What a gardener wants for Christmas
I hate to seem greedy, but if anyone is wondering what to get me for Christmas, here's what's on this gardener's wish list.
I would love a new spade that is just for me, ideally one that walks back to the shed by itself. This would save hours of valuable gardening time spent searching for it. In this same category are hand tools (especially my precious niwashi), hose fittings, gloves and secateurs.
I’d love some sharp shiny new secateurs, or maybe just a sharpener – by that I mean a human with the time and skills required. My pruning saw needs a new handle. It rotted last winter when I lost it outdoors. My electric hedge trimmer needs a new cord. Again. Actually the best type of trimmer for me would be a cordless one.
There are some plants on my wish list too. I need plants for my shade garden – more hostas, hellebores, heucheras, ferns, and the divine dark leafed Ligularia ‘Britt Marie Crawford’. I would love some more bergenias, euphorbias and hydrangeas for mass planting. I have spaces saved for Michelia yunnanensis, Magnolias, viburnums and lilacs, and a flowering crabapple. There are some fantastic new lavenders I want to try, such as ‘The Princess Lavender’ and another called Lavender ‘Thumberlina Leigh’. For my pots I’d like to start collecting Sempervivums, those captivating little alpine succulents that tolerate both frost and drought.
If you’re the handy DIY type, I’d love of a couple of lightweight ‘chicken tractors’ to fit over my vege beds, so that my chickens can help me weed and feed my garden (permaculture style) in a more controlled manner.
Some help in my garden would be the very best present of all, and I’d love someone to help me fix my old broken glasshouse. Actually if you’re feeling extraordinary generous a replacement would be nice. The ultimate dream is an antique wooden one but a practical modern version would suit me fine. Just putting it out there.
I am starting to sound quite gluttonous, so I will stop right there. Except to echo that old cliché - the older we get, the more it’s true - it really is the thought that counts.
A very Merry Christmas,
Sue
14-Dec-2013
Lavender Thumberlina Leigh
Ligularia Britt Marie Crawford
In the Garden
