High Mountain Buttercup

Ranunculus calandrinioides, which grows in Cedar forest clearings or woodland fringes and on open hillsides, having a fairly wide distribution in Morocco in the Rif and the Atlas Mountains.  I was gifted a plant at the AGS N Wales AGM on Saturday .... organising a new team to run the group might have had something to do with that!   It's not a difficult plant to grow under cold glass and needing a dry summer rest when it goes dormant, is a good companion for the bulbs I grow.  I have one or two narcissus in flower now that grow in the same part of the world.  I last grew this, for quite a few years, long ago, again gifted a plant, when Ruth was a baby.

A busy day at Ruth's.  The workmen arrived early as planned and much clearance and preparation work was done.  They're ready for building the retaining walls to contain the raised area outside the back door from which a ramp will lead down to the gate.  An anxious week ahead for Ruth as the work progresses, I can't be there all week but will be in regular contact.  A good first day has calmed her nerves a bit.   We also had a visit from a fresh faced lad who works for the new management company that will be co-ordinating all adaptations for Birmingham City council.  Young, open and with a positive head on, untrammelled as yet by the system.  It's a definite advantage that he lives literally round the corner and also good that Ruth is one of twenty priority cases that they are starting visiting even before their official contract start date at the end of this month.   There is a part of me that wonders if he'll last long in the role when the heat gets turned up ....

An uneventful and speedy drive home.  I may be here for the next ten days - I hope - but after that life's going to get a bit complicated for a couple of weeks!