my Southport Flower Show border

The house is still in total chaos. I’ve been chatting to fellow blogger Cherry who has just moved house too, and we’ve been comparing notes. She’s still in a muddle too, which is comforting. So rather than deal with the house (I know, I know – I’ve been so busy falling in love with Southport I’ve forgotten to do the promised blog about our new seaside life) I thought I’d plant a new border in the garden with the plants I bought at the end-of-show sale at Southport Flower Show. Which reminds me, if you want to read an inside view from Sue, who won a gold medal, have a look at her blog which really captures what it’s like.

The fact that there are several already-dug borders crying out to be planted is a minor detail. As I was shopping for plants the other day, I had a very specific image in my head and I was buying accordingly.

I have no idea why the compost bin was plonked right in the middle of the garden. So first thing to do was move it from one side of the garden to hide under a tree. I marked out the area I was planning to dig with a spade (borrowed from our new neighbours who are so lovely that the first thing they did when we arrived was bring us a bottle of red, and give us a plant from their garden – that’s what I call priorities).

Turns out compost bins are quite heavy. I defeated it in the end (note to previous owners of house: plant pots do not compost, nor do potato peelers) and dragged it across the garden on a picnic rug. It was a bit like knocking over a Dalek.

Heh. I exterminated a compost bin. (Look, I don’t get out much. These small things entertain me.)

Then it was time for a spot of procrastinating, overseen by Polly, chief garden-lazer. The photo of my filthy hand wearing sparkly bracelet was taken in amusement by R, who is still getting used to living with someone who comes back from a day out and starts gardening in sparkly flip-flops and unsuitable jewellery.

I was planning to write a look-what-I’ve-planted aide-mémoire for myself, but I just can’t garden like that. It’s all in my head. So that’s as close as you’ll get. I’ve lost that bit of paper already.

The finished border.

There are alliums and muscari and hyacinths in there for spring, and clematis for early summer. Dahlias which I’m determined not to kill (there’s a first time for everything), tiny sedums with dark red flowers, and beautiful, beautiful verbena bonariensis, which grows everywhere here in this sandy soil. Next stop some sea holly, I think.

I love this photo I took whilst having a cup of coffee afterwards – it’s only just beginning, this garden of ours, but I can imagine how it’s going to look just by squinching my eyes together and daydreaming.

What d’you think?