We have visited a few garden centres over the weekend as our plans for the areas of the garden are now starting to take shape. I was excited to find Sarah Raven seeds for sale in local garden centres. Has anyone else seen them too? I am planning on hijacking at least one raised border for a cutting garden.
I had one previously when we had our allotment, sorry the photo is dreadful, but you do get the idea of the colours. It was wonderful to come home with bunches of flowers. It's not the same as picking flowers from mixed borders, as I always want to leave some behind.
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| Cutting patch in the allotment in 2008 (mobile phone pictures weren't so good then!) |
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| Raised borders Jan 2015 |
The cuttings we bought with us are still looking very small at the moment. I also always enjoying buying plants from fellow gardeners, we were lucky to have discovered this plant stall and have already been back twice to buy some gems!
Our local garden centre Groves Nurseries holds the national collection of Viola odorata and parma violets. As my Granny was called Violet they have always been special flowers for me.
The parma violets are not hardy- the smell as I entered the greenhouse took me straight back to my childhood and those parma violet sweets I used to have! Did you eat them too ? I'm not sure I would like them now as they are quite perfumed. I have eaten viola and pansy flowers, but didn't realise you can also eat the leaves.The viola leaves are tart. Has anyone tasted them or used violets in cooking?
The parma violets have glossy leaves, double flowers and a different fragrance.
There were so many violets it was difficult to choose. I finally picked this one "Fred Morey" to take home with us. This violet was named after one of the seedmen that once worked for Groves nursery. I hope it will do well under the hazels in the garden.
What is happening in your garden at the moment?
Sarah x
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