I have spent a lovely couple of days in North Wales staying with Karen (ArtistsGarden). Although we don’t need an excuse to meet up it was rather convenient that there was a Plant Fair at Crug Farm on Saturday which just happens to be about an hour from Karen’s – so rude not to go really.
We picked up a couple of like-minded souls: Karen’s sister-in-law Jane and Kate (Beangenie) and set off. Of course being organised and practical people we took two cars in order to ensure that we had sufficient boot space for our purchases. Especially important as I have no self-control when at these events and also because we were visiting a very good garden center on the way home and the others had lists of what they needed. We had a lovely drive across the Snowdonia National Park and arrived not that long after the fair opened. Of course the first stop was for refreshments.
Finally we were unleashed in the plant buying area and within 5 minutes Jane had bought some very exotic looking carnivorous plant with a wonderful elaborate yellow flower. The buying didn’t stop for some time. I don’t know how many stalls there were but at a guess I would say around 15; there were all sorts of plants from the obligatory tomato plants through a wealth of perennials to small trees. I hadn’t realised I was doing it but I kept saying, “I’ve got that” which soon became a bit of a joke with my friends and was a welcome relief to being called a soft Southerner due to the many layers I had on. It just shows I have bought far too many plants from similar events and confirms my complete lack of self-discipline when it comes to plant buying.
Then we moved into the Crug Farm plant sales which although the plants were a bit more pricey than the other plant stands the plants available were large and unusual.
Having procrastinated a lot about which gems we would buy from Crug decisions were finally made, lunch consumed and a wander round the garden undertaken. You can see in the photo above our purchases waiting for transportation to the cars in wheelbarrows. I suspect Sue (second from left) was pleased to see us go as we were jolly noisy bunch.
As I know some will be wondering about our purchases this is what I bought:
Kirengeshoma Koreana
Potentilla rupestris
Geranium westray
Molopospernum peloponnesiaam (Crug)
Geranium plamatum (Crug)
Iris Lemon Ice
Japanese Angelica
Beesia calthifolia (Crug)
As you can see the gardens are quite magical especially if like me you have a weakness for woodland plants. The gardens clearly show that the whole concept of shade being difficult if just rubbish.
We left happy with our purchases and headed off to the garden center for afternoon tea. If you are near Caernarfon I would recommend a visit to Crug Farm and if you are heading that way next May then do bear in mind next year’s plant fair which I believe is the first weekend in May or the open garden on the 2nd June 2012