Plant rage

So, recession bites its way into 2012...except not amongst Kent gardeners, apparently.  Yesterday, I experienced my first taste of plant rage as two perfectly nice, normal looking men fought for a Clematis at my lovely local nursery (by the way, I don't buy much there because I can get everything much cheaper from my trade nursery, but I like to go to drool over things just like anyone else).

Anyway, back to the Clematis.  This nursery has a sale on, which not many do but which I thought was quite a good idea...until yesterday.  It was like Harrods used to be on January 1st!  Pots overturned, quite a lot of defensive trolley pushing going on, totally unsuitable purchases (I mean, can anyone really want a variegated Fatsia?), knomes crushed underfoot...you get the picture.  And in the middle of the carnage, two elderly gentlemen playing an unseemly tug of war with a Clematis Etoile Violette: 'I think I saw this before you old chap'.  'Au contraire chummy. Ouch!'

Now this is one of my favourite Clematis, in fact I think I've planted one in almost every garden I've ever designed, and it was marked down to £2.50, but even so.  It made the other nursery I frequent, my grandson's, seem quite sedate!

By the way, a belated Happy New Year to all my followers (that's you, John).