I had written a little list of stuff I wanted to do/grow etc in the garden this year. Amongst the seeds, Cosmos suddenly came to me when I trotted to the bathroom around 3 a.m. (I slept well by the way - 11 1/2 hours! Not right through, elderly bladders don't allow for that, but I woke feeling more with it again.) The list also included pricing up a new two-wheel wheelbarrow. I looked on line - anything from around £60 upwards. I then went into the realms of Fantasy Wheelbarrows . . . Scrolling down, there was a tidy looking one but at £498 that was never going to happen. I decided to see just how dear wheelbarrows could get. £681 for a tipping wheelbarrow (don't they all?!) . . . then if you want battery-powered, we are talking £899. Then I found the wheelbarrow of my dreams, totally automated and all-terrain as it had caterpillar tracks - oh that would be perfect on my rough triangles of land! Only £1,614.98!!!
Anyway, Pam came to the rescue to take me to the garage to pick up the car. I mentioned going to the Garden Centre and she said, oh let's go together, so we did. Mind you, the prices soon quelled our excitement. They didn't have much choice of seeds in - only Mr Fothergill's, some Expensive Johnson seeds £3.99 - £5.49! and Franchi's. I bought a pack of Cosmos - Seashells mixed, and a pack of Pak Choi. Then some Garlic - French hardneck Garlic, Edenrose. I will dig a bed for this - it didn't do well in a long tub last year. I wanted a deep pink Hellebore, but wasn't going to part with £21.99. I knew it would be dear there, but that is ridiculous. I will hope that they have some at the Crossgates nursery when it opens again next month. The shopping list includes Rose Feed, young Lupins (lots), a deep pink Hellebore, Pot Marigold seeds, a lawn edging tool (shears), and lots of raspberries, as I am about to dig up the grass edge to the path up the bank to the polytunnel, put down membrane and lots of muck heap beneath it, and put raspberries all the way up. I will mulch it well on top of the membrane. I would like a Jostaberry too. I had one bush at Ynyswen, but the blackbirds always beat me to it! I now need to ask friend Chris if I can lessen her muckheap for her - with two horses it soon mounts up. A couple more wriggly tin raised beds are also on the list. Oh, and the wheelbarrow.
The car is back (just as well I didn't go mad at the Garden Centre!) and it is quite a novelty to have water jets that spray to the top of the windscreen. I don't think it has ever done that in all the years we've had it!
Pam walked her dog Foxy before we went to the Garden Centre, and so as it was dry then, I went out with my trusty secateurs and pruned back The Lark Ascending, dead Hollyhock and Echinacea stems, and started on one of the yellow roses I inherited when we bought the house. They were scared little things when in planters, but now in the ground grow nearly as tall as me and flower from end May to nearly Christmas.
Have a good Friday.
Sooo fun to go to the garden center in January. Summer dreams. I did the Seashell cosmos recently, cosmos don't do well here---but I babied them along and theyre very pretty. Did you save some hollyhock seeds?
ReplyDelete"Fantasy Wheelbarrow" made me laugh. Go for the lesser one, I think.
Well, it's not like going in spring or summer, but it was just good to get OUT, and get some ideas too. I want to get the Cosmos started inside this year and then go out as established young plants. The Hollyhock should have self-seeded but I think I saved some. I'll have to check my stash.
DeleteGlad that you liked the title today. It tickled me too.
You had enough dry to go outside?! You're lucky.
ReplyDeleteI do hope the posh wheelbarrow was gold plated.
Not for long, but I made the most of it. It has bucked me up no end to get started on the garden tidy up in January! I am full of plans now. We have another storm arriving tonight (Ingrid), arriving from Portugal . . . Or named by them anyway. Posh wheelbarrow would climb mountains!!
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