It is always exiting to get my hands on plants I have not handled before. Just at present I have three newbies: cup-and-saucer vine (colbaea alba), castor oil plant (ricinus communis) and sweet four’o clock (mirabilis longiflora). I love the seedlings snaking their first root  into the ground while transforming their bodies into seed leaves (the fancy word for seed leaf is cotyledon – I checked). The seedlings look booth strong and vulnerable – like babies, really.

I will be leaving my babies in the hands of house-sitters, as I am to go on holiday! Next saturday we’ll take the boat to Harwich and spend two or three days on the (left hand side of the) road, in order to reach Inverness to stay with friends who live there. Am so looking forward to the drive! My mothers side of the family are into long distance haulage, and I have my fair share of these genes. Just love to drive on and on and on …..