Barmy in Bloom

What do you call people who stand out in the rain for two hours selling plants?
Beeston in Bloom

As you can see, we did get a steady trickle of customers.  Luckily we were clearing up when the hail and freezing rain was turned on and so the plants we did not sell will be OK for the Co-op in a couple of weeks.
My seeds for the veg initiative are through, still not big enough to make a photo though.  I hope everyone elses are growing strong.

Vivienne and Linda have been busy

They tidied up the Lodge Lane Planter ready for Saturday's plant sale:











 

 and had a really good go at the Kwikfit triangle - named a bit like the Cardinal triangle.





Have you seen the Tommy Wass barrier troughs?  If not -here's a selection of views:

I think that the pinky flower is one of the ornamental cabages but I'm not sure.

I think that this last one would make a nice change of heading for the webpage - what does anybody else think:

Quick update

Judith has already blogged about the last two working parties - however I've just downloaded my photos, so I thought I'd belatedly share a couple more with you.

We had a working party at the Cardinal Triangle on 6th April and gave the grasses a good hair cut - we even divided some [well Frederick did], which we would not have been able to do if judging was still going ahead but by the time summer judging gets here [19th July] they will have recovered.



Then the following Saturday, 13th April, we had another working party to replant the divided grasses in the bowling green border. All the small grasses we planted last year were stolen so we are hoping that these larger grasses might be less desirable. They covered about the middle third of the long bed so the nice people in the parks department are going to turf the ends for us. If the plants remain undisturbed then we will extend our planting next year.



Whilst some of us were doing that there were further groups planting primulas in the planters on Beeston Road, taking out a pyracantha from the planter at the side of the park and also finishing off the Millenium Garden weeding. The latter was the group I was in so that is where my photo is from.



Christine and David are busy here planting some more of our recycled plants in the back border.

I noticed that the telecommunication boxes on Beeston Road have been decorated.



Don't they look pretty with foxgloves on them.



I especially like the one with the fairy.



Anyway that's me caught up I think. We have a plant sale at Lodge Lane on 27th April. The plant sale at the Co-op has been postponed from the 4th May due to absenteeism and I think it has been re-arranged for the 11th May however I will still be AWOL.

Our next meeting should have been 13th May [as the 6th is a bank holiday] however we will be having a working party in the Millenium Garden instead.

Sara

Not doing it for the judges

Monday's meeting was at the Barkly Road planter to spread some compost before the parks department came and put the chippings down to put the weeds off growing and because this is meant mostly as a shrubbery.  I can't say that I'll miss the weekly bag of chickweed the bed has been producing!

I took this just as I was leaving, everyone else is very industrious still.

Had you noticed that the baskets are out on the lamposts.  I hadn't, as Angela says, I should spend less time watching my feet and more with my eyes on the world.  They are not quite up to photographing yet.

The tubs outside St Anthony's were up and ready and this bed was mulched or chipped or whatever by Thursday - I did notice that - head up, Judith.

Then on Saturday a couple of us went over to fill the St Anthony's tubs.  This is where they are,

and here's a close up, to brighten your day.

 

The rest of us stayed and worked in the Park, on the Bowling Green Border:

 Stage 1 consultation:

 Stage 2 implementation

Stage 3 Admiration

 

The long borders in The Millenium Garden are really looking good for the attention and if you spot David twice, you're right, he put in a heck of a lot of work.



And then in the afternoon, it rained, which is just how it should be!


Today, if the weather had been organised by Yorkshire in Bloom, we would have been panicking about being ready for tomorrow and the judging.  We were saying that we could have been as ready as we ever were.  Judge for yourself!

St Mary's Joy and the Brians have their garden well in hand

a close up of a trough by the church

This cross of daffs is not very flowery, though still well marked out.  It was my first vol with Beeston in Bloom.

 This tub ...

 and this one are both outside hairdressers on Town Street.  Do you think it a coincidence that they are so lovely?

And this is part of the herbs and dragnflies garden - I think it was named for the group that donated it, rather than the contents - at the top of the park.

Linda gave out the veg seeds for the RHS initiative on Saturday so we'll tell you how that goes. And the next big thing is the plant sales - my toms are coming on a treat.

Gardening in the sun

It was lovely to garden in the sunshine on Saturday.  It is ages since I've done anything at the Cardinal Triangle and I was happily surprised at how well the paths were lasting.  I forgot my camera, which is why I'm late posting, but Linda had hers with us, so thank you for this shot where you can see that Frederic is splitting and moving the grasses, Sara, David and I are weeding and Angel is enjoying a well earned rest in the sunshine:

 

 

Where David is, the gravel bed allows for this, and aren't they lovely!