What a glorious autumnal weekend it has been. I do love this time of year and I always find myself feeling like it’s the start of the year not winding down to the end. This is the time of year when gardeners are planning for spring; planting bulbs, thinking about seeds to show so we are already planning for next year – it’s all rather positive in my opinion.
Anemone hupehensis ‘Lady Emily’
Talking of planting bulbs in my bid to learn to love my front garden I decided to buy one of those large bags of big daffodil bulbs you can buy from DIY stores and plant them out in the front border. Whilst I prefer the smaller narcissus I generally see the front garden from the house and so I think that the large daffodils will make more of an impression. Half way through planting out the bag my trowel snapped in half! I don’t know how long I have had it, probably at least 8 years and it has worked very hard but it is no more. The only alternative I would find was one of those thick plastic trowels that was given away with a magazine. It did the job eventually but it was hard work, a bit like trying to cut paper with the child safe scissors. Anyway, a new trowel has been ordered.
Nerine bowdenii about to open
The rest of yesterday was spent pottering around the garden. Planting things out for next year such as some Sweet Rocket, potting up bulbs, moving succulents under cover and weeding. It was nice to be so leisurely especially as I was home alone so no one was expecting meals at certain times.
Today I spent a happy day at the Alpine Garden Society Bulb Day. I hope this becomes an annual event as it was so nice to hear experts talk about specific species such as crocus, colchicums and nerines and also to get the chance to buy bulbs from suppliers including Pottertons and Jacques Armand. I came home with a lot of brown bags full of treasures from a huge Hippeastrum bulb to tiny allium bulbs – talk about David and Goliath.
Oh and I also bought Christine Skelmersdale book on Bulbs which will be interesting reading over the winter.