I am daft. There is no disputing it. You may know that already. But I have further evidence. A couple of weeks ago, I slipped on the stairs and hurt myself. My friend Dorchester Doris said “have you considered living in a bungalow?”. She has a point. Daft. It needed to be said again. Head in the clouds and rushing about, always my downfall. For more than the last fortnight I have been pretty miserable. No gardening, no blogging, no fun. However, the last couple of days have seen an improvement in both body and spirit. Which means I am here, sixing along with the best of you. Pop over The Prop’s and all memories of my my sad tale will be replaced with wonder. Shall we shake a leg?
First we have an amaranthus, an absolutely ridiculous plant, but if you can get past the crazy poodle puff, it is rather lovely.
Next we have Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana ‘Claret Jug’. Please forgive it for such an outrageous name. This has been sat happily in the rain shadow of the Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’ and done rather nicely, thank you very much.
Rodgersia ‘Heavenly Gill’ suffered over the summer, not surprisingly for a moisture loving marginal. It held its own for a while and I wasn’t that bothered when the large leaves started crisping up, I was already on “next year”. However, HG was not on the same page, as you can see new leaves are being produced.
Next we have Kniphofia ‘Nancy’s Red’. I split a pack of mixed red hot pokers with The Prof and they have been a little slow. I was really pleased to see this one making an effort, although I am not sure it does actually belong to Nancy. Any thoughts? Does it matter?
A couple of years ago, I visited a garden in North Devon and my guide gave me some flower stalks of Pennisetum villosum, saying they make very good dried flowers. I thanked her, but with mischief on my mind. So I harvested the seed. And then I sowed the seeds. And then I raised a plant. And then it came to South Wales. And then it flowered. The end. Actually, in truth, it is the beginning.
In my Ilfracombe garden I tended/untended the Bed of Anarchy. Uncontrolled, uncontrollable. Looking at my new garden, these last couple of days, after its enforced fortnight of neglect, I felt a certain nostalgia. But I must also acknowledge, both to you and myself, that perhaps it is my natural state.
The only way is up, baby. ‘Til next time.
Off The Edge Gardening 
Your poker is making a better face than mine! So that’s something to celebrate. May I respectfully suggest that you refrain from shaking a leg? Keep both of your feet firmly on terra firma. That will give you a better chance of remaining more or less vertical.
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That is my problem! Too much leg shaking. 🙂
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Hope your spirits stay up. I like the untamed bed. A nice riot of colour.
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Thank you x
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Just carry on….. like your grass growing efforts. Grasses are growing on me. I am just waiting to see if some seeds collected neigh purloined almost will come up
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I am fond of grasses, although I don’t know much about them (yet). Have you visited Knoll Gardens? Now there is a treat!
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I love your amaranthus poodle puffs and all! I haven’t seen one before. Oh I do sympathise with your fall, I randomly stubbed a toe when not looking where I was walking – hobbled about for six weeks and still have days when it gets tired. It put all sorts of other body parts under pressure as my walking gait changed – not fun.
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Glad you have bounced back, just carry on gardening now. I have an eerily similar photo of a Pennisetum seedhead, they look so gorgeous in the autumn light. Love your anarchic dahlia bed, if only my dahlias could be anarchic and not eaten!
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Thanks, I’ve been doing bit and bobs, a little deadheading and thinking. I think next year the slugs and snails will have found us, the dahlias might not have it all their own way. And yes, great minds think alike, about pennisetum anyway!
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These amaranthus flowers are really original, you’re right it looks like the tail of a poodle that went to “the dog cleaner”. I also showed a begonia this morning: mine is white!
I’m going to go check my rodgersia because maybe there are new leaves here too after the heat wave that burnt everything else. I hope spirits will be better…
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Thank Fred, yes I am definitely on the up. I might chop some of the old rodgersia leaves off to give them a change to shine. And yes, your begonia is lovely too!
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With regard to your ‘natural state’, I think some gardeners, ( and I am one) like a garden that is uncontrolled. The urge to have one of everything doesn’t subscribe to notions of conformity. Looking at my garden today, I realised it is a mess, but a lovely mess full of interesting growing things, and that’s good enough for me.
I hope your injury continues to improve. And your spirits uplift……
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I am definitely in the same gang as you. And thank you x
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You and me are a right pair, I’m recovering from another avulsion fracture, the other foot this time. Why do we end up doing these things to ourselves at the same time? I wouldn’t worry about moving to a bungalow, you could manage exactly the same falling over a watering can as I’ve managed to in the past.
Love your begonia 💖
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You are quite right, we are a proper pair! Hope your foot is feeling a bit better and you are getting about. x
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Glad you’re a bit better – the ‘Heavenly Gill’ plant is obviously cheering you along.
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Thanks and yes, a new leaf is a very cheery thing, I’ve just been out given it a little water, teacher’s pet now!
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I think the poodle puff plant would look right at home in the middle of that last scene – it’s really inviting and, like a good painting, encourages one to sit and stare for many minutes… always seeing something new.
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I could have a name the plants competition! Now there’s an idea ….. And yes, the poodle plant would be perfect.
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I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better and are now able to admire the younger relative of the Bed of Anarchy – I must admit that my favourite gardening style is unruly and untamed, which is fortunate given what I see when I see my garden!
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Daft? I am sorry to read about your injury, even if I do not know what ‘daft’ is. I was not aware that there are bungalows there. I suspect that, like here, they lack stairs.
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Heck, I’m glad you’re on the mend. Stairs can be sneaky things – especially when they seem to add or take away a step you were sure was/wasn’t there before. I loved the story about the Pennisetum villosum.
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Amaranthus, what a concept! I have seen some really weird ones around here. They are grown as standards..and tall. I hope you are on your way to good health. The garden looks great.
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Lovely selection, glad you are recovering from your accident, so easily done as I know from experience!
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Oh dear! I’m a bit concerned that you may have another accident if you shake-a-leg too carelessly. Anyway, that Pennisetum is beautiful but almost scary. 😱 I am still amazed at your vast variety of plants in your new garden. Hope you feel fully fit soon.
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Hope your back is still improving. We have just come back from a heavenly (no pun intended) week in Corfu! Ready to tackle the garden again! Must tackle the unpacking and washing first though!! Hope to see you in the not too distant future. x ________________________________
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