The List finally included the "must have" new try-outs (rudbeckias), the "old favourites" (lobelias) and finally the "haven't got space but I will find a spot some-wheres" (some trailing violas). Once done the next step is the painful pruning of the list. No there really isn't space for the complete list in the garden so out go the wilder choices of container fruit trees and exotic ferns. Feeling very proud of myself with my new found prudence and iron self discipline and bearing in mind the age of austerity we have agreed to in the household for the next couple of months, my total predicted spend totted up to £102.00. The other half rolled her eyes and said nothing. But it was a clear No. Fair enough really I am not in a hurry to eat the contents of various boxes still left in the fridge from Xmas for the next couple of weeks which is precise what other hald would dish up if I dared spend the housekeeping budget on plug plants. This is food that has gone volatile - you know the stuff that got pushed to the back by the stuff that you actually ate - I think there might be some 4 week old pickled cabbage there somewhere (ughh)
The order wasn't placed - but instead I agreed to look for seeds. I had previously said to other half that that looking in the catalogues was "only for ideas". And to be fair she had given me a pop up plastic green house for propagating this year for Christmas - just as I asked for. This was after I had turned our conservatory into a greenhouse last year which hadn't gone down to well with anyone not least with the cat which lost its prime sleeping position in the sun to a tray of pelargoniums. So any way the plan was grow our own plants from seed in the green house in spring then grow tomatoes in a bag for summer. But the catalogues with their incredible coloured photos and free gladioli are just so damn tempting. Ah well. Impulse resisted. Seed it is is then. I had a quick regretful look at an online seeds place but that I knew would end up buying the equivalent of a northern hemisphere seed library here - again too much temptation. No the thing to do is the old way - go shopping with my feet to a garden centre.
Today I went to a garden center. Frist visit of 2012 and it felt good. Big smile. No mind that this was is very much the low point in the garden centre calendar - way too many pots of daffodils and hibiscus and just a few half price shrubs and row upon row of empty trestles expectantly waiting for the first arrivals from the nurseries.
No matter as Seeds were the target and definitely NOT the half price shrubs - and lo - all seeds 50% off. So now we have packets of rudbeckia, lobelia, salppilossis, pansies, violas, alyssum, petunia, mimulus, nemesia, mesembryanthemum, candytuft and antirhinums plus a green leaf salad mix and some money spinner tomatoes. Throw in a couple of bags of germination compost and a half price hosta (I am human!) "£30. Oh and another £10 for the half price lawn feed even if it is a fair sized 10 kilo bag and not the small box 2kg for the same money Theoretically it will last for for 2 years but it will go lumpy before that but I reckon I will still be better off. And not eating the scary stuff left in the fridge. Win!
Tthe catalogues? Sorry chaps. Good try but this year they are now in the recycling bin. Just in case!
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