A Bit of a Tease

Well hello there, crafters. Stuart here again, filling in for Steve in his usual Sunday spot. That’s ok, we can chop and change now and then…

How has your weekend been? My weekend has involved a lot of gardening. We had a driveway put in this week, and, to keep costs down, I said the guy could put all the dirt he dug out into my garden. It’s a bit of a slope, y garden, so the extra dirt will level it out. But there was so much of it, the back is now going to be a raised patio, instead of just a patio…

BUT, I’m quite happy with that. You spend forever thinking about how you want your home to look, it can be hard to make that final decision. I like how we were kind of forced into this, makes the decision for us. Raised patio it is. Plus, because all that muck needed squishing down, the kids loved being able to walk all over it! Great way to kill some time, wear them out a bit, and get an essential job done!

Also, see that Buddleia in the middle? I mentioned in a previous post there were 7 in the garden when we moved in. Well, we’re down to just two, but I really want some more. The smell. Wow! Absolutely stunning and powerful. Plus, the garden is now full of butterflies. They are incredible to watch. So I’ve decided, we’re going to have a butterfly-friendly garden. Get some more Buddleias, loads of lavender, and add a little butterfly flower garden at the side there. Any recommendations for butterfly-friendly flowers or shrubs? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Garden full of mud!

The colour of that flower head is amazing, right? Utterly sublime. Nature makes me very happy!

Beautiful Buddleia

Anyway, enough about my weekend gardening adventures…

We’ve got some news. Big news. And it’s happening this week…

Do you know the name Marina Fedotova? If you don’t, just Google the name and you’ll know instantly. Well, we’ve licensed her artwork for some very, very special products. Starting with a Pergamano range of stamps!

Well, I know Pergamano isn’t usually associated with stamps, but there were some, back in the day. Discontinued quite a while ago, now, but we’re bringing them back in a BIG way. I don’t want to say too much. Just a little teaser in order to build anticipation. You’ll find out more in tomorrow’s TV guide because they are on the telly next Saturday for an ODS. In the meantime, you can just spend a little while drooling over the artwork below…

Now tell me you don’t want a set… 😉

Clarity Matters. It really does.

11 thoughts on “A Bit of a Tease

  • 19th July 2020 at 10:18 am
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    Hi Stuart
    I would recommend verbena bonariensis to attract butterflies and bees to your garden. It is tall spikes of little mauve flowers and it will spread itself around the garden.

    Yes please, I would like a set of the stamps! Put one aside for me, they look gorgeous.
    As Alan Titchmarsh always says, whatever the weather this weekend, enjoy your garden.
    Zara

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  • 19th July 2020 at 10:45 am
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    Hi Stuart, you have been busy. Sometimes it is good to have to do something rather than thinking about it for too long & the children will love helping. Mud can always be washed off especially if its a nice day you could hose them down as a bit of fun time !!
    Not sure what plants attract butterflies but I do know you can get buddleia’s in different colours, they even do tri-colour ones. I always resort to that friendly search engine that’s on the tip of everyone’s tongue !!
    Look forward to seeing the end result.

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  • 19th July 2020 at 11:21 am
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    OH WOW I “need” those stamps. They are gorgeous!
    Our buddleias have just bloomed too. Aren’t the fabulous plants. Just deadhead and they produce more flowers.
    Other plants for wildlife – I know most people don’t like them but thistles! The butterflies love them.
    Enjoy your weekend in the garden.

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  • 19th July 2020 at 12:12 pm
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    I’m not usually one for cute fairies, but these stamps touch something in me. They will definitely take a place on my wish list.

    I’m enjoying watching the progress of your garden. I love the idea of a butterfly garden. I don’t think I’ve seen a single one this year in my area.

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  • 19th July 2020 at 2:13 pm
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    A lot of herbs like borage and oregano will be covered in wildlife for long flowering seasons. But think this through – where there are butterflies, there are hungry caterpillars, so it needs to be part of a plan. What else do you want to grow? Draw it out first, so you know what you are planting and the space needed. You can build beds for veg or flowers three sleepers high, screwed together and topped with decking, if you want to get rid of the mud without a raised patio. The decking gives you some seating. If you make them wide enough for a couple of growbags, that’s your annual tomatoes sorted and screens the patio. Three mixed buddleias are £8.99 on jparkers at the moment, if that helps, but some local garden centres have re-opened. Have fun.

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  • 19th July 2020 at 2:44 pm
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    Sorry to say I won’t be much help with the garden but I need those stamps – oh my goodness, can’t wait.
    Keep safe and have fun with the garden.

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  • 19th July 2020 at 3:47 pm
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    Buddleia is beautiful, trimmed back each year you should get plenty of blossom the next. Every 3 years we cut ours to the ground and, boy, how they thrived.
    Some garden centres do packs of seeds specifically for butterfly gardens. The wild flower ones are greast too and encourage bees. We made a raised bed with sleepers in our old garden and had beautiful plants year after year. Had to leave our plants and trees (and gardener !!!) behind when we moved and this garden does not create any enthusiasm in me.
    The Pergamano samples of the new stamps are cute. Maybe ………….if I’m not spent out this month already.
    Stay Safe

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  • 19th July 2020 at 7:27 pm
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    I have several of the old pergamano stamps -some are art deco I think I really liked them and used them a lot -must dig them out! I was also gong to suggest herbs -my borage gets loads of butterflies and I also get them on my mallow plants. I look forward to seeing your progress as your garden grows.

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    • 19th July 2020 at 11:46 pm
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      Sedums are good for butterflies, if you like them that is. I have red, pink and white, you do have to cut the stems down in the spring though, when the new growth start from the bottom.x

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  • 19th July 2020 at 7:58 pm
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    Love the new stamps, cute but not over the top.
    As to the buddlieia, just wait and it will seed itself all over the place. I find it growing in the cracks in my stone wall, in between the paving slabs and in my pots as well as in the flower beds.

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  • 21st October 2020 at 6:05 pm
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    I have a suggestion for your bee garden, Salvias, like Hot Lips which has a very long flowering season and the bees love them.

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