CHS member Vivien Cantor – owner of a very beautiful garden – had e-mailed
me to say that one of the bulb companies was selling Caladiums, about which I
am rather passionate and which are very difficult to find. I duly found
Jacques Amand and purchased Caladium Aaron – foliage with a dark green edge
and paler towards the central rib.
I love the Spring Show with its bright colours but every year there are
fewer plant stands and more people selling ‘things’. I understand the
smaller exhibitors just cannot afford to exhibit when you have to add in
Congestion Charge/parking/overnight accommodation and possibly emission
surcharge but I don’t want to go to a Plant Fair to see candles in teacups,
soaps or floral jewellery.
In the past I have bought dwarf white Agapanthus from Hoyland Plants and
managed to find some darker dwarf ones this year. They tell me it will
take 4 years before seeds I have sown will flower – gardeners must have
patience. They also had a new Nerine – St. John – nice good coral colour
– which it seemed a shame to ignore. I am still looking for Nerine
Sarniensis as I failed to find them in Cape Town as it was the ‘wrong time
of year’ to buy them.
At Harvey’s Plants I found a wonderful bright blue pulmonaria and by then I
thought I should leave whilst I still had some money left.
