Kind

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Over the past couple of weeks I have depended greatly on the kindness of friends.  In my exhausting and tedious attempts to keep this horticultural ship on the high seas they have ferried me to mechanics, picked me up from mechanics, tailed me at a safe distance to mechanics, worried about me as I kangerooed into the distance, listened to my incessant moaning, soothed my frazzled nerves and generally been the bestest.  No tutting, no sighing, no hesitation.  The Favour Chart is full of gold stars and I owe lots of returns, but as a stopgap here is a very nice helenium for you to admire.  Of course this is not much of a reward, especially to Max’s Dads as it is their plant and they can just pop out into the garden and see it at any time.  It will however have to suffice until I manage to persuade Mr Branson to lend me Necker Island and one of his planes to get us all there.  Thanks marvellous mates, you are stars!

ps car is still in the garage ……..

Covet

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Let me take you back to early spring and I will tell you a tragic tale with a happy ending.

It was lecture day for the North Devon Plant Heritage group, always popular not only for the informative speakers but also for fiendish quizzes, delicious fruit crumble & custard and eclectic raffles.  As soon as I walked into the room I spotted him.  There he was, standing aloof on the raffle table, along with books, chocolates, paintings and primulas. It was Pelargonium ‘Lord Bute’ in all his noble beauty.  This Regal Pelargonium has large blooms the colour of a black hole and he was soon to be mine.  He had to be mine.  I purchased as many tickets as possible without drawing attention to my fervour and waited for the end of the day when I would pick up my prize.  I tried to concentrate on the day’s proceedings, but again and again my thoughts slipped back to this tall, dark, handsome chap.  The time came for the draw and clutching onto my ticket with a vice like grip I waited for my lucky number to be called.  As each ticket was drawn I winced as others leapt up jubilant and attacked the table of goodies. One by one the victors walked past clutching their prizes, in their ignorance none had taken my man.  All is safe, I kept telling myself, this time it will be my moment of glory. Then a shout of glee and one of my near neighbours and friend presented her evidence to the invigilator with a joyful flourish.  In slow motion she strode towards the prizes, considered her decision for what seemed like a few hours, finally picking his Lordship up and retraced her steps.  My heart sunk.  This wasn’t the happy ending I had ordered. How could this have happened?

As she passed my seat I whispered, in what I hoped to be my most menacing tone, “cuttings!”. She gave me a jolly little wave and mouthed “yes, come around anytime”.  I think I will have to work on my menacing tone.

Today, many weeks later, I visited to take cuttings of this beautiful plant, yet to flower but looking very healthy.  He lives in a wonderful space full of horticultural gems which are tended by true garden lovers.  His guardians are also the owners of two adorable dogs and makers of some amazing homemade biscuits. It couldn’t have gone to a better home.  Well except mine perhaps. It was here that I came across this herbaceous clematis, label lost in her voluptuous skirts, but perhaps Clematis stans.  I now have a new object of desire.  Fickle?  What me?

Trollius chinensis “Golden Queen”

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As I wended my way up the garden the sun kindly illuminated this trollius for me.  It was the first glimpse of light on a murky day, highlighting its rich petals, more buttercup yellow than a buttercup would dare to be.  The many hands of the inner petals reaching to the sky, supported by the solid domestiques below.  It was one of those moments.

Gone Fishing *

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My week has not gone the way I would have liked it to.  Nothing serious in the scheme of things. Quite meagre really.  It involves my car doing a fine impersonation of a kangaroo and no one being able to find a fault.   You will be pleased to hear that the AA man who said I was changing gear incorrectly is doing very nicely on the Pushing Your Luck Ward of the Cheeky Blighter Infirmary.   Luckily my real mechanic has found a problem and is now fixing it.  It does mean that I am without transport.  Just off to catch a bus, should be fun!

*This is a horticultural joke as the above photo is of Dierama pulcherrimum, commonly known as Angel’s Fishing Rod.  Hilarious!

Blazing

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It would be hard not to mention the weather today.  Advertised as the hottest day of the year and so it was. Wonderful for going to the beach running into the sea when it all gets a little too much, or perhaps a meander through the woods where the sun is filtered to gentle by the hungry trees, or maybe sitting outside a chic bar sipping Pimms whilst watching the world go by.  Dreadful if you have to go to work.  If your job is inside then the cruelty seems immense.  If you are employed outside then it is a sap draining, head frazzling, limb scorching nightmare.  No matter, back to grey tomorrow.  Thank goodness for that.

If you can’t take the heat

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The heater in my car is jammed on.  I have had it fixed but it has broken again.  This makes any journey over 5 miles long challenging, especially throughout the summer months. The experience of driving from South Wales to North Devon today was interesting.  It was like being in a Native American sweat lodge without the benefit of a spiritual experience.  All we had were butter mints and a luke warm bottle of water and I’m not sure they count as sacred fare.  Three of my passengers however were quite thrilled at this tropical trip: Mexican firecracker Dahlia “Mystic Spirit”, Asian beauty Hibiscus syriacus and the Mediterranean siren Teucrium fruticans.   At least somebody was happy!