Labels and marker pens

Struggling to find a “permanent” marker pen which is weatherproof, UV stable and fade resistant for plant labels. Just went to remind myself of a particular variety in the border and, hey presto, it’s disappeared! Rob Cole mentioned that a 2HB pencil is all you need for plastic labels but surely that can’t be right? Will have to try it. But in the meantime, just bought yet another pen to try! Artline Garden Marker, £2.99 with free p&p off Ebay.

The trouble with “permanent” (when I find it) is that I can only use labels twice. But I can get 12 labels out of a 450g yoghurt pot and as we go through at least 3 of these a week that gives me enough labels for the whole year, free!

Tomatoes

Just a reminder for self about tomatoes. ‘Red Cherry’ (greenhouse cordon variety) is exceptional with 20 – 24 fruits per truss and superb taste. Stopped at 6 trusses.

‘Tumbling Tom’ is nbg for baskets, can’t keep them sufficiently fed and watered. Too big, only good for very big, tall pots.

Cut Flowers

Bought some new Oasis Florists Scissors in Hobbycraft for £6.49. Shouldn’t have bothered. Too small and won’t go through tough stems. Tried them on bupleurum and struggled.

Cut the first China Asters, Callistephus chinensis, today and they look very promising. Have not been easy in the low temperatures but ok now. Hope they last in the vase better than Dahlias.

It has rained since lunchtime so didn’t get much done today. Wrote the Cutting Garden blog piece instead!

Was invited to see a neighbours garden this morning. Margaret is a keen and knowledgeable gardener and is now coping well without her husband Ted who died a year ago. Her garden is beautiful  and she has some real treasures including a row of Dahlia ‘Murdoch’ which has apparently been in her family for over 100 years! She has promised me some cuttings of Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’ which is a real show stopper.

Another friend has given me a pot of Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ with vivid magenta flowers similar to G. psilostemon but with a more sprawling habit.

Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’

Cheltenham Horticultural Society meeting last Thursday was excellent thanks to a lively, interesting and controversial talk on “Hardy Perennials From Seed”  by Rob Cole of Meadow Farm nursery in Feckenham. Rob is a confident presenter and very witty. However, he does have firm opinions on TV gardeners and conventional wisdom! His advice on compost, seed sowing techniques, pots and propagators went against everything I have read or been taught! He reckons that he has tried every possible way of growing perennials over 30 years and is quite sure of his advice. Nice guy, I liked him a lot.

The Chairman has asked if I would put myself up for the Committee. Not sure I’m their kind of person – too outspoken, too radical, too impatient! We’ll see, I might change my mind.