Potting shed summer party

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Following on from the Blooming into Flaming June thread and all others before it.

The potting shed is open for summer. Elderflower wine aplenty and room for all. Monty will be along later...

Oh no FP, I hope you aren't in too much pain. What a nightmare when you have all that planting to do. I'm sorry to hear about the Carer situation , not easy. Mum is living round the corner with a live in Carer who neither of her children have met (Brother still not back, it's only been 4.5 years). Not a great state of affairs but she has regained capacity and can now make her own choices.

I haven't ordered any roses as for the last couple of years the local garden center reduces them to half price in January. I do however need to buy a friend a present at the end of the month. I'm going to get an Autumn flowerng camella and local nursery has buy one get one free. So that's a bit of colour for my doorstep sorted.

I am in a surprising amount of pain. I cheer myself up by pretending to be an injured cowboy in an old western riding along on the horse with reins in one and and the other side useless and bandaged up in a sling with blood coming through- barely conscious but somehow making it through against all odds to the gorgeous girl waiting at the homestead (except reverse the sexes, change the century and substitute car for horse isywim)

hand

Welcome to Little Humph, and congratulations to Humph & MrHumph.

That is rotten about your ribs funnyperson. Are you all bound up?

Congratulations Humph &

Thoughts with others struggling with parental care issues and poorly ribs.

Which sanguisorba did you go for Funny? Still tempted to get some taller ones.

Oh that's interesting Wynken (re KL and Compton Acres)! What a nice part of the world you live in. So sorry to hear about your trials regarding your Mum. My Dad is a constant worry but at least I don't have family fall-outs to exacerbate the stress.

Funny how awful re your ribs. I hope you are back up to planting fitness soon.

I am wishing I hadn't gone for that allium offer. I just don't know when I am going to plant them.

Been drinking home made sloe gin with a neighbour this evening, to celebrate a quite remarkable U turn - a small piece of land between our houses that was formerly allotments is now not going to be built on as had been threatened. The owners have now decided to turn it into a community orchard instead! What a result.

Brilliant to get an orchard rhubarb! I got the taller sanguisorba red thunder, and an officinalis, for medicine's sake. I too have a lot of alliums to plant. I will plant them both sides of the garden and use them to tie in the ponce alert planting scheme.
Fractured ribs don't get bound up these days, one gets given morphine based pain killers. These have the remarkable (possibly undesirable) effect of making me sing alternately cheerful and mournful old songs from my yoof a lot at the top of my voice, but when they wear off, it all still hurts. I might do some planting at the end of the week and time it to coincide with max pain relief.
Is there a visit to the RHS halls this evening then?

There is a visit to Monty in Redhill

I'm going to the RHS this afternoon/evening! With baby. Have to leave by 7 though to be able to get a lift from the station before DS bedtime.

Oops! I had been planning to go to RHS tonight, having got into my head Monty at Redhill was tomorrow - thank goodness you posted, Rhubarb. Sorry I'll miss you Tyne, but when it's a choice between RHS & Monty, there's only one winner.

No worries Bearleigh! 'Shades of autumn' (or whatever it's called) on 22nd anyone?

I nearly forgot too, Bearleigh - I only remembered because I dropped my phone in a wee puddle and while I was wiping it my diary entry for Monty popped up.

Will potty training never end?

I'm a 'possible' for 22nd. Or I might be planting the alliums if I haven't got it done by then.

Well the show was good - I enjoyed the booze and food, there were seeds to buy but no plants. So the wallet didn't take too bad a hit.

Anyone going to file a Monty report? Or are you all still queuing for autographs?!

have just realised that the shows are midweek...
so I can't go
glad you enjoyed if rake

Yes I was queuing for autograph and cheesy photo.

Monty was great. Very engaging, entertaining, funny. Came away with a signed copy of The Ivington Diaries. Bearleigh had more dignity - lovely to meet you!

Does this mean that Monty is as good in real life as on the tv? I do like him such a lot.
What did he talk about?
Yes, Potty training does end. Nowadays when I drive to places I marvel at how long it used to take us with the regular potty and feeding stops. But there is something about the slower pace of life with children which is very humanising somehow.

Tynefilth did you come away with inspiration on the vegetables for small gardens front?

I thought Monty was actually better in real life. Up to now I've thought he's a good presenter for GW but I wouldn't call myself a fan as such. However, he talked so engagingly and honestly about creating Long Meadow from the mess of his near bankruptcy and breakdown, that it would be impossible not to really warm to him. He showed photos of the garden as it was moulded from a windswept field into a little Sissinghurst, including views you never get to see on the telly, and that was both fascinating and immensely inspirational.

I am very glad you got a book and a chance to meet Monty, Rhubarb: I wish I had stayed on now... He is right. Always say yes.

I thoroughly agree with Rhubarb. It was a really good evening; it would have been interesting anyway, because tales of the inspiration behind, and creation of, a garden are, but Monty is such a warm and funny presenter, he made it very special. If anyone sees an Evening with Monty advertised, grab the chance to go, everyone. And I do recommend his first book, which may no longer be in print, called The Pricketty Bush.

Actually it is The Prickotty Bush by Montagu Don, and it's quite expensive on Amazon... It was the first book about gardening that I read and it made a big impression on me.

Montagu, Montagu... Wonder what name is being chosen for the young Master HumphreyCobbler?!?

I don't know MD's back story, can one of you put it in a nutshell? And hang on a bit Rhubarb, wasn't it you that used to hang out with Monty's kids anyway?

Sadly there is already a young Monty in our family. Otherwise I would have been sorely tempted.

Wow you met Monty
The Prickotty Bush is the only one I haven't read.

The Jewel Garden is excellent for back story and gives a plan of the garden.

Not me who used to play with Monty's kids!

I am determined to actually read this book and not just add it to the pile of unread books gathering dust in the dining room. Even if it's just a paragraph a night before I pass out.

I have always been a fan of Monty and remember watching him on This Morning decades ago, before I was into gardening, and R and J were into reading!

I've only recently been watching GW thanks to you lot, I find his style of presenting makes it easyish for me to remember stuff. I am that some of you met him and will look out for his book.

Funny sorry to hear about your ribs but the singing did make me giggle. I have my own dodgy knee to contend with- I fell on it 8 years ago and has never been right all the gardening based kneeling is causing much pain.

Today I waged war on another patch of ivy and discovered a stone circle, planted a couple of chatelaine lupine and about 20 alliums in it . I managed to pull the head off the rake so was left a handy stick/ bulb planting device!

My mind is on dds secondary application, 2 schools down 2 to go. Of course she wants to go to the not good academy round the corner it seems not really very long ago I was agonising over primary choice.

Commiserations to all with injuries. I have a slightly dodgy elbow to add to the list of physical defects.

I am very of those who got to listen to and sidle up to Monty last night.