what do you do with your brother's cast offs?

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As the only girl in a family of 4 children I was saved from having to have hand me down clothes. I did have many toys and books that way however and jolly glad I was of them even if some were ‘Biggles and Dan Dare’ type stories and Mecanno.

So what possible cast off could I be talking about?

Oh come on!

This is GoY so it has to be plants. :o)

Penstemon ‘Strawberry Fancy’

Over the years my eldest brother has redesigned his very small garden many times. On one such occasion, about 15yrs ago I was up visiting him and was surprised, nay shocked to see him dig up a lovely aster and chuck it in the compost bin.

I asked him what he thought he was doing and he looked at me blankly.
‘What?’ said he
‘Do you throw many plants away?’ I asked in hushed tones/
‘Well if I fancy a change I do why?’ replied he.

Primula denticulata which grows well and we both split on a regular basis.

I made him sit down, made a coffee for us and explained in simple terms [though he is far from a simple soul] that he couldnt possibly chuck good plants away especially if he hadnt checked if I :
a] liked them
b] needed them
c] wanted them

The ensueing conversation went something like this:

‘Now little sister of mine, covetness is such a shameful sin’

‘No dear brother not covetness but resourcefulness’

‘Resourcefullness? not the fact you have been married to a yorkshire man for 15yrs then?’

‘Now dear brother I do buy plants, look at my garden and you shall see the truth in my words.’

A pale pink Bergenia .

And so the conversation ran; and yes we do sometimes talk to each other like this, makes for a fun dialogue.

Aconitum but dont know which one as he rarely keeps the labels. Despite the encouragement or should that be nagging he still doesnt.

The upshot is I have many plants that started life in his garden.

To be fair I do buy him many plants too.

We are 12 yrs apart in age but have so many things in common and the garden is one place where we understand lifes trials and tribulations.

Rosa ‘New Dawn’ a cutting from the one that grew in the family home.

So I know exactly what do do with his cast offs. Keep them coming dear brother.

• 14 Jul, 2011
• 9 likes

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