Bargain plants

You can get plenty of fantastic bargains if you shop at the supermarket at the right time of day, but I don't ever tend to look in the plant section. However I have been treating myself to a weekly bunch of £1 daffodils, and when I went over to pick one up I noticed a reduced section. How could I resist! They had some house plants in terracotta pots, and my first thought was never mind what's in them, I'll get some for Big Girl as she has a large collection of cacti and they would look great in them on her window sill. At only 19p each, how could I say no! I got four of those, and also a pot of spring bulbs (narcissi, hyacinth and primrose) for only 9p. 

There was nothing wrong with them, they were just looking a little sad and needed a good drink. I used another of my bargain buys, brought at the end of last year from the garden centre, to give them a boost. It's called Top Defence, and I think it's mainly used when transplanting plants, but it said it could be used at any time a plant was stressed and I thought these guys needed a boost. 

So after a good drink, a tonic, and a trim I think they were a bargain way to prettify the house. 

Mind you, it wasn't until I had finishing tidying them up that I looked them up online and realised I should have worn gloves. They are primula Obconica, which apparently is also known as the Poison primrose because of the effect it has on those with sensitive skin (causes irritation) on contact. Oh dear, good job I'm obviously not a sensitive soul!

The bulb pot is keeping my amaryllis company. I bought this one and potted it up last year but all I got was leaves. This year it has reappeared and finally produced some lovely blooms. Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, I have already beheaded two flowers when I shut the blinds 😩. 

An update on the sweet peas I showed you last time. Not a great success I don't think. The most successful one was the 'normal' variety, the two special ones, including a lovely blue sweet pea, only produced a few shoots out of ten seeds sown. I even pre soaked the seeds so don't know what went on there. 

As long as the weather isn't shocking we have a busy weekend ahead. We finally have a builder sorted but he is really busy, and wants to start in a few weeks - eeeekk!!!!!!!! That means we have to dismantle the old conservatory so it is ready for them to dig out the new footings for the extension. You may have spotted OH in the picture above, outside shovelling up the gravel before the builders come. If we left it it would just get mixed up with the soil when they dig out for the footings and wasted. So we are bagging it up and will hopefully find a use for it. 

Speak soon,

Claire

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