Sweet Peas

Although I like to have a nice garden, I'm a bit of a fair weather gardener. I don't like to get out in the cold and wet to get the digging done and the seeds in which means I resort, year after year, to buying seedlings.

I bought these sweet peas today from a local shop. I also bought a couple of trailing fuchsias and two other trailing plants whose name I can't now remember. The shop is mainly a florist but it also sells seed potatoes, onion sets, etc (when in season); it also sells a good variety of equipment for pets (hamster cages, dog beds and such).

I'm not sure where they get their seedlings from. There is no nursery attached and they don't have space, or purchasing power, to stock a wide range in vast quantities in the way that the local garden centres or DIY stores do. I'm assuming they're sourced locally from small independent growers.

So I'm a bit disappointed with the quality of the plants. They are not well looked after at all. The soil feels dry, there are several dead leaves in evidence and those that have already flowered haven't been dead-headed. However, none of them are so far gone that they can't be revived with a bit of TLC so I'm still hoping for a good display.