Yes, I'm so Happy! 2012

[johnw]

Maggi - Did you notice the pink marks round the eyes?  

We only get pink eyes after a heavy night out.

Here they'd be black.

johnw

[annew]

 
Pink Fir Apples are our favourite. I grow just a few to have at our Christmas eve dinner. All the family makes sure I have PFAs available.

[Ulla Hansson]

My plants from Japan has arrived. I am so happy, because I was afraid they would freeze, it's been so cold. But the plants had survived the journey well, and they appear to be of good quality.So much of the plants, you can not see yet, but the roots were fine, and there are several shots.
 The plants were from Yuzawa-Engei. They were very nice to deal with.
 Now I'm only waiting for spring so I can plant them outside.

[Paddy Tobin]

Helen  - If you remind me in April I will send you a few Pink Fir Apples (with an impeccable lineage I might add) to get going up there. Wow what a taste, knobby little fingers though and unpeelable.

johnw

Ha, Ha, I know the story of that lineage. Good spuds, though odd shape.

Here, we grow British Queens, Homeguard and Golden Wonders. All are of the floury kind and we wouldn't put a waxy potato in our mouths - well, maybe cold with mayonnaise but not for dinner. 

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

That's good news, Ulla. This isn't a good time of year for plants in transit.

  Sounds like the Japanese nursery made a good job of packing them for their long journey.

[maggiepie]

Helen  - If you remind me in April I will send you a few Pink Fir Apples (with an impeccable lineage I might add) to get going up there. Wow what a taste, knobby little fingers though and unpeelable.

johnw

Ha, Ha, I know the story of that lineage. Good spuds, though odd shape.

Here, we grow British Queens, Homeguard and Golden Wonders. All are of the floury kind and we wouldn't put a waxy potato in our mouths - well, maybe cold with mayonnaise but not for dinner. 

Paddy

Thanks, John, will remind you for sure.

Paddy, I agree waxy potatoes are great for potato salad but really like them boiled as babies with mint and served with lots of butter and p&s.
Maldon salt!!

[Ulla Hansson]

Strange as it will go just as fast for plants from Japan as it does from the UK or mainland Europe to arrive.

[Maggi Young]

Strange as it will go just as fast for plants from Japan as it does from the UK or mainland Europe to arrive.

That does not surprise me at all! we can have packages take weeks to get to Ireland- just a hop over the Irish Sea.

[David Nicholson]

The plants were from Yuzawa-Engei. They were very nice to deal with.
 

See Sachio Yuzawa's advert in January edition of The Rock Garden.

[Gerry Webster]

]
Paddy, I agree waxy potatoes are great for potato salad but really like them boiled as babies with mint and served with lots of butter and p&s.
Maldon salt!!

Perhaps I should try Maldon salt. The last time I bought rock salt the package proudly proclaimed: " Extracted from 3 million year old deposits in Germany. For 'best before' see base of package."

[maggiepie]

]
Paddy, I agree waxy potatoes are great for potato salad but really like them boiled as babies with mint and served with lots of butter and p&s.
Maldon salt!!

Perhaps I should try Maldon salt. The last time I bought rock salt the package proudly proclaimed: " Extracted from 3 million year old deposits in Germany. For 'best before' see base of package."

Yep, you should definitely try it, Gerry. 

[David Nicholson]

]
Paddy, I agree waxy potatoes are great for potato salad but really like them boiled as babies with mint and served with lots of butter and p&s.
Maldon salt!!

Perhaps I should try Maldon salt. The last time I bought rock salt the package proudly proclaimed: " Extracted from 3 million year old deposits in Germany. For 'best before' see base of package."

 

[ronm]

My first true belly laugh for a while! Very good.

[Anthony Darby]

The sell by date is a reflection of the type of packaging. You'll notice mineral water in plastic bottles has a shorter shelf life that that in glass bottles. It always amazes me how many people actually buy water in bottles. We drink tap water. I'm surprised no one thinks of bottling air!

[Maggi Young]

The sell by date is a reflection of the type of packaging. You'll notice mineral water in plastic bottles have a shorter shelf life that that in glass bottles. It always amazes me how many people actually buy water in bottles. We drink tap water. I'm surprised no one thinks of bottling air!

 My Swedish friend Sten Beckman sent me a film capsule, labelled "Gothenburg Botanic Garden Air "  as a consolation for not being on a trip to Gothenburg with a bunch of SRGC chums..... I treasure it still.