Gardener's World Live. Lots of Dianthus, Bonsai, and wooden sculptures of geese. The floral marquee was dizzying. I left my camera on the Fuchsia Stand. Fortunately the Fuchsia man spotted it and kept it safe for me. The toilet (below) was part of an entire house made of flowers (the rest is on the click through) and the baby in the hanging basket was one of the winning entries in a school contest to make Alice in Wonderland themed hanging baskets (again - there are more).
That huge pink ball thing, I never did find out what it was. The rest of the stall was Alliums but that looks somehow more.. complicated. The thing that looks like a Passion Flower is a Clematis. The pink birdhouses were buzzing with bees from the apiary displays. It was a lovely day, neither warm nor cold, friendly and bright.
But - how did I do on my to-do list?
But - how did I do on my to-do list?
- Carol Klein - I saw her, although a gentleman in a colourful suit spoke over her a great deal. She had some interesting things to say about container planting (use loam-based compost) (seaweed feed) (combine frills with spikes) and named a tulip that sounded interesting.
- Alstroemeria - a bust. I couldn't even find the stall in the Floral Marquee. I just kept on finding more and more bonsai stalls. Not a single plant, although I did see a man carrying around an orchid almost as large as himself.
- Containers - I found some interesting pots though they are not quite for sale yet. Any colour you want and specify the size. The display of planted-up containers was somehow a bit too flower-arrangey for me. But, just outside the slightly disappointing Gardener's World Member's Lounge (we scored guesties from a subscriber) I found a beautiful container containing an orange geranium, coleus and purple wallflowers. Just being decorative. Lovely.
- Blackfly - I got advice from (of all places) the Acer Society of the Midlands. Put on your gardening gloves and rub them off. I tried that earlier this week, and they're all back, so it's onto Ladybirds by post for me.
- Geum - yes.
- Enchanter's Nightshade - I didn't find anyone to ask, and it stayed securely in its little baggie.
- Little Borders - there were some wonderful little borders. Cirsium, fennel, dianthus. Good planting, pretty ideas. But of course garden shows are for the nonce. Primped-up flowers not meant to last. Never mind. I bought a Firecracker Dianthus (tall and leggy, with ember-bright flowers) anyway. We'll see if it lasts.
- The best flower - what, just the one?
Dianthus Sunset Bling Bling and Cirsium - flower of the show. - Climber - yes. I got a Clematis. Not one of those huge flashy passion-flower imitators, either - a pretty scarlet bell-drop type.
- Fern - yes, two and a bonus moss.
Seven out of ten, then. Not bad - could do better.
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