The plant I chose in April 2013 was arabis Spring Charm. Unfortunately, like the pulmonaria I bought the month before, it's now nowhere to be seen. It's supposed to be easy to care for but it can't have liked my garden.
Although I don't like losing plants, it's given me an opportunity to make a new purchase. When I was looking round the plant shop at Harlow Carr, I couldn't help but be drawn to the mossy sagifrage Peter Pan so I popped it in my basket for added colour in April.
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It forms a low cushion of bright green leaves and bears rose pink flowers in spring. It's good as a ground cover and has the added benefit of being perfect for pollinators, carrying the RHS bee symbol on the label. If you're not familiar with the RHS Perfect For Pollinators initiative, do take a look at the link.
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I'm very pleased with this purchase, it's brightening up my border already.
It's amazing how many new purchases don't return in my garden. Soil, pests, being eaten, there are so many things that can go wrong when they leave the protected environment of a nursery polytunnel. I hope your replacement does better, they are usually quite strong and its a lovely colour.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's just trial and error with plants, some will thrive whilst some, no matter how much you mollycoddle them, won't. I'm hoping that this plant does better.
DeleteThankyou, I haven't thought about the late great Geoff for ages. I used to love watching him on the tv, he just seemed so friendly and approachable... Great choice of plant!
ReplyDeleteI think Geoff's missed by many gardeners, he just seemed to connect with people, I suppose that was his manner. I'm pleased with my purchase this month, I'm hoping it does well in my garden.
DeleteThe rose pink flowers are pretty Jo. I love saxifrage......sadly another plant I cannot grow due to the rabbit issue.
ReplyDeleteA good purchase.....lets hope this one does not disappear :)
The flowers drew me to this plant, all the plants stacked together looked fabulous blooming away. I just hope that it does well in the garden and doesn't disappear like so many other purchases have.
DeleteSuch a pretty flower, Jo. I hope you have more success with this one. I have to accept that not all the plants I purchase will survive. I still like this activity -- to purchase something in bloom each month. I need blooms to brighten this bitterly cold, snowy April day! P. x
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you've still got snow there, you're certainly hanging on to winter. I've lost many plants over the years, it's just trial and error seeing which do well and which don't, still, it means we get to buy more plants when something doesn't do too well.
DeleteThat's a nice colourful plant, which I hope does well in your garden. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising how colourful it is when you consider how small the flowers are. They're such pretty, dainty little blooms but they certainly pack a punch.
DeleteI have started following your advice, and purchase a plant each month, great idea.
ReplyDeleteIt's really Geoff's advice, but it's a great tip. It's something which can be ongoing to build up the plant collection.
DeleteYou always get disappointments don't you? Then again you get lovely surprises too.
ReplyDeleteYes, gardening is definitely a game of two halves. The surprises definitely make up for the disappointments.
DeleteI've just looked at my saxifrages and they look a bit shabby - I wonder if they are generally short lived. Mine are in their 3rd year planted out and look loose rather than a tight cushiony mound
DeleteTwo to three years seems very short lived for a plant such as this. The one I've just planted out is a lovely cushioned mound, perhaps they just get looser the older they get, I can sympathise as I know just how they feel!
DeleteI used to love watching and listening to Geoff Hamilton.
ReplyDeleteSaxifrage a lovely plant ...
Have a good weekend
All the best Jan
Many people miss Geoff Hamilton, a very sad loss to the gardening world. I'm very pleased with my saxifrage. I wasn't looking for anything particularly, this just seemed to jump out at me, such pretty flowers and a gorgeous colour. Thank you, I hope you have a good weekend too.
DeleteHow colourful Jo and a bonus that the bees like it too. Let's hope that like its namesake it remain forever young and is a good doer :)
ReplyDeleteI try to buy plants which are wildlife friendly so I'm always happy when it works out that a plant I like is good for the bees too. It's looking happy in my border so far, I hope it remains so.
DeleteIt's very pretty Jo, I hope it does well for you. I'm not supposed to be on the computer but have sneaked on to do a quick post about my give-away! You've won! Email me your address & I shall post your parcel on Monday x
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited, thank you so much. I shall drop you an email with my address details.
DeleteGreat tip - I miss Geoff! I'm trying arabis again this year after giving up on it some time ago as it always disappeared - wish me luck x Jane
ReplyDeleteArabis is supposed to be easy to grow so I thought it was just me who's had a hard time with it, I'm glad I'm not alone. I hope it does better for you this time, you'll have to let me know how you do so that I can have another go with it too if you manage to keep it.
DeleteI've bought several varieties of Saxifrage over the last few years as they do well in our garden. Peter Pan is giving a lovely splash of colour right now. It's satisfying when growing something is a success! We always enjoyed the late Geoff's helpful advice on the weekly tv gardening programme. I often refer to his book, 'Cottage Gardens'.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to hear that saxifrage does well for you, I hope it's the same in my garden. You never know how they will do when you buy them, you can only hope. I think Geoff was such a success as he was so down to earth and gave practical advice, he came across as 'one of us'.
DeletePlants are fickle things sometimes. I hope this one fares better than its predecessor. It certainly looks good at present.
ReplyDeleteIt's been planted out and it's still looking good so fingers crossed. I suppose the real test will be when winter comes round again, I hope it will surive.
DeleteWhat a lovely plant - those flowers are so pretty! I hope it does well for you.
ReplyDeleteYou know, the one benefit to losing a plant or not particularly liking a vegetable variety is that you get to try something new the next time. Can you imagine if we succeeded with and loved every plant/veg we grew? We would run out of space in no time and the decision to replace existing with new would be so much more difficult!
I always look on losses as an opportunity to try something new. Gardening is all about trial and error and plant shopping is always enjoyable.
DeleteI also miss Geoff Hamilton.. I recently bought a couple of saxifrage, I planted them in my 'fairy' garden area as they look so dainty. Lovely idea to visit the nursery every month to buy a plant.. will have to put that one into practise when we have finished sorting the garden to how we want it :o)
ReplyDeleteI think saxifrage are great plants for a fairy garden, as you say, they look so dainty. I've put my plant at the front of my border, hopefully it will spread a little and cover some of the bare earth.
DeleteHow frustrating to loose a plant so carefully tended, I hope this one fares better. I love the look of this saxifrage, I have just the spot for one in my garden, I think I might be visiting a garden centre to find one!
ReplyDeleteThis plant appealed to me as soon as I saw it, a whole load of them sitting in their pots en masse looked great together so I hope it puts on plenty of growth to give the same effect.
DeleteWhat a shame to lose a plant, maybe it's just late coming up again....I bought the saxifrage last year and it died on me, it's nowhere to be seen! xxx
ReplyDeleteThe arabis was missing last year so it's definitely gone. I was happy with the replacement until you said that yours is nowhere to be seen, I hope this one doesn't go the same way.
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