
LikeLike
I have given up on remembering this year and have jars everywhere with seeds and a bit of paper with a scrawl on it. As well as pockets mostly full of swan plant seeds. The ones in the fridge are a challenge, even if I do wrap them in tissue and write on them it somehow Becomes unreadable. And of course actually planting them is a whole other thing…
LikeLike
So pleased I am not alone! 🙂
LikeLike
I am thrilled to know I’m not alone out here. 🙂 Here’s hoping you are able to latch onto that gorgeous hollyhock.
LikeLike
It seems there a few of us out there! Hope I don’t miss my hollyhock moment 🙂
LikeLike
I had to laugh about the “hushed museum floor”. I’ve had the experience of digging into a pocket and finding forgotten seeds wrapped in soggy tissues.
LikeLike