Just before last weekend's social event of the year there was time for a lightening raid at that very first plant sale of year! This was held by the Cheshire and Friends group of The Hardy Plant Society as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations. I was member of this local group in the dim and distance past and still try to attend their annual plant sales when possible. There is always a good choice of happy and healthy plants on offer grown by both local nurseries and keen gardeners. We left home in brilliant sunshine but by the time we arrived the skies were clouding whilst a rather erratic wind blew up from nowhere. The sale was mainly based outdoors and quite high up on a hill top so the sellers deserved a medal for their tenacity.
Purchases included a trio of pulmonarias - 'Stillingfleet Meg', 'Majesté' and 'Opal' as well as the brunnera 'Langtrees' with its most subtly marked foliage. The other acquisition was cardamine quinquefolia which has hovered on the edge of my consciousness for years. This was the first time that I had ever seen it in the flesh but only a few seconds acquaintance were enough to persuade me that this plant was coming home with me. Sadly its flowers were almost on their last legs so it will be next spring before I can take photos and show them here.
I wish that I could have stayed long enough for a second sweep of the stalls as I'm sure that I missed out on some gems but was still delighted with my purchases. I'm sure that there will be other plant sales this year but there's nothing more exciting than the first of the year. What about you - have you had the chance to get to a plant sale yet this year and if so what did you come home with?
Excellent - I succumbed to some purchases at Spetchley, warming my purchasing powers up for Malvern. Definitely a feel good factor, spring is here
ReplyDeleteSounds like it was a lovely time spent at the fair, and a good haul too! So many plant fairs happened last weekend but we opted to stay put instead. No plant fairs attended so far apart from the February one in London.
ReplyDeleteI don't know of any local plant fairs, which is a pity. It sounds as though there were some great things on offer at the one you attended, I'd be there like a shot.
ReplyDeleteDo show us your pulmonaria, Anna. It has reminded me that I have got 'Majeste' somewhere, no doubt without a label, and possibly 'Opal' too.
ReplyDeleteI haven't found any plant fairs local to me but do try to get to one that is held in Hampshire near my parents' home. This hasn't stopped me coming home with plants at every opportunity - the London Plant Fair and Dixter being just two of my splurges so far!! I'm pleased to know about your Cardamine plant; I admit I had to look it up and found it v beautiful. Always good to know about plants for shady places ...
ReplyDeleteOh, good for you. I've not been to any yet, but there is one in aid of the village 'In Bloom' society soon, and I hope to get to Plas Newydd in June, Karen will be there. Thank goodness for the internet, but it doesn't compare to a plant sale attended in the flesh. And goosebumps...
ReplyDeleteOh, lucky you! There are no local plant sales here that I know of, I wish there were as I'm sure the variety of plants on offer must be really interesting.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! There's something about the first plant fair of the year. A real sense of excitement after the lack of gardening over winter. I think with the prolonged winter we're all more desperate to get growing and plant buying than ever. Your purchases sounds lovely. There's a local plant fair coming up in May so hopefully I'' pop along to that.
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