The Isabella Plantation

Friends had told me that the azaleas, rhododendrons etc were looking good in the Isabella plantation , within Richmond Park , so I cycled there this morning. It was before 10am so not many people there at that time….and lovely and sunny. As well as all the bright colours of the flowers I love the newly opened ferns, gunnera etc. it was windy so quite tiring cycling.

Later I went to the golf club where I used to play to see a friend there for coffee and then a quick look in the Squires garden centre to see the new stock but no purchases today! Last night Sarah Squires…her grandfather started the business and then her father ran it….gave a really interesting talk about the history of the Squires garden centres plus all sorts of facts about their company(still privately owned by the family). They have no wish to expand nationwide even though they have taken over a few other garden centres in the area. I was amazed to hear that they grow 85% of all the plants they sell themselves in the nurseries that they have in several places in Surrey…that’s good to hear that they don’t import unless they have to.

My plan for this afternoon was to plant some seeds but…it started raining. I have planted some to raise indoors and am doing a trial to compare Cosmos seeds I collected myself and the same variety from a packet ! Plants for free maybe…as per Carol Klein’s items on Gardeners World this year!