Thanks for all the advice, to be fair middle daughter is a very busy bunny.I don’t offer advice or discuss gardening with uninterested people obviously but people do ask me. I think lots of people want a “pretty garden” and don’t realise the amount of work and money that goes into that. Also factor in the idea that plants are purely decorative forgetting that they are living creatures with very strong opinions on where they want to grow. And of course there are pests,diseases and weather to consider. To those of us who love TO garden these are all welcome challenges but to those who just want A garden it’s a different matter isn’t it?
Middle daughter is getting the promise of fresh flowers as often as possible and the other two will get their baskets I think.
I will just give the rose some TLC next time sister goes away and asks me to water her plants.
I give away surplus plants to anyone who wants them (eg when I end up with more than I need from seeds or cuttings or something's spread too much and some needs digging up) but I wouldn't spend money on plants for someone who doesn't have the time/inclination to look after them. When I give something away I do tell the recipient what kind of situation it prefers. Most of my gardening friends have heavier soil than I do so I make sure they know that they're taking a chance when they take my dry-loving or dry-tolerant surplus plants.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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next time sister goes away and asks me to water her plants.