All sorts!

It’s always fun to grow something a bit different, and a few years ago I bought one of these: Dodecatheon.

I knew nothing about these plants; I thought it had died during the winter, as when I looked in March/ April of that year, it didn’t seem to be where I’d put it. What I didn’t realise was that it was one of those plants that dies right back in the winter. Lo and behold, a few weeks later, there it was. 

Last year, I bought a couple of Dodecatheon, to grow in two old sinks. I saved the labels which said in bold: ‘These plants are dormant’. So I stuck in the labels with the plants, to remind myself. One  (above) is in flower right now and is beautiful, but the other, I had to dig up…and rescue…and nurture, as one morning when I looked at it, it was in a right state…squashed flat! I think a cat had probably sat on it! I’ve potted it in fresh compost and it seems to be ok but there’s no sign of any flowers coming through.

As for the name Dodecatheon…well…apparently,in Greek, the word Dodeca means twelve and Theos means God. It is said that this flower was named in ancient Rome by Pliny as he believed it to be under the care of the 'twelve superior gods'.

The more common name is ‘Shooting Star’. The plants flower at any time from April until June and they like moist soil and part shade. They grow to about 12 - 16 inches.

In contrast…

…are these yellow, Welsh Poppies. They ( or should I say the seeds) blew into our wild patch, last year, from I don’t  know where! I’ve had strict instructions from Nich, this week, to ‘Save the seeds, please!’

And I almost forgot this beautiful Rhododendron, which looks as if it’s tumbling down towards the ground…

Thursday was, of course, William day! And I’m running out of ideas! We used some paint sticks to colour some trucks…badly drawn by me! But he enjoyed this and as he’s going to the BIGGEST truck show in the South West, this weekend, I thought it would be apt.

As well as this, he requested to do some ladybirds and so it was out with the red paint, goggle eyes etc!

I have a handful of dinky/ matchbox garden themed toys and he always loves to plays with these when we go outside.

And then, back inside for some role play! This takes me back to when I was teaching reception aged children. I had a lovely classroom with a ‘ Home Corner’ and the best thing of all was the box of hats!Put a hat on a child and they can enter a different world!  I need to find more hats!

 

 

Finally, did anyone watch or even go to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show? Oh to have been there! I’ve loved every minute of every programme although I do miss my favourite garden designer…Chris Beardshaw. His gardens were always superb!

Nevertheless, I did vote in The People’s Choice; I voted for ‘The Glasshouse Garden’, simply because I loved the planting so much; it was beautiful. It didn’t win but I thought that the winning garden, The Japanese Tea Garden, was also lovely.