Blind gardener makes me smile! - Jun 28, 2019
"My hands are my eyes”
Dear gardening friends
I had an amazing experience with a blind man and his carer this week.
Ian Prevett has been blind for 8 years.
He has 2 brothers who are blind too.
Shenae Osborne is Ian’s carer.
The story started with Shenae asking me if we had a native tree that felt like a Christmas tree?
I started finding plants that had leaves like a pine tree. Ian would feel the foliage and then tell me if it was the plant he was looking for.
I started with a real pine tree.
“No”, he said, “that’s not it.”
Then we moved onto fine leafed Banksias “Too prickly and itchy”.
Westringia “You’re getting closer”
Adenanthos Lighthouse “That’s it”.
I gave him the choice between Adenanthos Lighthouse and Adenanthos Silver Streak.
He chose the first one.
“How big does it grow?”
It grows about as tall as me.
Do you know how tall I am?
“Yes I do, your taller than me. I can tell how tall you are from where your voice is coming from”
Can you tell if I’m handsome?
He laughed.
Who’s going to help you plant this shrub?
“Nobody, I do everything myself. I know where everything is. My hands are my eyes. I spend every day out in my garden.
I love it.”
Why do you plant native plants?
“Because you don’t have to water them”.
Of course you have to water them, when it’s dry.
“Well I have a hose and a watering can, I’ve got Sugarcane on my garden too.
That helps keep the water in”
Do you know all your plants names?
Shenae bursts out laughing.
“He names his plants after people.”
Shenae and her husband Jacob have both got plants named after them. Ian’s been trying to find out Shenae’s mothers name, so he can name a plant after her too.
Do you name plants after people you don’t like?
“I don’t want to be standing outside yelling at a plant” responds Ian with a smile.
I ask him if he wants to touch me?
For some unknown reason I want to touch Ian, I do touch him.
“No he says, I don’t need to touch you, I don’t need to touch Shenae either.”
What’s it like being blind?
“I don’t know I’m blind, unless somebody tells me. I don’t know what Shanae looks like”
She looks great mate.
You’ve got a winner.
He bursts out laughing.
What a lovely story.
Ian made my day.
Plant Collectors Alert!!!!!!
This plant is so new, it doesn’t exist.
I’ve just googled Peperomia Xiangcao and nothing comes up!
This cute little indoor plant has gorgeous heart shaped leaves and unusual spear like flowers. Peperomias are easy to grow indoors in bright light.
If you’re a plant collector, this one’s a must.
We have small plants for $18.99.
We have beautiful ceramic pots.
Buy both, and we will repot it for you using Tim’s Best Potting Mix, just for love!
Zoom zoom.
Mr Wu came in this week to pick up 7 Maria Callas Rose Bushes. He bought 10 last year.
Mr Wu has over 150 roses in his suburban garden. He usually only buys yellow roses.
But a few years ago he picked up a Maria Callas Rose, and he has been telling us how amazing this plant is ever since.
According to Mr Wu, the highly perfumed flowers are enormous. They are perfect for picking and the plant has great disease resistance.
Mr Wu is a perfumed rose lover, so we’ve taken his advice this year, and bought more Maria Callas Roses. Our other Rose loving customers can enjoy the perfume too.
When I did research on this rose, I discovered that it’s sold in America as “The Miss All American Beauty Rose.”
We are sticking with Maria Callas.
We have 20 plants only.
They will sell out fast.
It is highly recommended by Mr Wu.
He’s one of our iconic customers!
All our New Season Roses have arrived now. We have over 2,000 plants.
They have all been repotted using Tim’s Best Potting Mix. This gives them the best start in life. Apparently we are cheaper than Bunnings with our 25% off discount.
A customer told me.
New Season Fruit Trees have arrived.
We have new dwarf growing varieties that are perfectly suited for today’s courtyard sized gardens.
We have dwarf Cherries, Almonds, Apricots, Plums, Apples, Nectarines, Peaches and Citrus.
Now is the best time to plant them.
Don’t just dig a hole in the clay and hope for the best. They won’t grow!!!!!!
Make a mound of improved soil using IGC Planting Compost. Dig a hole in this to plant your fruit tree. Don’t add fertiliser!!!!
Everything you need, is in the Planting Compost. Mulch around the base with Woodchip or Sugarcane.
Water twice a week.
Stand back quickly!!!!!
We have been making new displays in our nursery this week. Our shop has never looked better. Hayden has been working his magic. Evie and Annette have been helping too!
Event Cinemas are screening “DANGER CLOSE” this Sunday, June 30th, at 10.30am. It’s a movie about The Battle Of Long Tan. Apparently it’s brilliant!!!!
Tickets cost $30 and all money raised goes to The AFRICAN AIDS FOUNDATION in Elderslie. We support this amazing charity, which is run by John and Rosalie Schwarz.
You might even meet John and Rosalie’s boys, who made the movie.
Yes they have made it big in America.
Two boys from Camden!
You can book tickets online
Happy gardening
Tim