Something for nothing

Damp day again today, so was mostly indoors this morning. I had a check of my two pans of ferns, sown from spores almost a year ago. Blechnum cycadifolium and Blechnum palmiforme, to give them their old names, are both showing the tiny fronds of real ferns now, among the ‘ground cover’ of prothallii. My Blip today is the former.
 
After lunch I drove to the Walled Garden to check on my runner beans and peas. Not growing very well at all - quite a few yellowing leaves. Even my spuds have yellow leaves, some of them at least! Not sure why.
 
The last time I was there I spotted what looked like one of those ornamental chimneys, often used now to grow plants in. I went to have a look and found that it was a plastic replica! Still it doesn’t look too bad from a distance and it wasn’t wanted, so I brought it home. I’ll put it just far enough up the slope for the seams to be hidden!
 
Quote of the Day: ‘I utilise all my spare moments. I've read twenty-seven of the Hundred Best Books. I collect ferns.’ - Max Beerbohm.