Garden Codger: A great day!

Old Codger is dying to let his readers know that today's charity plant sale was a great success. So, hot of the press we present this short report

The weather forecast was a bit iffy, but in the event the weather was perfect - warm, dry and the odd spot of sunshine to brighten the proceedings

Not at all surprising, really - folk were obviously pleased to be there - especially as the event had to be cancelled last year

Despite earlier fears, there were lots and lots of plants to choose from. In fact, there are a good number left so Angela will be pleased to see anyone who would like to browse during the week

A difference
Codger was on duty for the first hour-and-a-half and noticed a difference between this event and the previous one, two years ago. The customers were often looking perennials and displayed more gardening savvy. Evidence, perhaps, that lockdown has moved forward the interest in gardening

And there was I, working all week, coaxing annuals into bloom in the mistaken belief that that is what the customers were after. We now know for next year!

Great result

This photo shows Head Gardener, Angela Webb, with her assistant, Keith. He is good with the money and reports that they notched £1250 for BCM - a great result

Cakes, too

Perhaps we ought to mention the cakes. Yes,

we should definitely tell you about the cakes. Learning from experience, the cake table was our first port of call - and just as well. Old friends wanted to call back at Codger's Nursery afterwards so we had something to share - yes, the Victoria sponge was whole when we bought it

And, as you can see, we are set up for the week! All for a good cause, of course!

A perfect Saturday

Since the threatened rain held off, we got the lawns mowed today. I always find that job a bit like cleaning shoes - a bit of a chore but pleasing when done. Then off to the plant sale where we saw lots of folk and we able to catch up with a sense of normality in the air

Then, back here for the cake and a chat, and two hours real gardening doing the sort of things that Monty Don tells us to do. This included taking down the broad beans. Great fodder for the compost heap

Have you noticed? Codger has not said much about compost for a while - not wishing to bore his readers

However, you may be interested to see this shot. The fungi - a good sign - had sprung overnight. I followed my normal practice of turning over the top six inches before adding grass mowings, chopped up broad bean stalks and weeds plus shredded paper

I've just been outside to check the heap (the time is 9:35pm). In a couple of hours the temperature of the heap has risen by 12 degrees - that is certainly what we want

A climbing snail

Have you ever been told that abrasive surfaces are abhorrent to slugs and snails. Clearly, no-one had told this snail. She/he/it was over a metre up the wall. they are amazingly persistent critters

Despite the recent blandishments of celebrity gardeners I still deal firmly with gastropod invaders. Mind you, I do not use poisons - we fight fair

It is worth saying that keeping a pond helps. The frogs that breed there help keep down the slugs. We get some slug damage but, generally, not enough to worry about

Even so, I was horrified to find that I had passed on a strawberry plant its very own supply of embryonic
slugs. Just look at that clutch of eggs. (I'm no expert - they might be snail eggs - does anyone know?)

Incidentally, on the subject of ponds and fish, I thought it worth including this shot (below) of one of my carp. You most probably know about parallax - the foreshortening effect of viewing an object through water

You see the fish and get the impression that they have the profile of a mackerel or a herring. Not a bit of it! Pond fish look more like the one I have captured here

So, if like me, you are no longer sleek and slim do not worry. They are plenty more fish in the pond with the same shape. You just have to look at them in the right way

Which reminds me ...

Whatever, whatever, whatever ...

I said that it was a perfect Saturday. Actually, I missed one thing out. Another little task was to do the reading for tomorrow's service at our church. We are still hybrid at the moment - in-person and on-line - so I needed to do a recording. The passage was from Philippians 4 and I found myself reading these words ...

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things

Who could argue with that? It is worth checking the whole passage - you can do so here. Did me a lot of good. And interesting to see that it goes on to deal with generous giving and gracious receiving