Tuesday 9 June 2015

Summer bedding on a budget

I was weeding our front patio this afternoon when I remembered that I had once blogged on a gardening job to the effect that 'weeds are nature's alpines'.  It would be about a year ago, as I prised hairy bittercress and other annual weeds from between the cracks.  A year on, and I was carrying out the same actions in our own front garden.

However, I am glad to say that we do now have alpines, thanks to a well known family owned northern supermarket chain who discounted a selection on 'yellow sticker' (half price).  They were fine, I assured my husband, they just needed nursing back into health. I came home with a yellow potentilla, a dianthus (a smaller one to substitute for the nice one we potted on for my sister), a sea pink, another saxifrage and two sempervivum.  These latter like dry, stony conditions - perhaps not the optimum choice for our front bed. 

After that I went back for the mimulus at 50p.  My husband managed to salvage five out of six and they are now establishing themselves.

Today we went to a national chain where I get pensioners' discount on Tuesdays.  Purple petunias were purchased on orange sticker, under pressure from me, I must confess.  I did confess and make up.  My long-suffering husband dead-headed, discarded and planted the best of the survivors among what remains of our winter pansies.  It  looks if they have always been there.  Now we wait for them to flower again.

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