TWIGS in Lockdown

In a normal year, there are many plant buying opportunities and chances to look at other people's gardens. This year so far, I have been to the first Rare Plant Fair before Covid-19 struck and everything shut down. I've had a great time in my own garden and allotment, but it is wonderful to see what other people are doing, and chat about what they're growing. I was therefore pleased to be able to have a special behind the scenes look at the gardens and plant sales last week, as my first trip to a garden since early March. They are hoping to open soon, but have to work out one way systems round the gardens to avoid bottlenecks and keep people socially distanced. News as it comes can be found on their website which I've just looked at, it says they are closed. I took a few photos of things which caught my eye,

The plant above is a sort of Salvia, my attention was drawn to it because I acquired one last year, and didn't know what it was, or where I bought it, I must have bought it from TWIGS! I've already forgotten the name, tried to look it up and think it might be Salvia sclarec. It has highly perfumed sepals

This Viper's bugloss or Echium vulgare, above, was smothered in bees

I got a hastily taken photo of Alan Holland beside what might be an Ammi majus, at over 8 feet tall, I'm not sure. If you click on the link, you find Alan is the manager of this fabulous place, and he and other volunteers have tried to help people during lockdown with growing packages.

the water lilies are doing their stuff without attention, but with only a few people tending the site, there's still lots to do before the gardens look up to their usual splendid standard.

I love these 2 sculptures, I would love one for my garden. They are so good in profile against the sky.

The Echinops are looking good

and the pathways up and down between the gardens look luscious

you might just about be able to see the arrows on the ground here.

Wildness in the Haven above. Wildlife certainly hasn't missed things not being tidied.

I love these tiny foxglove flowers above and the garden structure below always looks lovely

as does the willow sculpture

And aren't these Helichrysum gorgeous

When it came to the plant sales, I bought a lovely selection of plants for the OTRA community gardens with money raised from plant sales in St.Margarets Road.

Here they are in the back of the car. There's always something imaginatively delightful to buy at TWIGS, aren't these Sempervivums in wooden plants gorgeous?

Let's hope TWIGS are able to open to the public soon.