Thursday 26 August 2021

"Downlands" - Dwarf zonal pelargonium

 


This stunning flower stopped me in my tracks one morning recently when I enterered the greenhouse.  It is much paler than I expected but so beautiful.  Palest pink flowers, which darken as the flower ages.  Light green leaves with no zone.  "Downlands" was new for me this year, from Allwoods and was raised by Jack Cox, grandfather of the present owner of Allwoods.    I have now cut it back in the hope it will be a larger plant next year.  Naturally, I am rooting the cuttings and hope to get more.  

August has been busy, with the Village Gardening  Club Flower Show to help organise - After ten years as Show Secretary I don't have quite so much to do now, but I am pretty much busy for the day before the show taking entries and also busy on the day. 



It was a good show with entries down a bit, but the standard was as high as usual.   We were going to open to the Village last year, but Covid put a stop to that (no show, obviously) and this year we thought it best to stick to what we know and not open our doors to the village.  Hopefully, next year, we can.

I'm off to Fibrex Nurseries this weekend.  The National Collection they have held for the last 34 years has been broken up and distributed between all the RHS Gardens. This weekend will be the final opportunity to see the collection all in one place.   It was a hard decision for Fibrex to make, but the owners are not getting any younger, and the glasshouses are becoming dangerous and very expensive to repair or replace.  So, although we are very sad at the Collection going, the nursery will still be there, and we can still buy our favourite plants.