So tired this evening after a frantic day trying to get a truck load of bedding in place. The hoards arrive tomorrow at The Farm for half term and we wanted it to look its best. Nothing like living to the wire. I have nothing against bedding but I can’t get too excited by it. Not yet anyway, perhaps later when it fills out to its blousy best I will be more enthusiastic.
This however is quite different. A single flower of Wachendorfia thyrsiflora, vibrant in today’s persistent sunshine.
As anyone who is self employed will tell you, it is very difficult to turn down work for fear of not being asked again. There comes a time though, when you have to say “today is for me” and that is what happened yesterday. And what did I do? Well I gardened of course.
Sometimes I think that plants survive in my garden in spite of me. Althaea cannibina struggling behind an over-exuberant euryops, barely protected Hedychium greenii already with shoots of 20cm, ignored dahlias showing their wares. My lovely daylily ‘Pollies Dark Seedling’, once feared lost, was ably tackling the molluscs unassisted. Talking of the enemy; there were biblical amount of slugs and snails. Every pot I lifted, every leaf I turned, every plant I knocked out, there they were, in all colours, shapes and sizes, lurking belligerently and stuffed full of fresh foliage. Bindweed was the herbaceous equivalent; strangling, sneaky, cleverly wrapped around itself to make a taut stem with which to climb to even higher heights. A whole day spent in intensive care went some way to bring the garden back from the brink. Must try much harder, it really is a very bad example.
This little Erodium manescavii wasn’t bothered by my neglect. I have a soft spot for the diminutive heronsbill. Very uncomplaining, very beautiful, perfect for my garden.
Limnanthes douglasii, the poached egg plant. Much loved by hover flies and those of us who enjoy a little companion planting. Looks more like a fried egg to me, a whole pan of them. I’m suddenly feeling rather peckish ………..
We had celebrity visit today at Max’s. It was a gentleman who knows a lot and is not shy to share this information. His encyclopaedic knowledge and unfettered opinions filled in some gaping holes in our plant identification. He also confirmed that many were unusual specimens in the garden. Which of course is good, but it is also bad. Very nice to know it is special. Not so good is the increased pressure to protect these plants. Some are positioned very awkwardly, not in the best place for them to thrive but too large to move easily. Several are very tatty looking and situated in prime positions. The Moral Maze ……….
Communication is vital in the Client/Employee relationship*. One of the main areas of contention is nomenclature. Below is a typical conversation:
Me: I thought we could plant the Lobelia siphilitica over where the Pinus sylvestris was.
Esteemed Clients: Blank looks, nervous side glances
Me sensing bewilderment: The tall blue flower where the pine tree was.
Esteemed Clients: Embarrassed smile, prolonged feet observation, one may have nodded off for a moment.
Me giving up all hope and using hand signals and illustrations: You know the big tree that half fell down just after Christmas and the nice man with the chainsaw came and chopped it down completely, shall we plant some pretty flowers there?
Esteemed Clients: Why didn’t you say that in the first place?
Me: Quite.
This is Clianthus puniceus ‘Rosea’, parrot’s beak, lobster claw, , glory pea. Never mind, it is another pretty flower.
*As several of my Esteemed Clients read my blog, please be assured that this is an amalgam of several people, none of which is you. You are just perfect, it is the others, honest, you are my favourite and can do no wrong.
The meadow rue, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium, is doing its thing and quite beautifully. This is a great plant for the beast that is known as “dry shade”. It has attractive columbine foliage and tall sturdy flower stems topped with pink froth. We all need a bit of froth sometimes.
My life is one fluke after another, and we are not talking about the parasitic worm here. This photo was meant to illustrate the perfect partnership of powder pink aquilegia and dusky blue nepeta. Little did I know that this horticultural masterpiece would be photo bombed by a scene stealing ladybird. Don’t you love it when a plan goes completely wrong and is all the more better for it?!
Something most peculiar happened today. After a full day’s work at The Farm I came home (a little jaded, very muddy) and downloaded my photos. Except there weren’t any. For some reason not one single picture was taken today. True I was busy, but usually there is something that catches my eye, that is worthy of a snap. And there was opportunity aplenty. Mr G being followed by one chicken and six ducklings. Newly earthed up potatoes. Apple blossom. A JCB. Something for everyone. In the past this photographic hiatus was because I had left my camera at home, or it was being stored at the bottom of a pond. But no, it was attached to my belt in the normal manner, close at hand. But for some inexplicable reason I hadn’t reached for my trusty friend once all day. Most peculiar. So you will have to admire this cherry blossom from Max’s house. I promise I will try harder tomorrow.
I like working with people in the garden, I would say that I am naturally a team player. Some days I yearn for solitude, but not often. Today, usually for Max’s garden, I was on my own. It was not a Greta Garbo day. I felt a little bereft. There was no one to plan with, bounce off, no one with whom to discuss complex ethical problems or argue about your favourite member of One Direction, or to enthuse with, or just be silly with. The pigeons, who were making the most of Max’s absence, weren’t much fun at all, in fact they were pretty dull company. So I weeded and daydreamed and weeded some more, waiting for the showers which never materialised. Not a bad way to spend a few hours, but I did miss my boys.
As I haven’t quite completed a full year in this garden, this is my first experience of the many azaleas that grow here. Pink, yellow, cerise, deep red, flushed whites and tango orange. This dark leaved variety caught my eye, with its burnt amber buds. I may have said it before, but I so love spring!
It was a day of mixed blessings. On reflection the bad ones were self inflicted, the good ones out of my control. Darn these dastardly life lessons!
Off The Edge Gardening