Reneged!

Reneged: Verb:  To go back on a promise, undertaking or contract.

Without naming names, it was brought to my attention this weekend that I’ve successfully reneged on my so called ‘new’ gardening philosophy. The one mentioned here, in a post that was supposed to represent the proverbial turning over of a new leaf! Indeed!

The two photos above show some of the newest additions to the garden repertoire in the past two weeks! At this rate I’ll be knocking on your door begging to be let a few square feet of prime shade real estate! I think I have your address written down here somewhere!

I tried to stay true, on the straight and narrow, honestly I did! Look see – I made mention of the genera Polygonatum [above is Polygonatum x hybridum ‘Betberg’] and Epimedium [below is Epimedium ‘Hagoromo] and I have increased the presence of both two-fold each…..

but then the lust craved hoarder/collector/connoisseur that resides inside of me took over. ‘What is that? What is that?’ Oh indeed, it can never hurt to add another Arisaema candidissimum and Glaucidium palmatum to the brood, just to be on the safe side!

And not to point fingers, but when I’m surrounded by enablers at every turn – a suggestive blog written by an astute plants-woman who just so happens to work at my favourite woodland plant nursery – not to mention a sweetheart of a garden blogger whose first actual face-to-face meeting culminated in a visit to above said nursery, nor the wonderful plantsman who shares the same name as me who generously gifted me with a sublime specimen of ‘Betberg’… [said plant is now the header photo of this blog!] I can honestly say that it isn’t all my fault, this apparent reneging that I have fallen victim to.

And before the naysayers amongst us start spewing the proverbial ‘With that one, it was only a matter of time,’ or ‘The poor man really is delusional is he not?’ – and yes, I can see the head nodding from here, I’ve only one question. If you had chanced upon this wonderful specimen, sitting by its lonesome self on a table surrounded by….. and for the lack of better words, ‘commoners’…. would you too not have found yourself feeling the slightest pang of sadness for the handsomely diminutive ‘Mikawa Yatsubusa?’ Come now! Be honest! [Yes, its true, I tried Mikawa before, but that one wasn’t the true dwarf that I was promised, and for that reason alone I blame for its untimely demise!]

 Where does this leave me? Funny you should ask. Having rid myself of the debilitating pangs of guilt [and they could bring me to my knees] I can honestly say that I feel like a new man! Or is that collector? Hoarder? Connoisseur? As my delightful Grandmother used to say:  ‘What’s born in the blood…..’ At times like this resistance truly is futile!