Calorie Free Zone

Before the inevitable Bank Holiday rain descended, himself took me to Lodge Lane Nursery this morning to treat me to a non chocolate Easter egg. This is our nearest local nursery and came under new ownership in 2007. There have been several changes since then. It is certainly easier to navigate your way around. Some welcome additions include a self service tea room and a toilet which must be especially welcomed by visitors coming from further afield. Sue, the owner is most friendly and helpful.

On arrival we were drawn to an attractive display of vegetable seeds, sundries and some seed potatoes. We had missed out on the nursery's 'Veg Week' but some of the goodies were still on sale.



I was delighted to see some modules of healthy looking 'Feltham First' peas. As only about half a dozen of mine germinated I could not help but put some in my basket.



From the vegetable display we wandered round in front of the newly created vegetable growing area. I will try to take some more photos later this year of this, as well as the gardens which we did not visit today.



We ambled through the polytunnel ~



and along through the sales area :



So what came home with me apart from the peas ? For a while I have been hankering after some phormiums particularly after seeing them used so beautifully in the garden by Easygardener in this post. So into my basket jumped phormiums 'Sundowner' and 'Bronze Form', a little white anenome, mathiasella bupleuroides 'Green Dream', and a stipa gigantea (allotment bound). Last but not least in case my Japanese painted fern does not come to life this year I was tempted by athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Ursula's Red'.

On leaving himself observed that a choocie egg would have been cheaper but I was definitely one happy bunny.

Postcript - A comment from Patientgardener reminded me that Sue who runs the nursery has a blog which you can read here. Sue also won the BBC Gardener of the Year competition in 2006 but more of that on my next post about the nursery. I wrote my post in a hurry and had a feeling afterwards that I had left something significant out. Thanks Patientgardener :)