day four at work

It was much too windy for comfort in the plant centre, though I suppose it would have been more uncomfortable in the middle of the North Sea, or half way across the Thames estuary.  I was reduced to holding some plants upright with one hand, while directing water into the pot with the other.  Ornamental displays toppled like bowling pins, and my colleague gave up and cleared some tables completely, which was probably a good move.

A combination of wind, light rain and general greyness kept the customers away for the first part of the morning, and by half past eleven we were barely scraping into three figures at the till, but things picked up from late morning to mid afternoon, and ended up better than they could have been.

The boss finally printed the labels for most of the shrubs that were delivered yesterday (or at least got the woman who works in the office to do it), just after rain had wetted all the foliage so that the pre-emergent herbicide we use on the surface of the compost could stick to the leaves as well.  He didn't do the labels for my colleague over on The Other Side, but he did apologise to her for not doing them.  It's the little things that count.

My other colleague from The Other Side had brought a box of homemade ginger shortbread for the staffroom.  It was absolutely delicious, and my packet of Happy Shopper custard creams, bought for 45p at the garage when I got petrol, remained unopened for a second day.  I'll know my co-workers are really hungry when those go.

I nipped down the garden in my lunchbreak to admire the Eucryphia x nymansensis 'Nymansay', since customers and colleagues alike kept telling me it was fantastic.  It is a good tree, generously covered in large white single flowers with prominent stamens, which were in turn covered in bees.  It is of medium height, taller than broad, fast growing and evergreen, which would make it an almost perfect garden tree if it were not a touch on the tender side, and require sun on its top but reliable moisture at the roots.  It is however said to be much easier to grow than any of the other members of the species.  I have a plan to plant one in the corner of the wood at home, but this is contingent on removing several Rhododendron ponticum stumps, which is no small task.

The gardeners take delivery of a digger tomorrow to remove the honey fungus infested stumps.  I actually have the day off, but they've got it for next week as well, so I won't miss the fun.