It’s raining it’s pouring, I’m not going outside again after getting soaked walking miles to pick up my camera that I stupidly left in Max’s Dads’ car yesterday after a wonderful day out and had no transport because OH had taken the car to do the shopping and anyway I had jobs to do in the High Street. Not quite as catchy as the original, but I’m working on it. So, fearing the wrath of The Propagator, who owns Six on Saturday, I have had to be inventive. Necessity and all that. Warning: Some connections to my garden may be a little tenuous.
First, snowdrops in the sunshine. It would be impossible to pass this sunny shot off as today’s photo. In fact this picture was taken yesterday at Little Ash Garden where myself, OH and Max’s Dads met up with Rusty Duck and Torrington Tina to marvel at Helen’s masterpiece of a garden. Although billed as a Snowdrop Day there were many other delights; hellebores, winter flowering honeysuckle, clematis, flowering quince, cake and coffee, and three varieties of homemade soup! Two pots of snowdrops came home with me, ‘Magnet’ and ‘S. Arnot’. They looked lonely. They are now taking their chances in the deluge. Where I refuse to go to take a photo. So there.
Next we have my pride and joy, a brand new shiny labeller. Don’t stand still for too long, or you will have a piece of tape across your forehead.
Now a picture that was taken last week, but I imagine it is looking pretty much the same. Perhaps a little damper. These slightly nibbled shoots belong to an emerging Fritillaria persica, the Darth Vader of the fritillery family. I bought this gargantuan bulb couple of years ago at Malven and it has yet to flower. Fingers crossed for this year. As the more observant of you might notice, yes you Mr K, there are some “kind to everything except slugs and snails” pellets scattered around. It might be “closing the door after the mollusc has bolted”, but I thought it was a little early to worry about that kind of thing. However, it has been an extremely wet and mild winter, up until this last week that is. Perfect conditions, if you happen to be slimy.
Some positive news, germination of more seed. These triumphs include Alonsoa warscewiczii, Malope trifida and Salvia viscosa. All of these I have grown before, although not for a while, and I am looking forward to getting to know them again.
A note in a Christmas card read “We have a couple of first edition garden books, would you like them?”. This enquiry was from an ex-boyfriend’s parents, a wonderful couple whose company I always enjoyed and have remained friends with for the last 30 years. It was at their soon to be permanent home in the South of France that I first read a gardening book. Long before I gardened. When the very thought would have provoked howls of laughter. The book was Christopher Lloyd, The Well Tempered Garden. A fine introduction to garden writing.
Lastly we have houmous. As I couldn’t go outside I made some. An essay I wrote in college came back with the comment “interesting, but perhaps a good humus content in the soil would be more beneficial than one rich in a chick pea dip”.
Thanks again Mr P. Pop over to his blog to read other contributions, most likely written by braver and less sensitive souls. Here’s hoping that next week will be just a tad drier …..
Off The Edge Gardening 
I don’t have the patience for a labeller. I use one for work and it drives me nuts!
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Yes, they can be challenging on occasion! So far we have remained friends 🙂
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Have you ever seen a mollusc bolt?
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Very slowly ……. 🙂
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I used to have a flowering quince. Whatever happened to it? Oh, we moved (decades ago). All the SoS’ers seem to have salvia seedlings. Must, must, must acquire some salvia seeds.
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You must! They germinate very easily. What I mean is – they are very complicated and only a true scholar could grow them from seed. 😉 And there is such a choice, I love salvias. ps if you do get some don’t forget they need light to germinate.
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So, don’t cover them with potting mix at all? Or just lightly?
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Don’t cover at all, but I am sure they would see the light through a light cover as well.
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Alright, then! I’m off to look at seed catalogues.
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There is a lot of fun to be had with a label machine!! It’s amazing what you will find that NEEDS one hehe! I really hope your Fritillaria blooms for you, I have only ever seen the more common one around gardens so that will be interesting to see 😉 ps the hummus looks rather scrumptious 💚
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It was lovely, I surprised myself! Today my job is sorting out one of my food cupboards, I have a feeling it will come in very useful. 🙂
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O, I want that fritillari. How about I trade you some savoury pita chips for it that’ll go great w/that houmous? Lovely story about the books, by the way.
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It’s a deal! And thanks, I am very lucky to have such lovely friends. 🙂
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Houmous? What? Okay, I am going to do this meme again next week! If you can do houmous, I can do ‘something’ too. I will figure it out, even though I don’t have much in my garden. (I just used flowers from a Park I work in, so next week, I may get pictures from another landscape.)
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Yes you can! Sounds like a good idea. 🙂
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What’s great author to have as your first garden read !
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Yes, who knows, a little seed might have been sown by Mr L only to germinate a few years later.
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A lovely read to start a dry and sunny Sunday. Thanks for making me smile.
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You are most welcome, thanks for calling in!
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Wot! You met the prospective in-laws and didn’t marry the chap? Such fickleness. And turning down the chance of regular French holidays (in France) too! No wonder you’re chucking those surplus blue diamonds around plants in true David Domoney fashion. Actually, my eye was drawn to the temporary plant label in that photo. 😉
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Luckily the French holidays are still on offer. 🙂 Not got to that one yet, you get a bonus point!
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Labeller. Want one! My labelling is rubbish so I am going to go looking for one. Fritillaria persica is gorgeous when it flowers. Had one that flowered in the first year, not last year, hoping it will this.
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I am very pleased with it, hopefully will stop the annoying “peering at half worn off labels and trying to work out what it says” syndrome. Fingers crossed for both of our fritillaries!
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That’s a fancy label-thingy! Off to look up the well tempered garden. Such an intriguing title!
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It wasn’t that expensive, a bargain actually. Please do have a look for the book, it is wonderful.
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You have rain? We have had the lot; hail, snow, icy winds and probably plagues of frogs, it’s too cold to go and look.
The Well Tempered Garden, that takes me back, it used to be my bible.
I am so impressed with your seedlings and seed labels.
Don’t give up hope, you will get aconites soon.
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I am really ready for spring now, is this what it is like every year? I can’t remember. Keep warm my friend x
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Congratulations on your new labeller.
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Thanks 🙂
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A delphinium grower wrote many years ago that one year he was going to be away all February so he applied slug pellets before he left. He had the best show ever, there after it became his regular practice. We all live and learn. Mr Lloyd is responsible for inspiring so many gardeners.
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Great tip! Attack is the best form of defence, or something like that. 🙂
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The photo of the snowdrop is just beautiful, and after visiting Helen’s garden I think I must have another read of Marjory Fish’s ‘Ground Cover Plants’.
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There are so many lovely ground cover plants, I love the evergreen epimediums.
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