With downsizing in the offing, I am currently listing items we no longer need on e-Bay. So far, so good. Stuff I've sold has paid for the industrial quantities of masonry paint we have needed! I have only bought myself some M&S cords (2prs, dirt cheap) and a Clematis (Elizabeth - "Mile-a-Minute"). I talked myself out of a further bid on some Foyle's War DVDs, but I have now fallen by the wayside by looking up Aquilegias on e-Bay. . . .
In my defence, I have only bought a packet of seeds so far, for the princely sum of £2.19 (I know how to party!!) They are Aquilegia skinnerii "Tequila Sunrise" and absolutely stunning in coral and yellow. I shall probably find that amongst the babies I am growing from the seeds I bought at Touchwood Nurseries last year, that I have this as some of the labels (I used lolly sticks) lost their wording. And the Aquilegia cearulea blue (6 plug plants for 99p) - well, I might have left a bid . . . I shall get some little envelopes today and list some of my Aquilegia seeds too (might as well, I have a lot of seeds I saved from last year). Then it will just be a "swop"!
My garden is starting to look very pretty. I have the arching stems of a little white Dicentra spectablis (prefer the white to the pink one), and a big bush now which was a little slip of Geranium pyrenaicum "Bill Wallis", and I have big clumps of Geranium phaeum "Samobor" all over the place, and am happy to let it self-seed.
I can still remember seeing the first Columbine I had ever seen growing by an old cottage on the Purbecks (Ridge on the Arne peninsula I think). I had only seen it in my Observer's book of wild flowers prior to that and I was smitten . . . They are such beautiful plants and very promiscuous. I love the different types of petals from the big showy clematis-type to the shaggy Norah Barlows and the pom-poms and some I have just like little chandaliers . . .
This is what I'd call a love affair with plants! :)
ReplyDeleteI've never been able to afford expensive unusual plants jinksy, but can run to small ones and wait for them to get bigger, or grow stuff from seed. The Aquilegias are usually very easy to grow from seed and I just have a real love-affair with them. I want to gradually expand on the more unusual sorts. The seeds I got from Touchwood Nursery last year were very reasonable and she sells seedlings too. I ended up also buying some "Blackcurrant Ice" Aquilegia seeds this morning on e-bay. Very unusual colouring (purple and creamy-yellow). There's a rare red and white one I saw once growing wild in someone's lawn (just before they moved from their house). I wished afterwards I'd dug it up! "May" just buy these seeds too, but that's it in the indulgence stakes!
ReplyDeleteThere's an old fashioned Mrs.something (think its barlow) aquilegia, a small granny bonnet one, I like the way they cross and produce different colours.
ReplyDeleteBluebells are gorgeous are'nt they, yours in the field, are a bit like the ones in the clearing where they chopped the trees down in my neck of the wood - the bluebells suddenly bound into life. Great work with the painting of the house ;)
I love Grannys Bonnets, I have them self seeding every year in the garden and wouldn't be without them. I have a pretty mauve and cream one and have no idea where it came from!
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