Well travelled plants

In the mid 1980s an ancestor of these pretty flowers went from my Aunt and Uncle's garden in St Ives, Cambs, to Glemsford, in Suffolk, when my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin emigrated to Singapore. A shorter distance move for us in Glemsford meant that they moved garden. And then in the early 2000s from Glemsford to Lavenham and eventually the Isle of Skye as my parents retired. Then when I bought my flat in Ipswich a cutting or some seeds, I can't remember which arrived when mum and dad came to visit and then finally when I moved to the North East we dug them up and added them to the flower border. At the moment, as you can see, they dominate the flower border.

Anyway, the reason for the long intro as to the provenance of this Lychnis Coronaria is that as they are coming in to flower I am thinking more and more of my Uncle. In February this year he died a few days before his 59th Birthday having lived with Motor Neurone Disease for 8 and 1/2 years. This weekend my brother in law is completing a half ironman triathlon over some of Exmoor's hilliest countryside - this means that he will be swimming 1.2 miles in Wimbleball lake, going up 52 hills over 56 miles on his bike and, climbing 1323ft over a half-marathon run (13.1 miles). All this in memory of our Uncle and raising money for MNDA - a charity that not only researches into this awful disease but also offers invaluable support to families and those with the disease.

So this blip is for Uncle Jim. And for Dan, as he takes on his crazy challenge. And for my sister and young neice and nephew who will be anxiously waiting for Dan's safe return.