Like all well-planned campaigns, Operation Flowerpower has now moved from ground to aerial operations. We’ve had to call up some reinforcements to replace the handful of troops who have been lost along the way (three plants have succumbed during phase 1) but nevertheless have been able to move on swiftly to the planned next phase. Which is hanging baskets.
I had to source some from the UK because I wanted metal ones that seem to be impossible to obtain here in France. I also sourced some live Welsh moss to line them with as the only ‘moss’ you can get over here is that nasty plastic artificial stuff, proving the old saw once again that when it comes to gardening, the Brits leave the French streets behind.
I put the hanging baskets up yesterday, once again in scorching hot sunshine, so this morning Chantal, my next door neighbour, and I were up and out with the lark to yet again head for the local nursery. We had to go early because she has a busy day today and as before, she wants to be the one to place the plants into position 🙂
Unfortunately, because we’re late in the season, our choice of plants was rather limited. Usually in the UK, we used to make our hanging baskets right at the beginning of the spring and now in mid-July, plants like Fuschias are all a bit ‘leggy’. But never mind, better late than never.
I ordered six hanging baskets but decided to put up only five (two on the front of the house, two on the south side where the bedrooms are and one on the corner of the north end) and the first thing we found is that I ordered much too little moss. I’ve already ordered some more, which will take about a week to arrive, so today we only managed to finish off two hanging baskets and for now I’ve had to put the plants that are waiting in reserve somewhere safe so they’ll be ready to go in as soon as the moss arrives.
In the meantime here are a few shots showing the result with the two new hanging baskets on the front of my house.
I love them. They’re every bit is nice as I hoped they would be and now I’ll have to work hard to keep them in tip-top shape while it’s so hot. The problems will, of course, mainly arise when I eventually manage to get away to the UK, but Chantal has already said that she’ll look after them for me while I’m gone. And I’m sure she will because she’s already put so much effort into getting the whole display looking so gorgeous, bless her.
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Thanks Rog, all the comforts of home eh? Really I’m just trying to make up for lost time. As you know, I lost the last two summers due to circumstances beyond my control and I’m relieved now to have managed to get around, with the help of my next-door neighbour, to filling all the plant pots that I brought with me from England. They’ve been crying out for it for far too long.
While I was still married before coming to France we always made up our hanging baskets together in the spring and it was always my job to keep them watered through the summer while they were in full bloom. I always wanted to do the same here because the stone walls of my house cried out for it so I’m really pleased that, once again with my neighbour Chantal’s help, my plans have finally come to fruition. Would I have done it if she hadn’t pushed me a little? I dunno 😉
Nice little touches Roger