David's Blog

Return to the Yellow Brick Road - Part Three

Posted on 2 Apr, 2008 11 comments

The Plants (3)

In my previous blog, I wrote about some of the “Oz” fruit and veggies we had sown (which are all doing really well) but, more recently, it seems, our attention has focused on some of the flowers. I am now so glad that I wrote a sowing plan in a desk diary; it is coming into its own now, and have been very good at adhering to it (give or take a few days). I do worry, however, that, with less than 1/4 of the seeds sown, that I’ll run out of greenhouse/cold frame space!



A corner of the greenhouse.

The first flower seeds to be sown were those of Aquilegia “Winky”.
This is a perennial, but I hope that, by sowing early enough, we will see flowers this year. “Winky” was chosen for our “Wizard of Oz” garden because the Wicked Witch of the West ruled over the Land of the Winkies” – remember the Winky Guards of her castle in the movie? We also chose a variety in shades of blue and white, because, in the original book, blue is stated as being the favourite colour of the Munchkins, and white is the colour of the good Witches.



Aquilegia “Winky Blue and White” 1.04.08

Our other early sowing was of Mimulus. Known also as “Monkey Flower”, this annual was suggested as an Oz plant by member Owdboggy (12/9/07), who added, “but not flying ones”). Well, we aim to have them sort of flying, in baskets and troughs dangling from the “Wicked Witch’s Castle”. Many thanks, Owdboggy, and to Andrearichter, too, who suggested this later. In fact, the variety of Mimulus we got is even more appropriate, as it is called “Magic Rainbow” !



Mimulus “Magic Rainbow” 1.04.08

Others we have sown in the past few weeks are:- Lathyrus vernus (perennial sweetpea) “Rainbow Mix”; annual sweetpea “Little Bit of Magic”,;Petunia “Storm” (as suggested by Spritzhenry back on 13/9/07 – many thanks, Spritz, these have germinated well); Petunia “Fantasy”; Lobelia “Ruby Cascade” (bred by Unwins and claimed to be the first true red annual lobelia); Coleus “Rainbow” and “Wizard” (thanks to Andrearichter for these suggesions – 24/1/08). Our poppy field, this year, will have “snow” in it, in the form of Alyssum “Carpet of Snow” and Nemophila “Snowstorm”.

Finally, I have to write about the amazing “Wizard of Oz” linked fuchsias I have ordered – from Riverside Fuchsias near Dartford, Kent. Back on 17/9/07, Hoya105 suggested Fuchsia “Little Witch”. A search on the RHS Plantfinder online led me to this nursery, which holds the National fuchsia Collection. Unfortunately, they are not producing “Little Witch” this year, but I have just ordered some lovely varieties:- “Dorothy”, “Twister”, “Gingham Girl” (as reference to that famous blue/white checked pinafore dress), “Ruby”, “Snowstorm”, and “Happy Fellow” (primarily for our cheerful Tin Man, who found that he had a heart, but also pertainable to Scarecrow or Cowradly Lion, after they got their diploma and medal respectively). Also, I ordered a fuchsia named “Mrs Marshall” for our long-suffering, non-gardening Mum and Wife – (Marshall being our surname), but, not to be out-done, I chose one called, simply, “David” -lol!

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