Several months ago, with much aplomb, Lavinia* announced that she would not be buying any more plants.  It is true to say that neither of her audience quite believed her, although we nodded in appreciation of her intent.  She has long been an addict, it was a tough call.  Over the intervening weeks, new arrivals appeared; a lily (a gift, it would be rude not to accept), some pansies (rescued from the jaws of a skip), pelargoniums (an irresistible bargain), to mention just a few.  Sometimes they have been secreted around the garden, tucked into nooks and hidden behind planters, but I have always sniffed them out.  Today I planted out a Dicentra spectabilis “Alba”**, a couple of dozen gladioli and some white liatris whilst Lav potted up some pink gypsophila.  Earlier I admired some golden osteospermum and a window box full of mauve ageratum, neither of which I have seen before. How can this have happened? Must be that Plant Fairy again!

* This is not her real name.
** Yes I know it is now called Lamprocapnos spectabilis but I’m not playing nicely today.