Happy New Year to Jon our leader and self confessed propagator, and all the rest of the gang of plant lovers. A choice shrub, yet to flower, and a bunch of carrots which Jon modestly describes as probably fit for a class 3 bag, but probably tasting superb, are part of his six. I'll be over to catch up with friends there during the day.
I seek absolution. My sin I believe is not in the activity itself: no ill intent or premeditation to cause harm ever existed in my mind. However my actions caused a vexatious reaction far beyond what I would ever want to cause. Since it was my actions that caused this, I must confess and say it was my fault. What was I doing? I was dead heading a window box, which had been standing on the ground on a public thoroughfare. It was within my eyeshot as I lock and unlock my bicycle at my usual parking place. I thought the box was outside one of the many airbnb quaint cottages which line the side roads of Wells.
This was not the first time I had done it, and noticed how the petunia and bidens, started to thrive after I started to dead head it weekly. I had of course admired greatly the bidens to the extent I had looked it up and thought it to be Bidens Bee Dance, and it had been added to my list of plants to acquire next year.
I had but dead headed half the trough, when a woman ran out the front door, and had a right old go at me. I tried to explain that I was not harming her plants at all, and even put all the dead heads on the floor at her feet, socially distanced, of course. I felt absolutely mortified. She had either had a very bad day, and was fed up with the passers by, or does not possess the ability to see the good in people.
Why do I bring this up around a month later? I had tried to 'forget' the incident, but as I was putting away my lighter outer coat during the week, I found some detritus in my pocket, from a previous dead heading session. Right in the bottom of the pocket, some of the spent flower heads yielded some seeds, and the whole episode has come back to mind, and I can feel the hurt, as if it happened yesterday. In my heart I have forgiven the person for her overreaction, and I hope in her heart she has forgiven me.
This little spot of soul searching, which I have been in the use of doing at about this time of the year, and others, gives four of my Six on Saturday.
1. Dead heading. Yes I shall only do dead heading in my own garden, or only with permission of the owners. Penance: maybe I ought to volunteer at the Bishop's Palace and get all their dead heading done.
2. Seed collecting: only gather seed intentionally, and with permission, and only seed that one intends to grow at a later date.
3. Go through my seed box, and make a plan and timetable for seed sowing for the coming year.
4. Offer seed from my garden. Back in the summer the Eryngium Silver Ghost was putting on a good show, and I have left the seed heads on. It was in late February 2019 when John Massey gave me a seed head straight from those growing in his garden, with his own hand, in case you form the impression that I take seed from anyone's garden, from which these were grown. They are now ready to fly and be broadcast in just the right place in other gardens, and come up and display their beauty. Let me know if you would like some.
5.As good as any silver Christmas decoration: Cotyledon orbiculata. This is a favourite of mine, and is able to take the low temperatures in the conservatory, though we do have a froststat setting overnight. More plants are being moved from 'The Shed with a side Window', which is my only semi protected area.
6. Another reason not to allow cold and non gardening weather to put paid to the weekly posting, and again, forgiveness please for now having posted last week, is to reveal the answer to the mystery plant. What you saw were the thick branched rhizones, and unlike some descriptions, for me this plant is not evergreen.
It is Viola sororia 'Albiflora'
Next week, I may reveal some of the garden related presents I received....
Ah, yes. Sorting other people's plants out. I have done it myself and taken cuttings, or pinchings as we more accurately call them, as I walk early in the morning and I too have been caught in the act. It also stopped me from doing it. Your intentions were honourable; mine weren't!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you.
But did your pinchings damage the plant, denude it, or cause ugly regrowth? We you able to get viable plants growing? If you caused no damage then you too can be forgiven.
DeleteYes,some things keep niggling at you months later. Never mind, its a new year with new challenges in the garden. I had a Number 5 years ago, I had forgotten how "quietly" pretty it is, if that makes sense. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteThe cotyledon is indeed quietly pretty, and the flowers are quite attractive too. I keep taking cuttings every four or five years, and ditching the old larger plants. Sometimes they spend the summer planted out in the garden.
DeleteI shall bear your cautionary tale in mind should I find myself tempted to do something similar! I must admit to moving a plant that a neighbour had planted slap bang on the boundary of our shared border after it started to encroach on one of my plants. I've been keeping that a secret for a while now.
ReplyDeleteIn your cause too, I think this was perfectly fine. Better do that before the plant gets bigger, as would your resentment. I also no longer pick up litter in the streets, as I walk along, that the dustbin men have dropped by mistake, putting it in the person's bin. Mind you watching a piece of cardboard slowly disintegrate over the weeks, or even worse glass getting smashed smaller and smaller, which could hurt dog's paws is sad. If I have a spare bag on me, I take it home.
DeleteIt sometimes happens that I cut off dry seed heads here and there when I walk down the street. The person's reaction was a little exaggerated… Maybe someone who doesn't know much about plants
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the answer to last time's question: I never would have found! A very happy New Year 2021 to you and your family
I'm sorry about your deadheading tale of woe. People can be peculiar sometimes. Thank goodness that there are John Massey's in this world too. I think putting together a seed sowing timetable is a good idea as if it doesn't want sowing in Feb/March I seem to forget about them, as the unopened seed packet of Radicchio testifies.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you. I too would keep worrying about an incident like this. I haven't ever deadheaded a stranger's plant but I can't keep my hands of those belonging to friends. They usually appreciate it and it's amazing how few people understand the benefit of deadheading. I'm sure the people at the Bishop's Palace would appreciate any volunteer deadheading.
ReplyDeleteI too have been accosted for dead heading, whilst walking up the town I would often take a noticeably dead head or two off one of the big tubs of plants. It does put you off. Still take a few seeds if there is an abundance, enjoy a little dead heading now and again. Nourish your inner child, for we shall all too soon be gone and have these worries no more.
ReplyDeleteThe temptation to pull a weed in a garden being visited can be great, as great as the urge to dead head a neglected plant!
ReplyDeleteYou have my sympathy re the deadheading incident. My Mum did exactly the same in a close family member's garden, and the reaction was also OTT. Where she only had good intentions, like you, I think the other person felt she was interfering. Some people are touchy, I wouldn't let it worry you any further. That Eryngium Silver Ghost makes a nice silhouette.
ReplyDeleteI resolutely refuse to feel guilty for taking a little seed that would otherwise just drop to the ground and perish. I've quite perfected my stealthy technique and have never been caught. My mother taught me well, she was a shocker for pinching cuttings in her later years. You can come and dead head here to your hearts content if you're desperate.
ReplyDeleteSigh, I love Violas! it is usually too warm here to grow them. I have deadheaded in public as well.
ReplyDeleteOh your post made me chuckle softly Noelle. I have deadheaded window boxes and containers in pub beer gardens usually though when I'm on holiday. It makes me feel as if I'm doing some gardening 😂 I would love some 'Eryngium Silver Ghost' seeds if you still have some to spare.
ReplyDelete