Saturday 25 August 2012

Some New Additions for my Garden

As a thank you for looking after her garden whilst she was on holiday, my lovely friend Fiona took me on a little trip to visit a place called the Garden Barn in Cotesbach, near Lutterworth.  In my mind I was thinking it would be just another run of the mill garden centre.  Was I mistaken!  From the outside it was small, nothing special - but inside was another matter.    It was just a wonderful cornucopia of delights.    As usual with photographs they don't do it justice.

Before you even get inside there is all this wonderful vintage stuff - old tin baths, buckets and watering cans.  Old terracotta pots and sculptures made from bits of farm machinery - inventive ways of using stuff that you would find in a reclamation yard.  But inside - well, it was enough to make your mouth water. 

The words 'shabby chic' were invented especially for this place - I could have spent a fortune - I was in paradise.  A lot of things weren't for sale - kiddi-cars from the 50's, old tricycles and scooters - someone in the buying department had obviously had a whale of a time finding all these lost treasures.



Well, after a lovely mooch round  oohing and aahing at all the lovely things, we went into the courtyard for a cup of coffee and cake.  It was a  sheltered spot where we were surrounded by vintage metal garden furniture and enamel babybaths on legs (which would make ideal container gardens) - and after soaking up a few rays and a bit of a chat we wandered round the garden bit where there was a small but perfectly formed selection of plants and a veggie growing area composed of several raised beds.  Right up my street.

As part of my treat Fiona bought me a plant that caught my eye - this lovely butter-coloured Crocosmia

Just right for my 'hot' front garden flower bed.  But one or two others caught my eye as well and I just had to buy them.

This gorgeous bright pink Echinacea, to replace those of mine that never re-appeared this year, and

a plant that was smothered in bees whilst we were there - a Stokesia, which I have never heard of before.  It looks as though it is part of the Cornflower family to me - simply lovely.  So thank you Fiona for a grea morning out, full of surprises and plenty of goodies to bring home.

While I am talking about buying plants - I had to visit our local garden centre - Wistow Farm Park -
 to buy some fish food, and whilst I was there I had a wander round the plants (as you do) and saw that the plant that was attracting the most bees was this lovely Sedum

A bit of a brighter pink than your normal one, and with fluffy heads on it - I had to have it - no question.  This has definitely been a plant-buying week, as I went into our local Homebase on Thursday to see if there was anything decent on the sale racks - and there, much to my amazement, were lots of trays of plants at only £1.00 each.

 Chrysanthemums, six plants for a £1

Gorgeous Dianthus the same, and

some mixed Geraniums, which will give me loads of cuttings for next year.  So all in all I think I have done pretty well this week.  Don't you just love it when everything falls into place.

25 comments:

  1. Very beautiful flowers! I love the dianthus. The shop looks really interesting too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The shop was fantastic - I could have spent a fortune - but instead I chose to buy flowers - as any keen gardener would!

      Delete
  2. Well, I am jealous. I love the flowers, especially the yellow crocosmia. I have the hot red, but I'd like the yellow, too. Aren't little shops like that just so much fun. Nor do we ever feel guilty about buying flowers. Do-dads for the house yes, flowers--never. Enjoy planting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am going to have to keep them in pots for a while as I don't have much room to spare - I have a lot of clearing to do in the flower beds so hopefully will find a nice spot for them.

      Delete
  3. Lucky you all round! I especially like the Stokesia which comes from Georgia and South Carolina in the USA. Chiltern Seeds list it - http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item.php?id=1202B
    All in all a nice post, with lovely photos, to cheer us up ! Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was cheered up as well I think they will be great additions to the garden - just hope they survive the winter.

      Delete
  4. not sure why you were worried about the photos Elaine,they look terrific just looked at Flighties reply and will get some stokesia you highlighted looks a lovely plant

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is only one flower out at the moment - I think it will look even lovelier when they have all opened.

      Delete
  5. Stokesia is a great bee attractor! Have you ever grown mountain mint? I saw them at botanical garden last week end and they wer covered with interesting bees!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have never heard of mountain mint - must look it up - but I do have a lovely apple mint that I let flower and the bees love it - so I guess it is the same for all mints.

      Delete
  6. The Garden Barn looks amazing. Good job it's not near me or I would never leave! You've done well with your plant buying. I love it when you know they can give you lots more for your money :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You would have loved it Debbie - the sort of place where if I wanted to have my own shop that would be it. I was dead chuffed with all my purchases last week and there are still a few weeks left of summer to enjoy them.

      Delete
    2. Hi Elaine. I adore that old car. I remember then well when we were kids. That is such a pretty dianthus.

      Delete
    3. Sadly it is only an annual - saying that - I had some before that lasted three years - so I may get lucky.

      Delete
  7. My my my. Candy for the eye indeed! I'm just thinning my crocosmias and wishing I'd planted some other varieties besides the orange ones. Hope they do well in your colourful garden beds!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I shall have to be vigilant - they tend to take over when you're not looking.

      Delete
  8. Ah, Stokesia, it's a member of the aster family and native here: Stokes' aster is native to the southeastern coastal plain from South Carolina to northern Florida to Louisiana where it grows in wetlands, including pine flatwoods, savannas, and pitcher plant seepage areas.

    It likes an acid soil. Sometimes here in zone 8b it dies back to the ground, always died back when I lived in zone 7. It likes dividing every 2-3 years because the fleshy roots crowd themselves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much for all the information which is very useful.

      Delete
  9. Sounds like heaven! Love that crocosmia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bet it's a good one for growing at the coast Janet.

      Delete
  10. I'm not into gardening but I just love looking at these lovely flowers. Thanks for bringing them to the Philippines with those pictures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is very kind of you to comment even though you're not into gardening.

      Delete
  11. Hi Elaine, What a nice thank you. I'd be a poor woman if I had gone along with you. Vintage garden things are just my cup of tea. Your plant purchases will be a nice addition to your garden. I have wanted a blue or pink Stokesia for sometime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jennifer - yes it was a nice way to say thank you (I have posted some more pictures of it on my other blog http://elaineintheslowlane.blogspot.com showing some of the vintage stuff - pop over and have a look.

      Delete
  12. Hi Elaine! I already have some red and orange varieties of Crocosmia here in my new-to-me garden, but I potted some yellow ones up from my old garden and put them in the soil this Spring. They seem to have taken, but no flowers as yet. Interestingly, Crocosmia is often regarded as a weed here in Cornwall as it grows freely along many of our lanes. It's very welcome in my garden, weed or not! I've just found that Burncoose Nurseries sell that gorgeous blue Stokesia; I think I might be taking a drive down to Caerhays soon . .

    ReplyDelete