Shopaholic

Oh the joys of a good garden centre: what a shame it’s in Camden and not Vernoux. I will have some hefty lugging ahead of me this month. But well worth it I think. The haul today include 24 small raspberry canes. Six Glen Cova (a summer fruiter) six Glen Prosen, also a summer fruiter I think. Plus 12 Autumn Bliss. Then I couldn’t resist a small well pruned (hence easy to smuggle) Gertrude Jeykll climbing rose, and lots and lots of asparagus crowns.

Twenty one of them. They may not survive and thrive, but I just have so little self control. I know that in France they prefer the white asparagus variety, so I wanted to buy my preferred green ones, Connover’s Colossal. Naturally they need to be planted in the spring, but I’m going to be reckless and get them in at the end of the month. And cover them with fleece and pray for a mild winter.

Just for guests I also bought two rhubarb Timperley Early (An Award of Garden Merit variety) crowns and 120 more of those teensy crocus snow buntings.
And could I resist? No, into the basket went 30 more allium purple sensations. I’m thinking of what to put in the middle of the other vegetable garden squares. One square has four pots of lilies, but the others are so far bereft. I would love lots of Cleomes (Spider Flowers) but they have devilish spikes. So maybe some lofty alliums will have to do. And when they get ratty looking, the climbing sweet peas and beans and maybe cucumbers will hide their bases. But I haven’t really thought it out. I was just so thrilled to be in such a well thought out garden centre again. I was whimpering for some of the espaliered fruit trees. But no. The new St Pancras train station probably has a better x-ray system than the one at Waterloo, so the exhausting supply of plants that I insist of lugging may have to be curtailed.
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