Awhile ago my sister-in-law Anna told me about a series of dwarf rhododendrons called "The Seven Dwarfs," named after the various dwarfs in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs. (Quick note: according to Tolkien it's "dwarfs" and not "dwarves," so I defer to his higher authority on that.)
I wasn't so sure about wanting any or all of them. But in a weak moment, I picked up "Grumpy" at Big Jim's Garden Centre in New Plymouth, thinking I would put him in the new garden area I'm planting above the rock wall at The Homestead's new parking area.
John, of course, had other ideas, once I arrived home with Grumpy. He has decided we need to buy ALL of the seven dwarfs, and plant them under the tawa trees near the new house, with the gnomes. Previously I had been directed to plant only NZ natives here (I was itching to plant rings of hostas around the tawas, but was told no, definitely not...only natives). Ferns would be okay.
But the dwarfs have changed everything, and life is about compromise, right? I have now managed to find Grumpy, Sneezy, Doc, Dopey, Bashful and Hoppy (Happy was misnamed Hoppy by the hybridist of the series). Sleepy is rather difficult to find, I've been advised to preorder him early next season.
And so six of the Dwarfs will join the Gnomes shortly. Hopefully Ringo, Tico and Stuffy will be cool with that and we won't have any Middle Earth type clashes!
I've checked with Ringo, who tells me he's pretty relaxed about it. If they were Trolls that would be different, but the Trolls hang out up the Mangaotaki at Hairy Feet Waitomo so we should be okay. (After seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey think we can all agree Trolls are pretty ugly characters.)
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