Monday 24 January 2011

Good things can happen too!

As many of you already know, some cowardly slimeball set fire to our brick potting shed on Christmas night whilst we were away. (If you're not already bored with the subject, you can read about it here).

As a result of their actions we lost all our vast collection of plant pots, propagators, seed trays, seeds, tools and numerous other gardening goodies that I'm still trying to identify from the blackened, mangled heaps.

Anyway, IG from 'The Idiot Gardener' having read my tale of woe, very kindly sent me a goodie box to begin my seed replacement and to cheer me up ....it worked!

Look what he sent me :D

If you haven't read his blog before, go over and have a read. He claims to be a beer swilling idot, but I think that's just a front because he's actually a very articulate writer who appeals to my sense of humour, often wanders off at an apparently random tangent then makes me laugh out loud. He's also just a little bit rude at times , but that usually makes me laugh too!
The world's biggest tomato seed collection?!

I have NO idea why Blogger insists on turning this photo on its side! I've had numerous attempts to get it the right way up, but to no avail - so you're stuck with it!
But just in case you can't read sideways, these are things I've never grown before -
fennel, hot cayenne peppers, munchkin pumpkins and salsify.....

I can't wait to get them started, so I'm off to blag some spare pots off my local gardening friends .....but before I go, I just want to say Thank You IG from the bottom of my compost bin. You have restored my faith in my fellow men!

27 comments:

Sue Garrett said...

If your gardening friends are like most gardeners I'm sure they will have plenty pots to set you up.

Ruth said...

That's so lovely, bet it cheered you up no end.xxx

Gordon Mason said...

You're right; he writes a cracking good blog!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Lovely acts of kindness like that make one realise that there are still some wonderful people in the world.

Liz said...

Hi Liz,

Such a nice present, if you need any seeds let me know and I'll try help you out. I'm not sure if seeds survived and it was only really pots/tools that were killed.

I don't have any spare tools and such though, sorry. I barely have anything as it is, but I'm sure you could borrow something like a grass/spring rake or edger since I don't use them often...
I do have plenty of spare plastic pots that I seem to be breeding if you'd like some. Oh and some of those eco/fibre pots which you can plant into the ground with the plant.

Ali said...

Lovely gift, it is lovely that for every firelighting numbnut out there, there are a group of fabulous people who make it up it.

Enjoy your planting :)

Pat said...

Can't believe someone could be so mean to set fire to your shed.
Thank goodness it wasn't your house.
Nice gift,nice guy.

F Cameron said...

A nice gift from your reader. I do hope the coward who set the fire is found.

Cheers!

RobD said...

Not popped in for a while, so didn't realise about the fire. I had my (plastic) Greenhouse burned down just over a year ago containing most of my pot collection. It's only when you start planting again that you realise quite how many you need and no longer have :>( Have a look at freecycle (or what ever it's called these days) as people are often getting rid of them. Some garden centres have boxes of them to take too.

I've had the 'sideways photo issue' too, in the end I rotated the photo and saved it on it's side so it displayed correctly in blogger!

The Idiot said...

Yeah, I was suprised by how many tomato seeds there were too!

Glad they helped.

Shady Gardener said...

That was a wonderful gift - just what you needed! Wish I'd thought of it (sorry)!

Any leads on WhoDunnit?

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi GLA - You're right.I'm meeting up with a couple of friends later on to gather up some plant pots that they've got going spare :)

Hi darling, it did cheer me up - you know how I need to have my pots and stuff to hand for any potting emergencies!:D xx <3

Nutty Gnome said...

Ey up Woody - IG's a good 'un for sure!

Hi Weaver - it did help to restore my faith in people I have to admit! I'm naturally fairly optimistic, so when something bad happens it can flatten me for a while ...but things like this help me bounce back!

Oooh, thanks Liz - I'll happily take any plastic pots and fibre pots off your hands if you don't want them!
Fortunately my spade and fork were in the greenhouse because we'd been digging up the winter vegetables with them. Andy's gardening tools were lost, but the insurance people will replace them soon. It's the loss of pots, seed trays and stuff to get my veg and flowers started that was bad - 10 years worth of pots make a LOT of pots!
email me me to see if we can meet up - which would be good anyway! :)

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Ali - I'm really starting to look foward to planting again. Aside from the fire, I lost a lot of plants in the deep snow and extreme cold this year, so I've got lots of gaps to fill!

Patsi - IG is a star man right now!

Hi Cameron. I'm not holding my breath on them finding who did it, but someday the'll slip up....!

Hi RobD. Sorry about your greenhouse fire - what a bugger eh?! I was filling in the insurance form and trying to work out just how many pots, seed tray, etc actually fitted onto 3 full height shelving units and could only come up with 'lots'......which doesn't really help!

Thanks for the tip about freecycle and the garden centre, I'll give them a go!

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Fabulous, some seeds to drool over can only help, though I am still outraged on your behalf. Will you get to buy lots of replacement propagators etc on the insurance? Here's hoping this is the start of a really good growing year for you.

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi IG - thanks again. You're a gent!

Hi Shady - don't worry about it. You're a bit further away fromme than IG is!
Still no idea who dunnit yet, but thepolice have a footprint from the crimescene, so they can match it up if the baddie ever gets picked up for anything else!

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Plantalicious - yes, the insurance company are being very good. They're getting the building professionally cleared, cleaned, dried, sealed, re-tanked, made structurally sound, new window and door AND replacing all the stuff we lost! Can't fault 'em so far! :)

I am looking forward to getting planting now though!

Casa Mariposa said...

Hooray for you!!! I truly believe there are more good people in the world than bad! Hooray for IG, who should change his name to the "Seed Stud" for sending you such a great gift!! :o)

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Casa...hahaha - 'seed stud'! I love it!!!
I agree with you. I'm sure there are more good people than bad - but I'm also well known for being an eternal optimist! :)

O.I.M said...

Oh no. I was so sad to hear about your shed. Terrible. But what a wonderful gesture on the part of the Idiot Gardener. Good stuff, indeed.
irena

Nutty Gnome said...

Thanks Irena. It was a bit of a shock! IG's a bit of a star in my eyes now though :)

meemsnyc said...

Oh wow, I'm sorry to read about some a@@hole setting fire to your potting shed. Some people are jerks. That's so nice of IG to send you such a great package!

Britta said...

Dear Nutty Gnome,
I'm glad that you are recovering from that nasty shock! IGs posts are the utmost hilarious pleasures I find in blogland - and he is a very kind soul - not only words, but action too!

Carolynn Anctil said...

What a generous, thoughtful gift. Definitely a warm spot in what's proven to be a cold winter season.

The Gnome said...

It's extraordianry, the power of the blogging community to support you in this time of need. Good to see you had such great support Nutty.

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Liz! What's happening lately with you? Thank you for visiting me... I'm always happy for your visits!

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Shady. I'm still around, just been a bit busy with other projects - like sorting out the fire insurance claim, preparing for the decorators again, making curtains etc. Haven't even started thinking about my veg plot yet!
Got another post coming up shortly and I'm hoping to be back fully in blogland very soon :)
I love your visits to me too!