I haven’t posted for a while.  I’ve been super busy.  The pinks ones 5th Birthday party was last weekend.  Predictably it rained all day … why oh why do we insist on getting a bouncy castle in the garden every year and every year it rains!  You’d of thought in June we’d be safe – but oh no!

Anyway I digress, This blog post is about my day out at a garden show.  It’s held at the NEC in Birmingham, and my friend and I now go as I kind of tradition.  We think this is our 4th time going, and we took another friend too.  So children looked after by in laws, off we set at 7.30am, arriving a couple of hours later at our destination.

We visit the show gardens first, hopefully to get some ideas before it gets too busy.  Apologies for the Camera phone pictures – I’d waned to tae my posh camera but that is a whole other story!

The garden (below) was designed by a guy who was second on the great Chelsea challenge or something like that.  My and my friend kept looking at him – about 40 minutes later I remembered who he was!  He designed a garden with cut off wine bottles which were set in big bits of black wood.  Not something I’d necessarily do – but it looked quite effective.



Lots of striking colours in the gardens, and some great water features.  No hugely new and amazing plants, but the appearance of Fox and Hounds was a surprise.

I bought some a couple of years ago, and it spreads and spreads!  I keep digging mine up and giving to friends, but this year it’s looking pretty good.

(My word the difference between a phone and a proper camera is amazing).

The best show garden in my opinion anyway,  wasn’t allowed to be judged properly.  It was a community one, and was a house.  Everywhere and everything was plants!  I loved the windows as you looked through, and the bath was great!  Everyone walked through it and everybody was smiling!

Show gardens done – It was breakfast time!Watch a bit of filming for Gardeners World with Joe Swift (my friend posing nicely)

Then time to hit the Floral Marque

Shopping and amazing flowers….. Every year we do a selfie – this years Lillies, last years was Lupins!  Then for more shopping outside.

We shopped and filled the car!

And then when we got home and unloaded…… it looked so small and not many plants at all.

For once I wanted to get them in the ground quickly (they normally sit in pots for a while).

Luckily my Dad came to the rescue (I have been organising a birthday party!)

A wonderful day with friends, and the weather was great.  Can’t wait to see my new plants growing and blending in.