Went to Palmers Planet and bought some seed raising mix. As my friend and I wandered round the planet, I was kind of shocked at the prices, and the array of giftware in half the store which was devoted to 'lifestyle'. Not that I'm averse to lifestyle, but, I simply cannot afford to install a $2000 water feature or a $999 wicker chair. Well maybe I could but that would mean less money for plants.
They had spas and even weber bbqs on sale, well, on offer they weren't actually on sale.
And Lynda Hallinan and her buddy from TV are going to be in store having a Q and A next week.
Question for Lynda...how can you afford your gardening? Easy for you, you edit the NZ Gardener magazine and probably get free plants which you endorse in the magazine. What about the rest of us?
I asked again if they were hiring and they said not at present, although they will call me if I put my CV in for any vacancies. I'm now thinking it might not be a good idea. What if they put me at the cash register and all day in the giftware department? I don't know how to sell gifts. I'd probably tell people save your money and make your own. I noticed a merino/possum shawl priced at $209. What that has to do with gardening I'm not sure. Maybe it's for the fashion conscious gardener who kills possums.
My heart sank. We did not even bother to eat at botanix cafe as my friend said it was too pricy. Fish and chips cost $21. Yes, the price of fish has gone up.
I saw my gardening gothic trough there which I mean to buy for $44. At least that's cheaper than the giftware. Maybe another time when we get more strawberries. There's no other places that sell them although I haven't looked in Kings Plant Barn St Lukes store. I don't know if it's cheaper there, those things don't really go on sale.
I strolled around but the plants did not appeal to me. None said 'buy me, take me home and plant me'. I figure maybe I have enough now?
We made our way home past the blank traffic lights. The developers are building a new shopping centre next to the old one called 'north westgate' and all the stores are moving over, they've got a Mitre 10 and a Farmers and Pak n'Save, and even Countdown is moving over. I have no idea why as hardly anyone lives out that way except farmers as it's the countryside heading toward Kumeu.
It's a long way to walk if you don't have a car and as you know public transport in Auckland is a joke.
