Thursday 24 June 2021

Tired

 I have made a real effort this week to work my muscles more and try to improve my core strength.   Today, after my usual hairdressing appointment, I intended to just have a walk round with Priscilla and then to take it easy.   Alas it was not to be.

I returned from the hairdressers, had a coffee (my carer always leaves me a large flask of coffee and it comes in so useful during the day) and a round of toast and then Priscilla and I did our usual walk.   We stopped  to talk to a lady who was gardening and had a nice ten minute chat (that always brightens up my day) about plants.   By the time I got back home it was time for lunch (scampi which I gently fried in butter) with salad and coleslaw, followed by a yoghourt).   I watered my tubs - quite a job when one has to walk with either a frame or a trolley- and was just about to go in and put my feet up when my garden order from Thompson and Morgan came.   It took me a long time to unpack the plants, separate them from the packaging, water them and put them somewhere in the sun and out of the wind.

Here I must stop.  When I ordered the plants - 30 plug Geraniums - I put something about it on here and quite a lot of you said you had had plants from Thompson and Morgan and they had been a disaster, arriving dead or dying.   I said I would report back - I am doing so here and now.   The packaging was excellent - sturdy, plenty of This way up instructions, plenty of air holes in the box. Upon opening the whole package of thirty plug plants was securely enclosed in green netting to keep the plants secure.   The plants themselves were sturdy and in absolutely excellent first class condition - I couldn't fault anything.   So very well done to Thompson and Morgan - I can thoroughly recommend them.

The plants are sitting in a sheltered position.   I can see them from where I am sitting.   The day has been very warm but now at half past six in the evening ominous huge black clouds are rolling in and hopefully we shall have rain - we certainly need it.

Until tomorrow....



19 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Well as I said before, I had plug plants ordered from Thompson and Morgan, Sarah Raven and Dobies. All arrived well later than were advertised making it late getting them underway, some were little more than seedlings, others were battered from insufficient packaging and some never actually arrived. I won't be bothering with any of those companies again. To make it worse, I sent Dobies a photograph of the tiny plants that I received and have never received a reply.
A beautiful, hot and sunny day today but unfortunately it looks like back to rain tomorrow.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

So glad to hear that your plants arrived in tip-top condition, though I always prefer to go to the local garden centre so that I can pick out good sturdy plants which will be able to withstand my involuntary attempts at killing them!

JayCee said...

What a relief that your plants arrived intact and healthy.
We buy ours from the local garden centre as the additional journey across the Irish Sea is not a guarantee of safe arrival!

Frugally challenged said...

I've had plug plants from Thompson and Morgan and I have had garden ready plants from them as well. I too would recommend the garden ready stuff but won't be buying their plug plants again. I think that since the pandemic began the demand for plug plants has been too high for them to cope properly

CharlotteP said...

You may not have had your walk with Priscilla, but what a week you have had with all sorts of other exercise. It's lovely to walk out and see people, but isn't one of the reasons you do your daily walk to keep fit, so you are able to do other things? And now you can!

Bonnie said...

You have certainly had a busy and full week. I am happy to hear your plants arrived in good shape. I have a feeling you will sleep well tonight!

Heather said...

I can sympathise - it is so hard to keep up the exercising when energy is in such short supply. However, you do seem to keep very active when you are 'nursing' a recovering broken hip. Keep up the good work and I hope you get some rain for your lovely garden.

Janie Junebug said...

I've never ordered plants and had them delivered. Perhaps I'll do that in the future. It's a lot of work to walk around the garden center picking out a plant here and a plant there. Your good experience encourages me. It's lovely that you have a walking partner. Mine is Franklin the Bordernese, but he is a senior dog and doesn't want to walk very far these days.

Love,
Janie

Susan said...

How nice to get your plant delivery and all in good shape. You will enjoy designing garden spaces for these geraniums. Geraniums bloom throughout the summer and this will add great color to your garden.

Debby said...

Here is a funny anecdote for you. A friend had just finished up a workout at the gym and went to pick up her two sons. She was tired and sweaty, and they were full of beans "Catch us, Mom, catch us!!!!" She said her legs felt like rubber but they played for a few minutes, with the boys goading her on to go faster. Finally, one boy said to the other, "We have to be patient with her. She's over 40 and doing the best she can!"

Joanne Noragon said...

That extra afternoon was a lot of work.

angryparsnip said...

Just caught up with your posts. It seems you have picked the best house on the street.
Lots to see and do.

Sue in Suffolk said...

I'm not ordering again from T&M unless there really is no choice.Very poor sometimes and OK with other things and trying to complain is difficult.

Frances said...

I have never had any luck buying plants by post and gave up on it years ago. I once ordered some black bamboo from a daily newspaper. They took 18 months to arrive, and they never turned black ! I still have a bit of it in a pot many years later...still not black!
Your carer sounds like a wonderful woman . I think you said she is " private" ? I hope that you never have to rely on a company organised by social services. I have experience of it from my Mum and J, the lady I used help care for. Lucky if they stay 15 minutes. J once had a young girl that served her some soup in a saucer, and fried some ham for a sandwich. When Mum needed 2 carers as she couldn't walk and had to be moved in a " harness" they changed her 30 minutes to 15 minutes. It took that long to get her in the harness, never mind move her to the other room!! They certainly didn't bring food with them.

Tom Stephenson said...

You make me wish I had a garden, Weave.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Debby - I love your story and will tell it to my friends!

Going to local Garden Centres is always better I agree but now that I am almost totally immobile and have no longer got transport I have to rely on friends for this. My son's wife is wheel chair bound so anything I want I send for - there are some specialist nurseries I use regularly and which are excellent - Clair Austin springs to mind.


Thanks everyone as usual.

Debbie said...

I think you have to count yourself lucky if your plants arrived in good condition or indeed arrived at all!

Plants from Thompson & Morgan that were due to arrive at the beginning of May didn't arrive. Emails to them haven't been acknowledged. No notification from them of any delays and it's impossible trying to speak to them, and after hanging on the phone for over an hour on several occasions I've given up. I even resorting to sending a letter through the mail which also hasn't been answered.

Eventually I went and got the plants I wanted from a garden centre, I've tried to cancel my Thompson & Morgan order but of course no reply!

I won't ever order from them again.

Jules said...

I'm not surprised you are tired. I'm glad to read your plants arrived and are in good condition. Your garden will be looking lovely. X

The Weaver of Grass said...

Sadly there do seem to be mixed experiences when it comes to delivery of plants - maybe I have just been very lucky. I took mine out of the packaging and put them into another box. Today it has rained all day non stop. Already the plants have perked up nicely.

Thanks all of you for your comments