Green Girl Gardener

Day off work today with nothing in particular planned to do. I was determined not to waste the day procrastinating but alas, it’s innate. I blame technology! Before technology I couldn’t lie in bed checking my email, updating social media and playing Candy Crush! I don’t even want to play Candy Crush but they’ve somehow managed to tap right into the addiction part of my brain and press all its buttons! Oh how I wish I’d never worked out that you can just advance the time on your phone to get five more lives!

Anyway, due to the aforementioned distractions, I didn’t leave the house till mid morning. I decided I wanted something new to wear for my trip to Wimbledon tomorrow so I headed to the Fort only to find out that Oasis is closing down. Gutted! This is the only shop that I can usually depend upon to serve my wardrobe needs.  Spent £52 on a coat, a jumper and a T shirt, none of which are suitable for tomorrow (but full price they’d have cost £144 so that’s ok then!) No other shops had any offerings and never one to give up easily, I headed into Sutton for a peruse. Very depressing! Paperchase has now closed (sob!) Marks and Sparks is closing in two weeks, Next and BhS have ghosts roaming around their empty shells and nowhere else had any clothes to fit my purpose.

I don’t know what current clothes designers think women in their forties are supposed to wear! In the interests of my fellow humans, it’s really best that I don’t wear teeny tiny crops tops a la Miley Cyrus and, much as I love her, I’m not yet ready to dress like my Granny. There is literally nothing in between! So, if you see someone naked sitting on Court One tomorrow, that’ll be me!

I headed back home and decided to make good use of the rest of my day and I planted up most (not all) of my plants in waiting, most of which were sale table finds. I’m just going to spam you with photos now!

Coreopsis  Calypso. This is a relatively new buy. It was half price but I’ve no idea why because it was full of buds and as you can see, is now starting to flower quite happily.

Rhododendron. This one does look past its best for this year, but it looks healthy so I’m sure it’ll delight me next year.

Agastache Apricot Sprite. Good for bees and butterflies this one apparently once the flowers come out.

Euphorbia Rudolph. It’s supposed to have little red noses like Rudolph but not till Autumn and they look pretty pink to me already!

Patio Rose Flower Power Gold. This is  very rapid turn around for me! I only bought it yesterday and it’s planted already! Beautiful.

Leucothoe Walteri Zeblid. Don’t really know how this will turn out but, never one to say no to a bargain.

Fern. I always pick up a Fern if I see one on a sale table because we’ve got so many shady areas because of our neighbour’s massive trees and I struggle for ideas of what to grow in them.

Patio Rose Scarlet. Needs very little explanation. It’s a classic!

Arum Marmoratum. This does not look happy! I don’t have high hopes, but you never know.

Nepeta Blue Dragon. Looks purple to me, but you know, there is something dragon-like about it. Maybe it’s because the leaves look like a ridgy dragon’s back.

Hosta. This one was a donation from our cleaner at work. She actually gave it to me last year and I thought it had died over the Winter, but (procrastination Queen) I hadn’t got round to moving the pot it was in, and it came back!

Hellebore. Another shade lover that I tend to hone in on if I see one. I have three – one in my birthday planter that was flowering at Christmas and now one in each border. I find them quite appealing, each stem is almost like a mini tree.

Miscanthus. This is supposed to be a sun lover, but I’ve taken a risk and put it in a shady spot because it’s supposed to get quite tall and I’m hoping it’ll provide a bit of a screen because, as you can see in the background, we don’t have a proper fence on that side (and can’t afford to get one at the moment).

So, that’s that. Thirteen plants placed in their forever homes (for now, at least). The borders are starting to look a lot fuller, which pleases me. Full borders mean less weeds! Hubby always says he thinks Longmeadow (Monty Don’s garden for those who don’t watch Gardener’s World) is too full, but I love the look of everything being packed in to the borders. I’m going to have to start making some beds down the end of the garden soon to give me more room to plant in.

Right, time to go and get everything ready for Wimbledon tomorrow. We’re going to see the World number one Ashleigh Barty, British number one Johanna Konta and my number one Rafa Nadal!