Garden shows, Autumn and the rest.

I mostly ask around but nine times out of ten, I have to go alone because no one is very enthusiastic. Can you believe it? They’d rather stay at home to clean the house? You’re kidding!

Off late and anxious, no early rising for me. I’ll go when I’m ready, mustn’t stress out on a Saturday too. A moment of panic: where is Waze taking me? Then a magic instant of illumination. If I don’t get there, who cares? I’ll go wherever the fancy takes me and I if get really desperate, I’ll just turn round and go back home. From that moment on it’s all downhill metaphorically speaking ( probably just the opposite geographically speaking!)

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The run-up to Stupinigi is breathtaking. A really long, wide

tree-lined avenue which opens out to the vista of a huge, ornate palazzina di caccia, embraced by curved buildings. Oh, it’s lovely

The organization of Fl oREAL on the other hand was not breathtaking. I had bought my ticket on-line, proceded to the gates where a young man asked me where my bracelet was. So I went back to the ticket people and asked why I hadn’t been given one which you need to get in and out of the exhibition. And things didn’t get better inside. Should you want to use the toilet you have to ask for directions and the only food on offer was really weird, trendy vegan I’d say. Piedmont and trendy vegan in the same breath? I must admit that it’s the first year they’ve held it here, apparently it’s always been in Turin, so by next year it should be better. The volunteers were tiptop though. Fingers crossed. I met a lot of nursery owners I already knew so it was nice to see them all again. It appears that a lot of nurseries have shut down so BUY A PLANT! I also visited the exhibition of ceramics. I don’t normally like this kind of thing but I found most of them really original. I even bought a necklace! And had an interesting conversation with the person who made it. At these flower shows everyone is particularly pleasant….maybe it’s because we gardeners are naturally nice people…just saying!!!

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You’d like to know what I bought, well astonishingly only one plant A double dark pink Japanese anemone. and the necklace.I’m saving my buying for Masino