Friday 28 August 2015

28 August : Confession


Echinacea purpurea 'Virgin'

I seem to be making a habit of talking to elderly ladies in garden centres - I hope that they don't complain that they were pestered by a mad woman in a yellow coat. Anyway, the lovely lady yesterday spoke to me first so I was not entirely at fault. She was very tall and slightly stooped, probably because of the enormous camera around her neck. Definitely a card carrying member of the Dahlia Paparazzi. We had an intense discussion on the merits of Penstemon and I know that I should have admitted that I do not like Penstemon but she was very enthusiastic and perhaps it is the next new thing, one should always keep an open mind.  Looking slightly guilty as she put another plant in her basket she confessed that her husband had just gone back to the garden to take more photos. I wished her luck smuggling her stash home.

16 comments:

  1. perhaps by now the new plants are safely - Oh that, been there for years, remember the ... flowers?

    I do enjoy your writing.

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    1. Thank you - you are very kind to read and comment.

      She looked such a lovely lady that I am sure her husband was a kindred spirit and would quite understand if there was a carload of white Penstemon.

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    1. Thank you! She was very dear - I wanted to force march her to the cafe and buy her a cup of tea.

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  3. I must admit to liking Penstemon and have quite a few grown from seed - they were a favourite of Geoff Hamilton. I quite like the fact that people talk to one another in garden centres or when visiting gardens - it is plant camararderie.

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    1. Oh dear, oh dear. I knew it was a social faux pas to be negative about Penstemon. I will go and look at pictures of them on the Crocus website until I re-educate myself.

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  4. I love chatting to anyone. My grandma did it and my mum does it. I'm carrying on the tradition. Totally embarrasses my children.

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    1. People are always asking me the way. Which they wouldn't do if they knew how unreliable I am with telling the difference between right and left.

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  5. I'm nearing the age when I'll be one of those elderly ladies in the garden centre so I will look out for you on my travels Alice. A penstemon fan here but I wish that they had some scent. Your echinacea is most striking.

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    1. When I meet you I will instantly confess that it is not my Echinacea, alas! I saw it in the Savill Garden and had an attack of the wanties so I took a photo to remind myself.

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  6. I am slowly coming round to the idea of Penstemons. I have a friend who loves them and has slowly been breaking down my resistance with plants with names like Russian River and Sour Grapes and I must admit they have been lovely this year. So I am going to dig up and put them all together and I even bought a new one yesterday at the plant stall at the sheep dog trials. It was called Czar and I couldn't resist sitting him next to Russian River...when this name things starts to happen with plants resistance is futile.

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    1. Oh dear ...there is a Penstemon Plum Jerkum...I can feel myself weakening. I had better go and hide the credit card.

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  7. coffee lady bought me a penstemon, so I now have a true fondness for them.

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    1. What a lovely gift. That Coffee Lady has a heart of gold beneath the hard Liberty Print exterior.

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  8. Well now, I am elderly so I should go to garden centres to speak to people? I shall find out where the expensive one is...it would beat Tesco hands down!

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    1. I can't recommend talking to people about Penstemons in Tescos - I think that you might be disappointed.

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