Topic: Sayings from Gardening/Farming

[GrannieAnnie]

Just reading in the Edible Forum about when to pick dried runner beans for seed and it reminded me of hearing a seed grower on the topic. He said the phrase "to spill the beans" -meaning to suddenly give crucial information out- comes from how the beans spill out all of a sudden when the pod splits open.

It just got me wondering what other phrases have filtered into English from the garden.

(I imagine this might be a very short thread ;D)

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

Everything's coming up roses? why do I think of ethel merman?

upset the apple cart

full of beans

he knows his onions

it's like giving a donkey strawberries  ;D

[GrannieAnnie]

Wouldn't give a FIG for it.

(Rhubarb Thrasher we knew you'd come thru with a pile of them-
and some AIN't WORTH A PILE O' BEANS ;)

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

surely that's HILL of beans, or don't I know my Casablanca?

"no rose without a thorn, but many a thorn without a rose". Not a common saying, just showing off with my Schopenhauer  :D

couch potato  ;D

[GrannieAnnie]

Yes, hill of beans is more accurate. Too early in the AM for me

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

I'm not as green as i'm cabbage looking  :D

she's a red hot tomato (pronounced tom-ay-do not tom-ah-to)

never really understood what "All Lombard Street to a China orange" meant, except it's probably been our Economic Policy for the last 10 years (insert We're All Going To hell In a Hand-cart Smiley)

[saddad]

..... don't even start about melons...  :-X

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

she was cherry picked for a plum job as a bean counter, because she wasn't as green as she was cabbage looking, but actually knew her onions

alike as 2 peas in a pod

[1066]

she was cherry picked for a plum job as a bean counter, because she wasn't as green as she was cabbage looking, but actually knew her onions

alike as 2 peas in a pod

 ;D  ::)  ;D

[cleo]

The underlings on the big estates were required to bury the `night soil`

Could this be behind the term `Bastard Trenching` ;)

[thifasmom]

(insert We're All Going To hell In a Hand-cart Smiley)

i always thought it was 'to hell in a hand basket' samething really but growing up thats how i always heard it :).

[1066]

does "the grass is always greener on the other side" count ?!

1066


edited cos my typing is pants!

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

(insert We're All Going To hell In a Hand-cart Smiley)

i always thought it was 'to hell in a hand basket' samething really but growing up thats how i always heard it :).

seems either is right. Or you could end up in Hell via a wheelbarrow, according to a stained glass window circa 1450. 

[ACE]

Well! I'll fornicate with my ancient footwear!  A saying when you are flabberghasted. (cleaned up a tad)

[thifasmom]

(insert We're All Going To hell In a Hand-cart Smiley)

i always thought it was 'to hell in a hand basket' samething really but growing up thats how i always heard it :).

seems either is right. Or you could end up in Hell via a wheelbarrow, according to a stained glass window circa 1450. 

hee hee ;D

[Unwashed]

RT, that looks awfully like you pushing that wheelbarrow.  You old devil you.

[Flighty]

Make hay while the sun shines!

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

RT, that looks awfully like you pushing that wheelbarrow.  You old devil you.

shame on you Unwashed! Still, he looks happy in his work. Perhaps that's what happens to Bad Gardeners. So no nicking any cuttings from Chelsea, and no taking the name of Titchmarsh in vain