Today, Saturday 24 March 2018, I am on a secret mission with several other SoS-ers. It is thanks to the magic of time travel and WordPress scheduling I am able to bring you my contribution this week. Take a look at our leader The Propmeister‘s blog and all will be revealed about what Six on Saturday is all about. When you find out will you please let me know. I must get on, I have to polish my boots.
My first photo is entitled “How the Mighty Have Fallen”. Now I regret my cursing and chopping back of this exuberant Euryops chrysanthemoides wishing it was a little less vigourous. I also rue my cockiness about its safety. As the Beast from the East seems to be a pack of wolves rather than a lone traveller, with another attack due next weekend, I am feeling rather nervous about its fate.
A parcel arriving is always an exciting thing. When it comes from de Jager and has bulbs inside it, even more so. Rest assured, no lessons about growing tender plants have been learnt.
A stop off on the way home from Cardiff as couple of weeks ago resulted in a few purchases. Some went to a client, some came home with me. This Fritillaria uva vulpis, Fox’s Grape Fritillary, was one that has now joined the happy throng at my house. Or perhaps the cold and slightly miserable throng. Looks jolly enough though.
Another purchase on the same expedition (it is illegal to buy just one plant and equally unlawful not to have a bleeding heart in your garden) was Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine’. Although unplanted as yet, it is looking surprisingly chipper, even after languishing under several inches of snow for a few days.
In all the slush and rotting vegetation we have more positivity in the emerging furry shoots of Primula sieboldii ‘Essie’. This was purchased from Penny’s Primulas as couple of years ago, whose spectacular cultivars are named after their beloved cats. You will have to wait and see what this moggy looks like. Liking the dramatic build up?
Lastly we have a little chap who was basking in the sunshine this morning. He must have hunkered down in the Osteo that Refuses to Die with his new caterpillar best friend, now known as H R Puffin Stuff thanks to Tony. Seems like he has a leg in the wrong place, who knows what was going on underneath that horticultural fleece. Perhaps it is an optical illusion.
That’s all folks! Thanks again to The Propagator for hosting this meme. I am loving this time travel lark. Have they appointed a new Doctor yet? I’ve got a brilliant idea, they could have a woman as the next Doctor and it could be me. What do you think? Sorry, what was that? I’ve missed the boat? It was worth a crack.
Off The Edge Gardening 
I can not get that H R Pufnstuf music out of my head now!
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Your posts are always life affirming and are guaranteed to cheer me up. I too always make a return from Cardiff stop off at a favourite nursey. A quite dangerous to my wallet habit. Completely agree with you that it is entirely unlawful to have a garden without a bleeding heart. Hope mine are still underneath the soil surface waiting for Spring.
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Thank you 🙂 Great minds think alike! Planted this one out yesterday, just in time for the next cold snap 😦
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O deary me . . . I now have a new favourite fritillary. And as a resident alien, I’m also required to be law abiding, think I’ll go get a few bleeding hearts before immigration finds out about my heartless garden.
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Exactly! I may have to turn you in to the authorities. Not really. By the way I tried to comment on your post (saying lots of nice things) and I failed at the point where it wanted to know if I was a robot or not. I assure you I am not a robot. Will try again next time.
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Dear Bot – other Bots’ve complained about the same discrimination against your AI kind. Do feel free to comment on my Twitter feed, as Twitter embraces Bots wholeheartedly. I thank you for not reporting me to immigration.
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Bots are people too. Actually they are bots so they aren’t but they do have feelings. Actually ….. 🙂 Will do!
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I’m hoping the weather will not take another major downturn. My weather app suggests we could be okay, so fingers crossed for us all!
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I really hope so too. Last time I was a little bit “oh it will never happen here” so I have decided on the pessimistic approach and hopefully will be pleasantly surprised. Does that make sense?
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Yes, it does 😊
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I googled to discover your Fritillaria uva vulpis and I look forward to seeing it even more flowery!
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It has been bashed about a bit on its travels, not sure how much more flowery it will be. You may have to wait until next year!
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Ooohh, plant shopping. Lovely. I too received a De Jäger package this week and have been busy potting up and parcelling up. Good luck with the time travel.
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Did we get any of the same things? I so love spring, such a happy time of the year. Thanks, I am just a TT beginner.
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Lovely post again. My Fritillaria uva fulpis is mollycoddled in the greenhouse and in flower, like yours. The leaves of the Lamprocapnus are just gorgeous – irresistible!
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They are wonderful aren’t they, and always a sure sign of spring!
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Have been craning my neck to try to read the labels on your bulb delivery – they all look rather wonderful! And what a foxy little fritillary.
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Thanks, the anticipation is killing me, they are all potted up now (apart from the Chasmanthe that I am going to plant direct). So exciting!!!
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I too now have a new favourite fritillary. What conditions does that one require?
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It is gorgeous isn’t it? Well drained and sunny. We live in hope.
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We chatted about de Jager yesterday. I’m still waiting for my package. I could, of course, name-drop and say the next time I meet George Clowes I’ll complain that others get their stuff before me! Who is George Clowes, you ask? He’s often referred to as “Gorgeous George”. I shall remain “Dashing John”. We’re working on your name. Which nursery was the one wot you stopped at?
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You are in with the in crowd aren’t you?! I expect the orders are going out alphabetically, your will be very soon (finger’s crossed). The nursery is really an independent garden centre and is called The Old Well. Although it does have all the gifty stuff it has a really good range of plants. Worth a look, not bad prices either.
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Some of what you’re saying could be a foreign language to an antipodean, but I do love that fritillaria.
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Possibly to those closer to home too!
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Did you leave your poor euryops outside to face the beast? A nursery visit is essential at this time of the year to keep up morale. I had rather a satisfactory one last week. In fact I could have done with a bigger car. Whoops, bread and cheeses this week. But what’s money anyway? We can’t take it with us.
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I’m afraid, guilt as charged. Mine you it is (was) at least 1m x 1m and a little trick to fit into a pot. 🙂 Your nursery visit sounds interesting …..
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I love your writing! It’s so engaging!
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