Decided to prune the large Cotoneaster tree in my back garden this morning as there was a lot of dead wood, and the once shrubbery shrub was now a bottom bear leggy tree. It all started off well, and within minutes I had a barrow full of prunings. Then I realised I had cut the main trunk off by mistake....
and decided to cut my losses ( literally) and took the spindly other branches back to ground level as well!
Suddenly, I had an open bit of damp ground deep in leaf litter in part shade that wasn't there before....so I decided to extend the range of hellebores I grow and spend a bit of birthday money in the local garden centre....as you do!
To my delight there was a whole area devoted to reduced plants and Manager's Specials, with quite a few large Hellebores in mostly dark plum shades.....just what I was looking for! I filled my trolley full, and then the fun started......
I ended up at the till for the best part of half an hour while various staff tried to process my goodies. The till would not accept the reduced prices, then it kept trying to take off 33% plus 10% bank holiday discount which still wasn't right! Calculators were out and consulted, senior staff came and tried to help, other people were turned away to be served at other tills, I almost didn't care what I paid in the end, but it seemed very reasonable, got home and OH and I looked at the receipt.........and it turns out I had purchased 12 plants ranging from original prices of £4.99 to £17.99 (£125 worth) for a grand total of £41.....I was even happier then!
