Show us your purchases 2024

A pile of post on the doorstep Wednesday after been away to sunnier climates , guess what the Chilterns seed catalogue amongst it , yes earlier than last year @NigelJ . I’m good it’s still sitting on the kitchen table UNOPENED.

 

Two impulse purchases at the Hilliers Garden Centre at Syon Park yesterday - from the remaindered section as you can see:





Felt like too good an opportunity to pass up, and I am really pleased with both plants - Mangave Moonglow and Lychnis/ Silene Hill Grounds. I love succulents, used to have a couple of agaves but gave up on those worrying about the dog/ visiting children maybe getting spiked. Hadn't come across mangaves (an agave/ manfreda hybrid apparently) before - love the lack of spikes, and the presence of spots! There were several different varieties on offer - my only difficulty was picking just one to carry home and try . It's got some damage to the older leaves but promising new growth at the heart. The lychnis is a good big specimen, actually rather congested at present - come March I can divide it into several plants and plant it out in the sunny border. Until then both can live on the patio, though I guess the mangave may need frost protection - does anyone have experience of them? How hardy are they in fact?

 

I've had a couple of Mangave for two years now and they need strong uv in summer to bring out the good colour.

 

The winter bulb sales got me did so well until I looked at gee tee website , they had some nice daffodils on sale which I've not grown before I got marie curie diamond - sailboat - kedron - double dee with some painted ladys iris and some tulips .

Went to B&Q to burn some time while mum had a hospital appointment they had bulbs 75% off which tip me over the edge , this greedy pig couldn't resist

 

You’re gonna be busy, @Perki.

 

Yes, I thought I'd finished all my bulb planting then went into B&Q. Planted 10 today, 128 still to go.

 

Good luck with that @Perki! I think I've had Sailboat. Nice little daff. *
I've become quite good at walking past stuff now. I've already ordered/received all the seed I'm going to need too.
Now I just need to remember what I've got and to sow it in spring....

*I've just checked and I've ordered more of those - all my bulbs are planted so fingers crossed they'll be good.

 

Seeds arrived from both Chiltern and Real seeds, anybody else realising they might have got too many seeds again.

 

My seeds of Exacum affine arrived today. I'll have to look up how to sow them.

 

Where did you get them Michael?

 

eCRATER
I just came over it on the internet by chance
www.ecrater.co.uk

 

Look fairly expensive and from places I dont trust, I hope they come true.

 

I've been looking for them for several years and haven't been able to find any, so when I saw them I sent for them in my excitement .

 

Yes not widely available these days for some reason.

 

Out of fashion I think, like Fuchsias apparently. When a Fuchsia nursery near here cut down on the number of varieties they were selling the owner told me they decided to do that because they were out of fashion.
Another nursery stopped selling them and a third one closed down.
B and I had nearly 200 varieties at one time but I'd have great difficulty replacing them now I think. Most of the ones we had are not available anywhere these days.