Reaching for the Stars

A proper alpine plant, native to southern France and northern Italy where it is found on cliffs with the altitude of 700–1,900 metres.  It's beloved of alpine growers for it's generous show of flowers in early spring, a star of the show benches at this time of year.  Plants a foot across can be achieved by the experts.  It's a plant I have only grown in recent years, needing careful cultivation under glass.  This plant fills a three inch pot at three years old and is one of the recent arrivals here from Norfolk, pictured in the glorious sunshine that followed the morning's downpour.


A thoroughly good day.  Heaps of admin sorted this morning, nice lunch as the sunshine broke through.  A visit from N Wales wheelchair services repair man, just a week after I asked Norfolk if they could pass on Jamie's details.   Great service from both Norfolk and Wales!   Then, after half an hour visiting the plants in their new home just two minutes walk away, we three (Jamie, Tilda and I) headed off to Aberystwyth for shopping and basketball.  Jamie found all he needed to look smart when he's volunteering on the Talyllyn, I found a few useful and necessary bits and bobs - cheaply :-)    Basketball was brill and Lee, the coach, has offered Jamie the opportunity to accompany him sometimes in his work.  He delivers inclusive sports activities with young people who have disabilities and / or learning difficulties in Ceredigion.   A funding application is going through for someone to work in this field in our area of south Gwynedd, this had us thinking in terms of an apprenticeship for Jamie, an idea we'll share with Lee next time.  Driving home Jamie was peering up at the starry sky ...... time to encourage him to reach for them.