In a garden of rare treasures

This morning I joined VP and several other ladies on a visit to the Botanic Nursery for a workshop on shrub pruning, run by the owner. Terry-the owner is a real plantsman and enthusiast and possesses encyclopaedic knowledge of plants and their care, all effortlessly delivered in the manner of such great plantsmen. I felt no question would have been treated without gentle and careful thought, and no question would have been outside his knowledge. In another life he would have made a great teacher.

We were privileged to be able to stroll around the garden that is the source of much of the propagating material used in the nursery, as well as around the plant area. Terry explained how each of the many rare and less rare shrubs could be pruned, as well as describing the best conditions for growth and frequently the origins of the plant. All the while we were serenaded by a garden full of birds in Spring song, or raucous chorus in the case of the rooks and jackdaws. And the sun shone for us too.

I mostly resisted buying anything but had to bring home a little deep blue Pulmonaria "Blue Ensign" that was calling to me...