Is this the way to Amaryllis?: Painted pots. Tractor and Actea. Rain dear?

I have resolved my problem over my lack of resolve and made a resolute resolution to get more blogging done from now on so here are some pictures and notes.

My big news of the last couple of months is that I have taken on the garden at Whichford Pottery in the very southern tip of Warwickshire. I am doing two days a week usually Monday and Thursday so if you fancy coming in and saying hello those are the days. Even if you don't fancy saying hello come in and have a coffee and a cake or even a luscious lunch at the recently opened Straw Kitchen Cafe. It's fab. But beware, it is closed on Monday and Tuesday for the cheeriest staff in the world to have a well earned break.

Here are some pottery pictures

I had a bit of fun painting some pots. Take a leaf or flower to B& Q - match the colours with the chart and get a sample pot of emulsion - it will be enough to do several large pots - apply it to a clean dry pot - sponge on a pattern if you want - let it dry then plant it up. Hey presto, a bit of cheer against the drear.

Grassed up!

I did the same with the leaf of this Phormium but I broke the pot that matched the grey green so perfectly so I used the green that I had spare

and while I admit it's not quite there

I'm not too sure that I really care.

P.S. None of them are grasses, so there!

No need for paint here, this pot comes off the pottery shelf already this colour. Blue skies and white clouds. The variegation is white and there is just enough grey/ blue in the leaf of the Euonymus to make this work

You can't see the Violas around the edge but they work nicely with the Ajuga and Festuca when seen in the flesh. Natural colour,low pan style terracotta pot.

Large flowered pansies, one of the several million varieties of Heucheras and an elegant grey pot - no painting, it is part of the range.

If you were wondering where all your snails went -I've got 'em.

Mother nature is a great chum because she always has something just round the corner to make you smile.

This Echium seedling was growing between some upright slabs and the roots were as flat as a pancake. Tenacious li'l critter.

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Kent Show

Earlier in the summer I did a garden Q and A

at the Kent Show . and then had a wander about.

''Do you think its going to snow , honey?''

''Well, its too cold to rain dear.''

I was surprised how small reindeer are but absolutely amazed at

how big their antlers can be.

Unusual attraction.

Three wheel tractor.

Very old school but no punctures on this one........

..or this one....

..or this one!

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Very hard to sneak up on this little alien - too many eyes watching you.

One of the Acteas, might be A. pachypoda, not sure.

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Beware the leaf cutter bee. Oval pieces to line the bee's tubular 'nest' and round pieces to plug the end.

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Sometimes pastels just don't mut the custard and you need a bit more of an in your face kinda colour. The pots were painted to match the lighter green veins of the deep purple red, almost black foliage which was very prominent before the lipstick pink begonia flowers showed themselves. 'Get in there' as they say. It is easy not to like this combination but I cant resist it. Many of my clients fight shy of bright colours insisting pastels are 'cool' but they miss out on a lot of excitement. These begonias, some bright double flowered Echinaceas, Yucca Golden Sword and some warm orange Ostepermums which survived outdoors from last year give me a warm welcome when I get home from work each day. A close look will show a need for dead heading and some frazzled petals where I haven't got round to watering for a day or two during the hot weather. The red bike , filing cabinet, and set of ladders in the picture all show up my lack of professionalism when it comes to taking pictures. Photographer friends would cringe at my lack of preparation and no doubt my use of colour.