S is for....

Sleeping
Stipas
Salvias
Stripes
- SUMMER!!!

Sweet pea time...

Note cards by Graham Rice- sold in the shop
Wonderful informative book-A must for Sweet pea lovers!

Home grown lovelies... The scent!

A lovely weekend away...

In Norfolk!!! The sea didn't look like the normal East cost! We went for a paddle.We stayed with our dear friends ,lots of yummy food,lots to drink and a jolly time . Lots of plants brought too!! Well it has to be done (I shan't be putting them in in this heat!!)
The Poppy fields were amazing
A bit of shopping ,in a fantastic antiques centre . We brought a joint wedding anniversary prezzie(we don't normally see things for the house we both actually like!)

Its difficult to get away together these days..shop,children ,dog. We are lucky having Rick`s Dad come to stay and `sit` Lovely friend to work in the shop helps too.

Top plants here at Foxtail

1.Nepeta `Six hill giant` - Catmint . Trails over pathways,bees love it and so does my pusscat-Tilly. Cut it hard back after flowering and it will give you a second flush of flowers(not as prolific mind) Used as a cut flower too.

A small request...

I think our prices are reasonable and I like to think I'm pretty easy going but when it comes to customers asking for discount ,Its a little tiring ,to say the least! In the antique world of Wheeling and dealing it is customary to ask `the best price`. Flowers and plants and small emporiums ,please refrain from doing so. We small business cannot compete with the `big boys`. We don't get to Waitrose checkout and ask `for a little discount`, now do we??

You need to support the small local business. Several shops in Oundle have closed . We don't want to end up with huge impersonal stores.

Support your local stores!

Phew what a week last week... Open gardens,TV crew, garden groups and weddings!

I can pick flowers now,as I had to hold back before they filmed. Gone from manic watering to picking. The Sweet peas are coming on now .

Filming

I have to say we had the best day. The filming crew and Alan were so friendly.

Long day, they came at 8.00am and they left by 8pm. We were not expecting a `Make over` but we got one! I had to look totally surprised (my acting skills are none ,my son said I looked terribly `cheesy` ) I was prompted to exude-so went for it! We both felt we will look totally silly when its on telly ,but you know what ,I didn't care . I really enjoyed the whole hustle bustle of it all. We both genuinely loved the finished area and thought what a real nice guy Alan Titchmarsh is.

Eck! Filming next week. Plants and all sundries have arrived with the very friendly researcher.

People keep asking me `what are you going to wear?` I hadn't even thought about that one! I care more about how my garden looks rather than what I look like. Iv been rather care free shall we say in that department for a long while!! My daughter Poppy says` Mum , you either say, `Its to keep me warm ` or `Its for gardening` whenever I clothes shop. I used to be really into clothes and even contemplated doing fashion illustration when I was doing my A levels. Times have changed and I think I'm more comfortable in my own skin now . Cannot be that glamed up to garden would look odd!

We had a journalist and photographer here this week to write an article to coincided with the programme -The same photographer that took pics for `The Garden` magazine in 2006-so nice to catch up. That article you can download on www.foxtail-lilly.co.uk

Have a good weekend we are opening are garden Sunday 2-5pm for Oundle open gardens-pop along . 30 gardens £5.00 -Bargain!!

I'm devastated to hear they are closing our local recycling centre. Where are we to put all our garden waste??? Bottles,paper,cardboard-Its crazy. Our town is changing ,but not for the good!!

June -Summer wedding

I have not been performing my Blogging duties! Half term and a rather manic week.

The Open Garden went well on Bank holiday Monday,despite the incessant rain. I couldn't help but be delighted to see it! What a lovely bunch of troopers ,I was so touched at the turn out. We are open next Sunday (If you could make it ) 30 gardens are open in Oundle -so pop along.

I had another film crew here in the week, not for `Love your garden` but Iv been told not to reveal what it is, blink and you might miss it style ,but such a laugh to do,will reveal all in September.

Another week and another wedding, lot of small table decorations on one table-quite the `thing` at the moment,fun to do. So lovely when couples are relaxed and easy to get along with,you just know they have the right ingredient for wedded bliss!