On adsent guru's and greenhouse squatting

Primula denticula (Kirrie dumplings) squatting and attempting to look like a very overly flowering Primula scotica. Never be fooled by early Primula's they're a whiley bunch.

The thing I love about this time of year, you know 'easterish' time, is not the chocolate, I'm afraid I don't have that gene, it's the signs of spring and the impending holidays. Not mine you understand, I don't holiday very often (self employment has its downfalls!), its the garden guru's holidays at work which excites me. He very nicely obliges me, every year at this time, by heading off to see his nearest and dearest 'sooth' (and make no mistake, you're all generally 'sooth' to us). Whilst I love working with my mentor, its nice to grasp ownership of the greenhouses, polytunnels and the plant kingdom in general, just for a while. I can't say my mentor loves working with me, he does take frequent holidays after all, so what does that tell you about our particular relationship? Yes, I know I talk too much, I'm like an over exhuberant puppy when in his company, so I'm sure he deserves a break. So off he went, leaving me with the keys to the bothy (handy shed with a kettle in) and the run of the greenhouses and my own watering can (rose to follow).

Never fear, he said, nothing to do unless the sun actually shines. The seeds and seedlings are all under cover and on heat in a couple of glass houses nicely 'shaded' with old sheets just in case of sunshine. And, shine it did, whilst the nights have been cold, the days have been sunny and glorious. The perfect excuse to visit often and just potter, check seedlings, lightly douse with greenhouse warmed water (so's not to shock the little blighters) and wonder at the growth put on each day. Yesterday this dear shallot was still snoozing, today its sticking its wee green spiky head up to say hello. Don't judge its growth compared to yours, please, we're latitudinally challenged here at nearly 60 degrees North. It's doing its best, goddamit.

It's nice to see things beginning to slowly come to life. There's also nothing quite like the feel of the sunshine on your back when nestled in a polytunnel in early spring. Your bones forget the warmth over the winter, I like it when the garden guru plods off on his adventures......Soon here it be the land of the eternal light here and there will be no time to do anything. I can't wait but best get on with a bit more sowing eh? These aren't going to sow themselves are they? And yes, they're a very exciting mix.

So dear folks, until next time, watch out for spring, its here somewhere lurking. It might just be behind these seeds............

In other news my near neighbours, with not one, but TWO greenhouses, beside my cosy cottage (which has NO running greenhouses or such luxuries, just a few pots on gravel and a rose trained to attack at random) have proclaimed their profound lack of interest in gardening. I never knew such people existed, I'd only heard of them in books and those were filed in the 'fiction' section.

 

And, did I mention they have TWO greenhouses. I'm thinking of staging a coup and moving into the larger of them there two greenhouses. Who's with me? OK so its not as large as the St Petersburg greenhouse.

And, not quite big enough for a Victoria amazonica (Giant water lily), but it has the potential for a few rogue, dwarf, yet delicious tomotoes......

Failing an actual 'coup', my prim Scot's (that is prim and Scots - not 'Prim scot', those primulas do get everywhere....) manners may just require me to write them a wee note and ask if they'd like a lodger for the summer in one of them. After all, manners cost nothing.

And, nothing ventured, nothing gained.