Cassiope

The move from east to west, right across the UK, was bound to mean changes in the types of plant that I can grow successfully.  There are some that I used to grow without difficulty that now decline slowly while others do so less slowly!   However, as I try new things, I am also finding some which were difficult in Norfolk which do much better here.  There is the erythronium the other day, for which big thank you for the hearts and stars that propelled it into the top forty for a while.   Also this Cassiope lycopodioides 'Jim Lever' which enjoys the higher humidity and slightly cooler conditions here.  The flowers are tiny but produced in quantity, this pot just four inches across.   Jim Lever was father of one of the founders of Aberconwy Nursery, up near Bodnant Gardens in North Wales.  One of the leading growers and suppliers of alpine plants in the UK, the nursery is well worth a visit.  They sell plants at most of the Alpine Garden Society shows and plant fairs around the country too.  I met Jim a few times, including in Norfolk, where a dianthus named after his late wife Eileen won best in show many years ago - extra pic from May 2003 of Jim with Lee (holding the pot) and Julie who exhibited the plant.  A smaller version is growing in my greenhouse all these years later :-)

A quiet Sunday mostly at home.  A couple of walks for Meg, one in glorious morning sunshine, down at the seafront while Tilda, who'd arrived late last night, sat with Bella.  Tilda has a new job, first for a while.  Hapus, as she wrote in a message yesterday but will still be a regular visitor here I hope.   Later - after my lunch and a snooze - I popped over to Chris's to see him and Mum who arrived on Friday.  Lots to catch up on and a few ideas for meeting up while she is here discussed.   A quiet night in, soon to watch Death in Paradise concurrently with Ruth in Brum .... how will last week's cliff-hanger be resolved??