At long last I have found you

Regular readers will have to have an extremely good memory to remember that back in 2012 I wrote about one of my favourite plants that has a connection to one of my favourite places to visit.  I wrote the Rev. Henry Harpur Crewe from Calke Abbey and Erysimum Cheiri 'Harpur Crewe', a wallflower he named.  In this blog post I mentioned that was also a Doronicum x excelsum 'Harpur Crewe'  that I had at one time grown, but sadly had lost.  At the point of writing  I could not source a new plant.

Fast forward to the present day and there I am, wandering nay ambling through Facebook and there I see an advertisement for the desired Doronicums.  I take a moment to read it through a couple of times and yes, it is the one that I want.  It was also being sold by Hardys Cottage Garden Plants.  It is fortunate to find the plant you have been seeking, it is beyond fortunate to find it being sold by a nursery I know, love and trust to supply excellent plants.  I thought to myself I will contact them and ask them to bring a couple to the next plant fair we will both be at and I will buy them then.

As we all know life has changed rather swiftly and overnight it became impossible to do this.  So many nurseries depend hugely on plant fairs, garden show sales and being open to the public so the Covid-19 restrictions have hit hard.  It therefore felt my duty to order some through mail order.  It was suddenly the right thing to do.

and they arrived quickly and well packed.  I am now working from home remotely for the foreseeable so worrying about deliveries whilst I am out feels like a dim distant memory.  The plants were large and wonderfully healthy and they were not bothered by their journey.  I unpacked them and popped them outside to wait by the greenhouse until I could plant them out.  I gave them a drink of water to welcome them.

Then I had to decide where to plant them as this was a plant I desired, not a plant I had a space already for.  I took a few days to think about this and also to check the conditions that the plants liked.  

I have planted them in two different parts of the garden.  This Doronicum x excelsum 'Harpur Crewe' is in the Coal Bunker Border.  Ignore how scrappy this bit of border looks, it is work in progress as it has been invaded by alliums.  You can see some of them in the foreground of the photo, they will be removed very soon.

Look at the big fat flower bud this plant has.  That is a promise of future happiness.

This Doronicum x excelsum 'Harpur Crewe' has been planted in the Pond Border.  Both seem very happy after being in the ground for a day or so.

The reason why I planted them in different parts of the garden is in the hope that if one doesn't thrive where it is, then the other one still has a chance.  Now they are in position and I shall cherish them carefully.  I look forward to growing them for many years to come.