Working in several different gardens for a variety of characters poses many challenges. “Where I am?”, is one of them. “Who are you?”, is another. However, one of the trickiest things has been remembering individuals’ tastes and preferences. And there are a surprisingly varied range of these requirements; they are indeed a singular bunch. Standing in the garden centre, like a rabbit in the headlights, I rack my brains trying to remember who likes what. This matching has to be right, disappointment is not an option. I feel like the MD of a horticultural dating agency. Was it Tracey who adores yellow flowers or did she say she can’t stand them? Does Humphrey loathe grasses or desire the prairie way? Did Cristabel say anything but roses or any roses? The exception is Lavinia, as far as I can see she loves them all, the more disreputable the better. Except perhaps for dahlias, but I am sure she just hasn’t met the right one yet. When we come to weeding and the hazy area of self-seeders it gets further complicated. What is Morris’s take on aquilegias, thumbs up or down? Would Felicity scream if she saw me removing this fern or cheer? Would Desmond cringe as I carefully weeded around another foxglove. It really is each to his own, and of course no one is right or wrong, the problem is I have so many “eaches” who are the proud owners of so many “owns” that I can’t keep up. Writing it down would be one option, granted, but not quite so exciting. Surely, however, no one could object to a self seeded verbascum? Surely?
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Off The Edge Gardening 
I had to remove some of these stately Verbascums today from a mans garden who thought them offensive. I was secretly hoping they were going to self sow everywhere!
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Oh no! Well I suppose it proves my point, it takes all sorts! 🙂
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Yes , I would object. Those big, floppy, flannel leaves and the way they are always covered in Mullein caterpillars and their droppings They revolt me. Yuck! Having said that I do like Verbascum chaixii
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How dare you disagree! 😉
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Sorry Gill, I usually agree with you; but I can’ t love those horrid flannely things.
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As I say, each to their own. (flannely is such a good word) 🙂
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No objections from me, I love them in all colours and thought the mullein moth caterpillars might like them too, but no, they ate my Buddleja instead.
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I haven’t seen any mullein moths this year, we used to get a lot at Cliffe.
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Maybe they would grow in my garden—everything else is dying of thirst arount here.
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😯
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They would do well I think, I will collect some seed for you!
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Funny you should mention the right kind of dahlia. I’m working on something along those lines.
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Perhaps one of those single flowered, dark leaved varieties?
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You will see!
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I don’t know how you can keep up with the different tastes, Gill; I find it hard enough to handle keeping track for family Christmas shopping… I can’t imagine keeping it all in mind all year long 😉 And ouch! I would love to grow some Verbascum, but no one seems to think it will want to live here in the desert so it’s on my high-risk/try later list…
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To be honest I just buy what I like and usually there is someone who will like it, if not, I keep it for myself!
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