The crimson beauty and the rusty stork



Crimson Unique

This beauty was also growing in a planter outside the glasshouse at Wisley when I visited last month.   It was introduced by Cannell & Sons of Swanley in 1880, so has been around for a very long time.   Crimson Unique  has a fairly compact growth habit and the leaves have a faint aromatic scent, as do many of the Uniques.  The flowers are a beautiful crimson colour with a dark blotch to the top two petal and dark veining to the lower three petals.   



There was a sculpture exhibition at Wisley when we were there last week - some of them were quite lovely, some rather bizarre, and this was just wonderful!   Can you guess what implements made up this stork?  Note:  The line across the back of the sculpture is part of the rope roping off the exhibit.

I went to the allotment this morning  with my younger son - we share half a plot - to dig up the main crop potatoes.   We were a bit apprehensive as the earlies and second earlies were a complete disaster this year- either very scabby or only the size of golf balls.   We were very impressed with our crop of Cara potatoes and each of us has plenty to last until Christmas.