The Terrible Twos

S IS FOR?

SAYING IT WITH SUNFLOWERS !

Singing out be be snapped on a sunny Saturday afternoon a veritable field of sublime sunflowers. I thought that I would send out some virtual sunshine today to celebrate the second official anniversary of my blog. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by since I started this blog - your comments, advice, wisdom, humour and thoughtful words are oh so much appreciated.

So with a spring in your step why not saunter to ABC Wednesday for more on the sassy letter S !

'Pictures Of Lily'

I was delighted to find a little package lurking in the porch, when I reluctantly set off to do some food shopping on Friday. I placed it gently in the confines of the greenhouse and opened it up as soon as I returned. You know how it is when you are beguiled by one of those mouthwatering descriptions that you come across of plants. After reading nurseryman's Bob Brown's description of the Oriental Trumpet Lilium 'Robina' in a recent edition, of 'Gardens Illustrated' it was a severe case of 'Iwantitness'. Although my nose is sensitive and lilies can trigger severe sneezing bouts, I am partial to them as long as they are out of the confines of the house. 'Robina' is described as having deep pink watermelon flowers ~ Bob Brown scores the plant as a 10/10, calling her 'stonking'. What more could you want?

'Iwantitness' is usually followed by despondency, when I find that I can't locate aforesaid plant for love or money. However not in this case - I found a supplier (a most well known seed merchant) and my bulbs promptly arrived in November, as advised on their website at the time of ordering. Inside the box was an information leaflet. How useful I thought but to quote points 2 and 3 from the leaflet entitled 'Ten Steps To Success' :

"If you have received your bulbs from September to October ...... " and

"If you have received your bulbs from February to April .... '

No mention of what to do with bulbs that are delivered from November - January. Tut - tut, this is rather naughty and puzzling especially for any novice bulb buyers. Just after I had sent my order of course I came across a specialist lily nursery, stocking the same bulb. I noticed at the time that this company
was not sending out any bulb orders out until February, so I am going to wait until then to plant the new arrivals. I have also observed today on their website that my supplier is now not dispatching 'Robina' until February. So now the challenge of finding somewhere cool and dry to keep them over the winter saving the seller from doing that task.

Whilst browsing their website I spied with glee that the specialist nursery stocks a lily that was proving most elusive to find. This is the Longiflorum Asiatic 'Eyeliner', which I first came across earlier this year on 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog' and which I just had to have too. Hopefully next summer between the sneezes I will be able to report back on the progress of both lilies.

The lily in the above photo was this year's 'Muscadet' - an already planted and almost in flower Oriental lily bargain purchase.

"The Circles That You Find"

R IS FOR?

ROUND!

"Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel,

Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel,
As the images unwind, like the circles that you find,
In the windmills of your mind!"

I thought that there was something rather reassuring about the repetitiveness of these box balls in the gardens of the Chateau d'Amboise in Amboise, France. Sadly some of the foliage had been ravaged, maybe by the rays of the sun but perhaps replacements will be ready soon.

Run over to ABC Wednesday for rare ramblings on the letter R. 

A Final Fling

A winter celebration took place at the allotment today ~ our last get together of the year. A few of us foolhardy perennials braved the elements for a couple of hours to share lunch and natter. We sat outside well wrapped up against the November chill. There was homemade vegetable soup, barbecued lavender infused burgers and of course cake. Discussion was very much on the subject of plans for a new season ~ some of my more efficient fellow plot holders have already completed their seed orders and have their crop rotation details sorted to the last minute detail.

Before taking my leave I nipped to my own plot to pick some autumn raspberries, which I had noticed somewhat gleefully shouting ' Look ~ we're red Mrs!' at me yesterday. I did not have a suitable container with me to convey them home so had to leave them behind but came prepared today. I had been wondering when they would ripen  ~ whether they all will or not is still subject for speculation. Today though there were enough pickings for a little but oh most delicious feast.

The Hanging Gardens

Q IS FOR?

QUIRKY!

Now why does the letter Q always have me in a quandry quivering over what to post? We came across the garden in question earlier this year whilst on holiday in France.

Quick get yourself over to ABC Wednesday now for some quality quotes and quips on the letter Q! 

End Of Month View ~ October 2010.

My good intentions to join in with Patient Gardener's 'End of Month View' seem to have gone off the rails. I have not posted since August. I was away from home at the end of September and then again in October so this post is late. I holding head down in shame also have to report that that the border has been in suspended animation since August. At the moment it is limping along, as I have been doing this last couple of months. In the middle of September my left knee suddenly gave way, made a dreadful crunching noise and has subsequently been the cause of some considerable pain. After hopping along with a walking stick for a week when we were away at the end of September, I made a doctor's appointment as soon as we got home. The outcome of this was a prescription for some 112 paracetemol (cheaper to buy over the counter) and a referral to a physiotherapist. I swallowed the odd paracetemol but did my best to manage without them. As the weeks have gone the pain has slowly but surely lessened, so much so that by the time I saw the physiotherapist earlier this week I felt a bit of a fraud. After various manipulations involving much undignified waving of the legs, the verdict was that there is nothing seriously wrong with the said joint.  However the ligament in the left knee is apparently not as taut as in the right. I now have exercises to do regularly to strengthen it and perhaps hopefully avoid future problems.

Whilst this has been going on not only have I been most grumpy and miserable but I have been approaching physical tasks with caution and rather gingerly, not wanting to aggravate the knee further. So I have neglected both the garden and the lottie which is most annoying. The autumn clean up is going to be one frantic rush. I still have to clean out the greenhouse, lift up the dahlias, plant bulbs, sweep up never the seemingly never ending leaf fall, mulch and generally tidy up. I am quite breathless just thinking about it and as for what needs doing at the lottie ...............

So I am putting the end of month border to bed for this year - you would not really want to see it just now - like my knee it's not a pretty sight. Instead a view of what I was glimpsing at with some degree of iwantitiness at the end of October. The garden is my parent's garden and the plant is a clematis that I bought for them some time ago - label long gone but I think it is clematis cirrhosa - which one though I don't know for sure but possibly 'Wisley Cream'. Whichever it is it is flourishing and the fence behind provides shelter from the bitter winds that blow in from Russia to East Anglia. My mother observed that it's in flower earlier than usual this year - apparently it usually it comes into flower in December with them when I imagine it would be even more welcome. Many thanks to Patient Gardener for hosting the end of month view and hopefully my postings will resume in the new year.

"Give Peace A Chance"

P IS FOR?

PEACE!

Promenading through one of Liverpool's pleasant parks on a perfect autumn afternoon, we were pleased to come across a new sculpture which is to have permanent pride of place. It is a tribute to the late John Lennon, who if still alive would have celebrated his 70th birthday last month. It was created by a 19 year old artist Lauren Voiers who is from the United States. Taking photos was rather problematic because of the sun. I pondered over popping back later but it was already late pm so maybe I will persist and press the click button another day.

Perambulate over to ABC Wednesday now for more pithy pointers on the letter P.