Still Can't Do Anything Outside

I was determined that if it wasn't pouring with rain, I was going to get some outside jobs done. I want to clean greenhouse glass, rake the molehills and sow some grass seed on them and generally tidy up the place. Sadly, it has been raining quite heavily all day today. I only stepped outside today when forced. I had to take George into town so that he could meet up with his friends. Life in the country is hard on youth when they're just a bit too young to drive and there isn't a bus that comes out this way.

On a nicer note, some special seeds that I ordered have arrived! I ordered them from a place down in Devon called Plant World. They have beautiful, uncommon and some rare plant seeds for sale. I think it's always worth giving the uncommon seeds a shot.

Dierama pulcherrimum

I ordered two different varieties of a plant I love called dierama pulcherrimum or Angel's Fishing rod. I got a lovely pink one and one a bit darker called 'Blackbird'. I think they'll be gorgeous by the pond.
Meconopsis Himalayan poppy 'Lingholm'

Seeds for a beautiful blue Himalayan poppy were also in the order. They like acid soil so should grow beautifully here. I like Evening primrose oenothera and they had a beautiful variety named 'Sunset Boulevard', so I stuck that on the order as well. In addition to the four packets of seeds I received, they stuck in a free packet of Scabiosa Drakensbergensis, a tall ivory coloured scabious! I don't have a lot of white flowers in the garden once the snowdrops have gone, so these tall specimens will look nice tucked in somewhere.
I haven't ordered seeds from Plant World in a while, and I just love it when the seeds arrive. First of all, these folks in Devon are so quick in filling orders and next the seeds come in neat, homely little waxed paper packets.

With all the seeds, seed trays and seedlings in the greenhouse, I think some re-arranging is in order out there or I'm going to run out of room. I've got some greenhouse staging (special greenhouse shelves) that will have to get put in. If it isn't raining tomorrow, I might be able to get that done.

Earlier in the week I was in Lidl, one of my favourite discount supermarkets. This week they are running garden specials. Plants, seeds, clippers, long handled spades and more. They had a wide variety of hardy perennials for only .49p! I got a real rainbow assortment of things. I have been feeling that the perennials in my border were lacking variety. After the spring, that certainly won't be a problem! I must confess that I did go a bit overboard. I bought gladiolus bulbs, 25 bulbs for a £.99. It was such a great bargain that I bought a bag of pink ones and a bag of red ones. Where the heck am I going to plant 50 glad bulbs? I have to find a spot where I will be able to dig the bulbs back up in the autumn. I've got a big garden, I'm sure a spot will be found.

If I'm successful with germination rates, I'll be up to my oxters in flowering plants. I can give some of the surplus to friends and neighbours and if I'm still stuck, there is always a plant sale in the next village over at the end of May. I can sell the extras. This will help to offset the costs.

As I am prevented from going outside, I decided to make some warming soup. Today it was onion soup. It turned out very well. I could be so bold as to say that it is the nicest onion soup I have made to date. I used 10 really big fat onions. Thankfully the onions weren't very strong and my eyes didn't suffer too much when I was slicing them up.

Now it is the evening. I just know how dangerous it would be to go onto David Austen Roses. I am currently drooling over some of his English roses. I especially love the blousey old fashioned roses with the strong perfume that they sell.