Moan, moan, moan----get it off your chest or have a chat

[Martin Baxendale]

I certainly don't wish to suggest you have any other area due for slight improvement, but the pic almost gives the impression of your having crossed eyes.

Lesley, sorry about the crossed eyes. My new virile uber-hirsuteness has attracted females from miles around. While one distracted me by taking my photo, the others ripped my clothes off and had their wicked ways with my nether regions just out of shot. 

[David Shaw]

Like it ,Anthony. Could have happend up here but fortunately we don't have a telly.

[Lesley Cox]

Martin, if your nether regions are just out of shot you could have other serious problems as well. My sympathies.

As for the football - they say WE'RE obsessed!

[ranunculus]

Anyone notice the name of the newest member of this wonderful Forum; S McClaren?  Appears he is recently retired with masses of time on his hands....experienced with pansies but ready to try some european climbers.  Seeking advice from Scottish members in particular, but tips from any source accepted.  His problem areas are very damp grass, snails and weeds. 

[Casalima]

When it comes to footbal I definitely assume my honorary Portuguese citizenship It has its advantages 

[Paul T]

Er.... Ok..... so why is Scotland laughing exactly?

Martin, at least with that last clothes-ripping (etc.) description you're in the right place.... this is the moan, moan, moan thread after all!!    Although, judging by your avatar pic now, it isn't your chest that you need to get it off.  I wouldn't spill any of that hair tonic if I were you... it could get rather uncomfortable, although you could perhaps hire yourself out to bigfoot and sasquatch photographers who are after that "perfect" photo. 

[Martin Baxendale]

Martin, if your nether regions are just out of shot you could have other serious problems as well. My sympathies.

As for the football - they say WE'RE obsessed!

Lesley, I don't want to brag but parts of my nether regions do reach almost that far up under the right conditions. Damn! Shouldn't have said that! Here come the women again!

As for the football, it's times like this that I'm especially glad I'm not that bothered about spectator sports like footie (playing is something else). Although I am greatly enjoying the despair of my football-mad neighbours - lovely bit of schadenfreude!

[Lesley Cox]

Oh well Martin, just as well I'm well away or perhaps I couldn't resist.

Paul, the Scots are laughing because this was ENGLAND that died.

[Lesley Cox]

Martin, I see in your avatar that you have reverted to type and I really do want to show you a hair style which I firmly believe is the one to which you must aspire. It belongs to one of my two staff at Otago Farmers' Market and is achieved by strict adherance to a diet of very late nights, garbage music, and numerous girlfriends. All these however, are counterbalanced by a penchant for vegetarian or even vegan food, only occasionally suplemented by fast fried food and copious litres of beer. Over all he (his name is Toki) is a great guy and does excellent work at the Market.

[Martin Baxendale]

Lesley, Toki looks and sounds like a fun guy. Maybe my hair will benefit from emulating his lifestyle! 

[Lesley Cox]

Go for it Martin.

[Paul T]

Martin,

Hey, it's worth a try.  Sounds like fun even if it doesn't work.... particularly the late nights, numerous girlfriends and copious amounts of beer!! 

[David Nicholson]

It's chucking it down and I can't get out so this is a chance to get a moan off my chest.

Yesterday we visited a small(ish) independent garden centre I have used for some years but haven't been there for about six months. It has developed from a nursery and although in the last few years the number of plants propagated on site had decreased somewhat, an eclectic range continued including a range of Primula from Barnhaven seed and a fairly wide choice of common perennials. I also liked it because it stocked a good brand of John Innes composts (*these always passed my jam jar test for establishing if a good quantity of loam was present) and always had packs of Dolomite Lime and ground charcoal which I use in my Auricula potting mix.

When we arrived I thought it looked different and it was; it was now a Wyevale Garden Centre (a growing chain of UK Garden Centres). Having located a member of staff I knew from previous visits I found out that the previous owners who were approaching retirement age had accepted an offer they could not refuse and had sold out. Good for them-Yes; Good for gardeners-NO.

'No Dolomite Lime or ground charcoal now' he said, 'They say it doesn't sell in sufficient quantity to make it worthwhile stocking it'
'No home grown plants either' he said 'the areas we used for propagating are being floored over for a fancy big polytunnel for shoes, clothing and expensive garden furniture. All of the plants we stock now are brought in by vast lorries and many of them from Europe'
'None of your John Innes either' he said 'We are only allowed to stock Westland products now'. (an inferior range of very expensive composts!)
'I'm leaving on Friday' he said 'I've worked here for 20 years but there's no enjoyment now'

So, my late New Year Resolutions are:-

1. Never use a Wyevale Garden Centre.
2. Never use a Dobbies Garden Centre. (recently taken over by Tesco, a UK supermarket concern or in other words an overblown grocers!)
3. Where ever possible buy from small independent nurseries because, if we don't,  all we will be left with is the Wyvale's and Dobbies of this world selling us stuff they want to sell us (ie. with the largest possible profit element) and disguising this by telling us they are offering what the customer wants.

Rant over, and sorry to bore you.

*oh-jam jar test for those not aware of it. Take a handful of compost and put it in a screw to jar. Add water and give it a shake and leave for an hour. Loam settles to bottom of jar, humous floats. If you haven't tried it, do, it's surprising how little loam is in some propriotery compost brands

[Maggi Young]

Rant over, and sorry to bore you.

No, David, just valid comment I believe.  What you say is particulary applicable to those of us with specialised gardening interests, but, if we don't follow your advice... and encourage as many other people as we can to visit and patronise specialist nurseries/growers, then in the long run EVERY garden will be the poorer. I am sure we needn't shed a tear for any loss our lack of custom will mean to the conglomerates, there are always dafties who think a "Garden" is just a place to display wealth and pooor taste with all manner of unsightly plastic objects and strange furniture on their decking!

[ChrisB]

I couldn't agree more.  I'm sick to death of so called 'Garden Centres' that have become nothing more than remainder clothing centres that double as Santa's grottos for five months of the year.  What a waste of space they are.  One of our biggest independent garden centres in Newcastle has recently been taken over by this Wyevale lot, so I shall no longer be popping in there on the way back from town.  I get my compost from the local allotment group.  Its close by so reduces my carbon footprint, and although I confess I've never understood their local dialect rural Northumberland dialect very well, its great to be part of this co-op (small c), and long may it remain so.   I notice there are more young-er folks on the allotments nowadays too, so I hope they keep on promoting them to the younger set of would be gardeners.  The less I have to drive to get what I want, the better I like it.