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

[mark smyth]

My cousin is the Irish rep for Westland. Their top soil is the best you can buy. Give it a try!

[Paddy Tobin]

Some crowd or other, I think it may be a section of one of the government departments here, make an annual appraisal of garden centres and make awards. There is a garden centre about 80 km from me which has been named the garden centre of the year for several years and yet I would drive by it and never even consider visiting. To their eternal credit though they have the honesty to display their priorities very clearly on a large sign outside the premises: "Arboretum Lifestyle and Garden Centre". Much as I abhor the loss of good garden centres and nurseries I have to admire the honesty and directness of these people. I won't be giving them my money though.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

(Moved from a pleione thread......)

Just to throw a cat among the pigeons ( no offence meant, Smokey et al) I'll drop in here my opinion that there are, with Pleiones, as with many other plants, far too many named varieties ....many of which  are extremely difficult to distinguish one from another.
There, I've said it.... light blue touch paper and retire...................

(Sorry, Paul, heating broken down here and chocolate running out... I couldn't help myself...   )

[ranunculus]

Just to throw a cat among the pigeons ( no offence meant, Smokey et al) I'll drop in here my opinion that there are, with Pleiones, as with many other plants, far too many named varieties ....many of which  are extremely difficult to distinguish one from another.
There, I've said it.... light blue touch paper and retire...................

If you are going to light big fireworks and then duck under the porch roof Maggi...then I might join you if I may....?

Has the SRGC suddenly transformed itself into the Scottish Bulb Growers Club.....as the last three thousand postings (barring, of course, those infernal and interminable 'Dolomite' images) have all been about snowdrops, narcissus and assorted underground storage organs (no offence intended....I just like to stir the grounds to make the coffee taste sweeter)?

    

[Maggi Young]

Ah, Cliff, surely you have noticed, even at AGS shows, the vast number of bulbs on display in rec ent years? The SRGC has been becoming the Scottish underground storage organ club for years now.... but no-one has come up  with a catchy enough acronym yet! I have several explanations for this phenomenon.....firstly, peopleare becoming increasingly aware of the vast number of great bulbs around and are capitalising on that... secondly, bulb lovers seem to be even more outgoing and gregarious than the average SRGC Member ( and that IS saying something!) and so they are especially willing to share their experiences etc.   With the best will in the world, when was the last time we had much input from the cushion-loving fraternity ? There are plenty of them out there, I know, but where are they when it comes to discussing their successes and failures... not here and not in many other places, either, as far as I can tell. It alll comes down to the fact that it is the bulb lovers who are active and so the bias appears.... it might easily be redressed but that remedy lies in the hands of others........

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Maggi,
It seems the cold and the chocolate shortage has not affected your  critical brain activity... 
Having said this, let me fully endorse your statements - only two remarks :
- talking about "named varieties" - I may be somewhat biassed but I think that with Pleiones, so far, it's already "bad", but still somewhat "under control" I would say.  The hybrid list on Paul's site is a great asset there.  For other genus', it's even far more out of control... mind you, I'm not thinking of anything in particular 

- and as for bulbs in general, I have (definitely under the influence of this wonderful forum) become much more interested in them myself over the last few years... and it's getting worse.    don't know where it will end...  However as you so rightfully say, I would also very much applaud more postings on other, non bulbous, true, old fashioned alpines, cushions and others... 

Maybe this discussion should be moved to the "moaning" thread...

[Brian Ellis]

There, I've said it.... light blue touch paper and retire...

and there was me thinking your New Years Resolution was to be mellow Maggie

[Maggi Young]

Oh, Brian, you noticed! OOPS!
 Luc, Yes, I think I will move this to the Moaning thread!
M

[Lvandelft]

Maggi,

- and as for bulbs in general, I have (definitely under the influence of this wonderful forum) become much more interested in them myself over the last few years... and it's getting worse.    don't know where it will end... 

Well Maggi if you put this discussion into the Moaning thread, that's o.k. with me.

For myself (Luc's quote) I must say that since I was about 15 years old I hated "bulbs"!
Because I had to work with them. We planted them in mostly cold, windy and often rainy weather.
In spring we had to weed them when cold, then cut all the flowers of after a week of flowering en we had to bend down all day! Terrible! And in summer when other boys went swimming we had to dig them out of the soil, which was very heavy work in the hot sun. And working time was of course from the first light untill dark in the evening.
And look what I'm doing now, make pictures and sent them into the Forum.    :)But still I don't plant many in the garden! There are enough around here everywhere, thank God! 

[Anthony Darby]

Not really much else to talk about at this time of the year?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

You have a point there Antony ! 

[Lvandelft]

Not really much else to talk about at this time of the year?

Even the aphids seem asleep, Anthony 

[Maggi Young]

Even the aphids seem asleep,

Yes, they may SEEM asleep.. but they are only waiting for you to turn your back and then they will be active and eating 

[Carlo]

Not so the scale and mealy bug...these nasties never sleep! (At least inside...)

[mark smyth]

Maggi would you like a bar of Czech/Slovak chocolate? Dark chocolate with nuts, fruit and jelly/gelatin