The Wheelbarrow of Happiness

Choice plants from last weekend's plant sale at West Kington nurseries

I thoroughly broke my plant buying duck at the weekend with a trip to the public plant sale at West Kington Nurseries. This usually happens in late April and early September, but this year's events meant both were combined into one sale spread over the longer Bank Holiday weekend instead. Like so many places these days there was lots of hand gel in evidence and sprays available to ensure safe wheelbarrow handling before I headed off to view the goodies on offer. Facemasks were the order of the day in the glasshouses and polytunnels, but thankfully not for coffee and cake time whilst I sorted out my plan of attack for the day.

I was pretty good and stuck mainly to my list, though a rather nice Eupatorium* 'Chocolate' also leapt into my barrow, as well as a Hydrangea paniculata 'Diamant Rouge' and Actaea 'Hillside Black Beauty'. 

I was pleased to find the foxglove 'Glory of Roundway' and aster 'Little Carlow' as both originate from nearby Devizes. They've been on my my list for quite some time and are perfect for the border revamp project I've been clearing under lockdown. Agastache 'Blue Fortune' was being thoroughly bothered by bees at the nursery, so naturally three of them had to come home. The rather racily named Thalictrum 'Black Stockings', plus Rudbeckia 'Prairie Glow' and Persicaria affinis 'Darjeeling Red' completed my wheelbarrow of happiness.

Regular doses of rain and warm September sunshine mean its been perfect planting weather this week!

* = I've since learned Eupatorium is now called Ageratina, another plant renaming to get my head around *sigh*

Comments

  1. JAG4 September 2020 at 14:48

    Chocolate eupatorium is so good! my father had it and loved it so much he gave it to me when he had to give up his garden. It does love to self seed, I discovered this year, so I'll start adding it to my deadheading rotation this fall. Your whole selection looks great...I'm jealous. No in person plant sales happening in Washington DC this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP11 September 2020 at 09:42

      This happened very late in the season JAG, though nurseries have been open for a while. This one isn't open to the public usually and didn't have its usual public sale in April. I was looking for mainly tall items for my new border, so was really pleased to find the Eupatorium :)

      Delete
  2. Shirley4 September 2020 at 22:09

    Well Michelle, that definitely is a wheelbarrow of happiness! I've missed pushing around one of these. With this plant list, that's a special border revamp you are doing here. Looking forward to seeing the big reveal.

    'Little Carlow' was one on my list too and it didn't disappoint. It's late to open it's glorious starry flowers here (soon) but when it does it is a joy to see from my gardenwatch and kitchen windows. I love it and I'm sure you will too. It is a good height too ����

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP11 September 2020 at 09:44

      I've always admired 'Little Carlow' in other gardens and blogs - including yours Shirley! What makes it extra special for me is that it hails from just 10 miles away :)

      Delete
  3. Diana Studer5 September 2020 at 00:06

    As you have arranged them they look beautiful ... too perfect to move away into the ground!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP11 September 2020 at 09:44

      You're right Diana, they do look rather jolly there :)

      Delete
  4. petoskystone5 September 2020 at 13:21

    Such colors!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. CJ8 September 2020 at 18:25

    Oh nice choices! I like this variety.

    ReplyDelete

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