greentapestry : Desert Island Plant Challenge

Wednesday 21 January 2009

Desert Island Plant Challenge

When I first read about this challenge on Shirls Gardenwatch blog I knew that I would face a pleasurable dilemma in making a decision. I have presumed that as well as edible crops, that my island is going to provide me with materials for building a shelter and for clothing. So in choosing my three plants my main criteria has been to select the plants from my own garden that bring me the greatest pleasure each year. I would want to have some familiar and cherished plants in my new environment.

The first is the snowdrop, such stalwart early visitors and scented too. The first sighting of these flowers never fails to make my heart miss a beat each year. Spring is coming - yaaaaaaaay !



My second choice is the sweet pea which for me the very essence of summer. Not only would I have that breathtaking scent and beautiful colours, but I would also be able to to pick bunches to decorate my island dwelling. Sweet peas would also need regular attention, which would provide me with a welcome diversion. Although they are only an annual I would make sure to save my own seed each year. Here is a sumptuous bunch, not my own but an exhibit at the Wem Sweet Pea Show in July 2003.




My third choice is rosa rubiginosa (formerly rosa eglanteria). This is the sweet briar rose which bears masses of dainty little pink flowers, followed by a proliferation of shiny red hips come the autumn. It arrived in my garden by accident - a gift from the birds. It has a most sweet smelling foliage and on a damp summer's night its scent pervades the air with the scent of apples. I now have this plant in both my garden and allotment. This is easily grown from seed.



Thanks for the challenge Shirl - it was great fun ! More on desert island choices at Shirls Gardenwatch.

23 comments:

  1. Hi Anna, what delightful choices you have made for this fun meme by Shirl. There is something for all seasons that offer color and fragrance. I would love to be on your island too!
    Frances at Fairegarden

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  2. Snap! Anna - sweet peas also made my top three - so glad you included snowdrops as well. With the rosa rubinosa - your island is going to have wonderful scent.
    K

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  3. Wonderful choices--I love that you've included such fragrant options. I had thought about snowdrops (along with a gazillion other choices) and figured someone else would have them packed in their bag. Hope we're all on the same island!

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  4. Excellent choices, the snowdrops and sweet peas made it to my shortlist so I fully understand why you choose these wonderful plants. Snap, I choose a rose too although a very different one from yours.

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  5. Anna, delightful choices. I just love sweetpeas, mmmm I can smell them now.

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  6. Anna, Hello...lovely choices and the fragrance of sweet peas is filling my imagination right now. Spring please hurry! gail

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  7. Love the snowdrops!! I too am trying to grow sweet peas this year. Your choices are wonderful.

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  8. Hi Anna. It is interesting to see what people have chosen. Lovely snowdrops - and sweet peas for fragrance. I do like roses with hips, you sort of get two plants for the price of one!

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  9. Great choices Anna, I too thought about snowdrops :-D I also thought on a rosa for their sweet simple flowers, scent and for hips after to feed any birds on the Island. The sweet peas missed getting on my list. That was an oversight as they would be wonderfull on our Island. This is really fascinating seeing all the choices :-D

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  10. Sweetpeas :) A favorite of mine too!
    This is so much fun looking at all of our choices!

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  11. I can almost smell those sweet peas! Beautiful choices.

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  12. Dear Anna,
    Sweet peas are delightful...but I am enjoying the thought of Rose Hip tea! So nice to meet you.
    Namaste,
    Sherry

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  13. Hi, I dropped in from "My mothers garden" great to see what gardeners write about on the other side of this planet ;O)
    Have a nice day, Petra

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  14. Hi Anna, thanks for visiting my blog after my little note on yours.
    Isn´t it great that gardenfreaks get in touch via blogging? !!!!
    Have a wonderful, creative weekend....thanks god it´s friday...hahaha

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  15. Hi Anna - I knew you'd go for snowdrops after your comment over at mine during the summer :)

    Lovely additional choices - those sweet peas would be especially fragrant.

    Have a great weekend!

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  16. Ahhhhh, Anna, I can't believe I forgot about sweet peas when I was making my choices. I love them. Can I live next door to you on the desert island so I can enjoy your sweet peas?

    Jan
    Always Growing

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  17. Oh, the fragrance of your choices! I seriously considered choosing Snowdrops. I don't think I could make it through the winter without them. I feel such a fool getting the knees of my jeans all soggy by kneeling down to get a good whiff, but it's so worth it. I wish I could grow Sweet Peas, they are one of my favorite flowers.

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  18. I've never had sweet peas before. I'll have to rectify that.

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  19. Anna, I just love sweet pea! That was on my list. Thanks for stopping by my blog- and in case you don't visit soon I wanted to ask you where do you get the Nicotiana mutablis?

    Happy Gardening!

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  20. Um, can I change from hollyhock to heuchera? Thanks! (I haven't packed already, so it should be cool!)

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  21. Thanks for stopping by and for all your lovely comments which were much appreciated. I have really enjoyed taking part in Shirl's Desert Island Challenge and meeting so many new to me bloggers. It has really brightened up these January days. A special hello and welcome to Frances, Jodi, Yolanda, Lisa, Gail, Darla, Easygardener, My Mother's Garden, Layanee, Sherry, Petra, Jan(Always Growing), Mr.McGregor's Daughter, Robin's Nesting Place, Tessa and Jan (Thanks for 2 Day). I think that I have visited all your blogs and left a comment about your choices. Many, many apologies if I missed anybody out. If we were to inhabit the same plot of earth it would certainly be colourful, fragrant, home to lots of birds, butterflies and bees as well as full of plants to wonder at. I would enjoy living there :)

    Tessa, I will pop over to your blog soon with some information about the nicotiana mutablis.

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  22. Hi Anna, I could swear that I left you a message already about your desert island choices!! Oh well, I'll do it again, just in case: The thought of sweet peas is delicious (I know you can't eat 'em) but everyone says how good they smell. Believe it or not, I've never seen any:( I am going to have to grow some this year!! I hate to admit it, but snowdrops are 'foreign' to me too. (I'm very gardening-challenged) :(
    Rosehip tea sounds wonderful. And the rosehips will keep the birds well fed. (Not to mention how pretty the little pink flowers will be!). Nice choices!!

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  23. Jan - you did but for some reason it appeared on another one of my posts :) Sweet peas do smell absolutely gorgeous. I am sure that you would like snowdrops too. I had not thought of making rosehip tea - now there's a most excellent idea !

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All your comments are much appreciated and treasured. I wil try to reply to everyone who leaves a comment, but it may take me a few days, especially when I start spending more time in the garden and at the lottie. I know that you will understand :) I am sure that I will also visit your blog if I have not already done so. If you have any specific questions I will either reply to them here or you can email me at : thegreentapestry@gmail.com

Namasté

- Anna.