Sunday 10 February 2013

Potato day

What a disgraceful day today was! One for just hugging the fire. But no, a potato and seed swap day had been advertised and I had packed my copious amounts of harvested coriander seed and broad beans into neat little packets. The weather wasn't going to stop me from going out to SWAP!
I assured Himself that this was a money saving event. He looked a little doubtful. We arranged to meet up with friends and follow up our swapping with a drink and a natter.
The gardening stalwarts turned up in waterproofs and wellies.
The potato choice was fantastic! A different variety in each of these tubs.
I bought a couple of early maincrop, 'King Edward Red', a 1916 sport of King Edward which is supposed to have a better taste than its parent and 'Rudolf' which is described as 'top taste' - we shall see! I also bought some waxy salad potatoes 'Belle de Fontenay', as the label read that they improve with keeping.
(I'll still be planting my regular favourites, 'Foremost' for my early and 'Charlotte' for main.)

Some of my swaps. I'm not too sure what they all are - Shoo Fly?! 
I also bought a few seeds from a couple of nursery stands. The Herbary's 'Sugar Ann' mangetout cropped so well for me last season that I have restocked for this year and added some different varieties of squash. 
But nobody had warned me that they were going to be selling roses!
And that's when the 'money saving' notion went out of the window.
But I showed great restraint and only bought two.
I don't yet know where I'll plant Cinderella,
 but aren't the labels lovely? You can see why I couldn't resist.
And  a little iris that I was assured would clump up well.
(Now that's what I call a good day's shopping!)

9 comments:

  1. Now I long for spring even more than I did this morning.

    Thank you for the dreams.

    xo jane

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  2. The shoo-fly is Nicandra Physalodes - it is reputed to deter whitefly. It has a pretty blue flower. One of the fastest growing plants and can reach 3 feet in 8 weeks. It is also known as peruvian apple, it is poisonous and be careful it can be invasive.

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  3. Thank you for this information, Rosemary. I have now googled it, looked at the photographs and read that it is a member of the deadly nightshade family, on the strength of which I am not going to sow the seed!

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  4. Our garden show is coming up. I am looking forward to it. I always come home with a treasure or two. It looks like you found some treasures as well.

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  5. I am especially pleased with my impulse buy of 'Cinderella', Bonnie, even though I don't know where to plant her! It is bitterly cold here at the moment and there is no question of spending any time in the greenhouse, even if well wrapped up. I'm having to wait patiently for kinder weather.

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  6. Love the Cinderella, it would fit into my garden perfectly. I'm going to brave the greenhouse next week as much as I can to get the spiders out! Take care. Chel

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    Replies
    1. Hello Chel, I've planted Cinders on the south wall of the house where I hope she will thrive. I like flowers with good names, do you? There are some lovely plants that I haven't bought simply because their name was not appropriate.

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