"You're not supposed to thank me for the flowers!", she said. I knew it and I forgot; I was just so grateful. It's an old wives tale. It means that if you thank someone for plants from their garden that the plants then won't grow right or flower for you in your garden. I dunno who started it. It's been shouted into my brain over the years from helpful, more seasoned gardeners as they pass along their plants. The only ones I could never get to do well were the Hens and Chicks.... Still can't, even when I buy them.
I rode with Old-Timer the other day to the auction he attends every week. That left his Mrs. home by herself for the day without interruptions. When we got back, she had been digging in the dirt and working her tail off. She had a wheelbarrow full of perennials that she wanted to share with me!
I was flabbergasted to say the least. Was I not just praying about being able to start filling up the Vagina Garden with some flowers? I have a few to move from an old flower bed but nothing else is established in my yard. Seedlings of the perennial kind are expensive this year. Most everything is going to have to be seeded from scratch. I've been far more focused on planting food crops and mulching those. The backseat floorboard of the truck was filled with Iris, Coneflower and Phlox! What a blessing!
The auction was alot of fun. If it was agriculturally related, it was sold at the sale. Everything from lawnmowers to boots to coveralls and then all the animals. We didn't even stay for the hoofstock, just the small animals like rabbits, chickens, turkeys, etc. I learned so much. I got to pet several little farm dogs and hold the most adorable 4 month old chunky farm boy.
What did I buy at the sale? A dozen Pink Brandywine tomato plants to pass among friends (Mrs would only let me give her 2) and 2 quart bags of really nice white onion sets to fill out the onion bed. I was a big spender, $24.
These folks live an hour from me and the sale was another hour of travel time. Since I was so far from home; there were a couple places on my want-to list to stop at on the way home. One is a concrete statuary manufacturer. I was able to get a couple small pieces for gravesites. I did fall in love with the lawn dragon, it's a 3 piece extra large dragon that looks like it's floating in the grass. Kinda like the Loch Ness Monster, but for your lawn. A bit too pricey for me but $350 isn't bad for something that large.
Then there was the independent greenhouse that still functions on the honor system. Not only does it apparently work for them; but their prices are far less than the big box stores. If I can frequent a small business over a large corporation, I will. I had wanted some old-fashioned petunias for between some broccoli plants in one area of the VG. Then they had gallon perennials, for the right price. I was able to get 3 to help fill in some more places in the VG. I hope the bees like them; a deep red Corepsis, double Shasta Daisy and a fuschia Daylily. (This is not a color-coordinated area. I want every color flower to have vomited all over the yard.) Can you go wrong with Sun Gold cherry tomatoes? No. So I got those too.
At this point the backseat was completely full and I still needed to stop at the grocery store, get fuel and some supper. It took me a almost an hour to unload and take care of everything before I could go pick up the doggies. Made for a great day!
What have you done out of the ordinary lately that you learned from?