LUCKY PURCHASE

A plant appeared in my garden earlier this year and then continued to grow. As it reached 4 foot high I started to stake it. And then it continued on upwards to about 7 feet. It had clusters of orange and yellow flowers at intervals along the stout stem. Back in June I was able to get a place on a coach trip organised by Hargrave and Huxley Women’s Institute. The day outing was to the BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the Birmingham NEC although most of the ladies were going to the BBC Good Food Summer Show which was on at the same time.

I thought it was a good opportunity to get my unnamed plan identified so I cut off a length and put it in a cellophane bag. Arriving at the NEC my first call was to the Plant Expert stand. It was the first day of the show and I was welcomed with a cry from the young lady of “Our first live specimen of the day”. She was not able to put a name to it nor could the gentleman with her. I was asked to leave the plant with them and call back later. I returned at about 1.30pm and advised that everyone was out at lunch and no name had been suggested. I said I would return later. I had been purchasing so many plants and had taken two lots to the creche. At the end of the day in the panic to get the coach and collect my purchases from the creche I forgot all about the help desk and my specimen. So returned home none the wiser.

It was about three weeks later whilst in Morrisons in Upton. I had stopped at the magazines display. I am already a subscriber to the BBC Gardeners World Magazine so tend to be happy with this as enough reading each month. Scanning the covers of the gardening magazines I decided to treat myself to a copy of the July 6th edition of Garden News. Later in the day and now at home I started to read the magazine. Little did I know what a lucky purchase the magazine was until I reached page 51 I came to the Problem Solvers page. Mr Andrew Duncan was asking 'What are these beautiful flowers on our allotment?' He had sent in a photograph of his plant that matched the one in my garden. It was the expert Tony Dickerson who replied saying this unusual plant appears to be Scrophularia sambucifolia, the elder flower figwort. It seems it is not a garden plant but grows wild in southern Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It was suggested as there was no UK source for the seed that it may have been introduced by a previous plot holder when on holiday in Spain. How my specimen arrived I do not know but I just marvel at the coincidence that I should buy that particular edition of the weekly magazine. I am now reminded how quickly the weeks pass by as my subscription copy of Garden News drops through the letterbox.

I later told David Cummings about the experience and showed him the plant. He immediately recognised it as a figwort and he was able to send me some photographs of the common figwort growing on the wet meadows at Hockenhull Platts. Most certainly a relative of my mystery plant. Gardening is a never ending hobby of discovery.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to BBC Gardener's World Live at the NEC. Just too much to see in a day. I did manage to take a few photographs to remind me of the occasion. Just hoping that a local Women's Institute will decide to arrange a trip to the 2020 Show so that I can enjoy it all again.