Thursday 19 August 2010

BELLE FLEURS

The doorbell rang this afternoon and who should be there but a man with a basket of lovely flowers for Iain. They were from Neil and Christina! What a lovely surprise!

The basket sits on the desk, well a big table actually, opposite Iain's bed.


I notice that there is one of my favourite flowers in the bouquet, i.e. the purple one shaped like a thistle. It is called Eryngium giganteum and I first came across it in Neil's garden years ago. He gave me half of a very big plant which I put in my garden and, also, managed to divide successfully over the years.

I do have one in this present garden but it is not one of Neil's "offspriing'; it came from Anne's garden and does well.

But the thing I like about this plant, apart from the lovely spikey flower head is the story that goes along with it (which Neil told me years ago). It is commonly known as Miss Willmott's Ghost [BBC reference here]. Apparently this lady used to carry seeds in her pocket and when she visited other people's gardens she spread them about!

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