Of venerable gardeners, giant rodents, knickers, jelly blobs and funky jumpsuits - and mayhem!

Phlox paniculata "Blue Boy" is the most magnificently-scented bloom in the gardens at the moment - even outdoing our Nicotiana sylvestris..!

It's another snippets post, dear reader:

• National treasure news: The much-revered Geoff Hamilton, host of BBC Gardener's World for seventeen years through the late 70s, the 80s and early 90s, died 30 years ago this week (and would have been 90 years old next weekend). Needless to say, the show he presented for so long had a rather good tribute to him by current co-presenter and Chelsea-winning garden designer Adam Frost - himself once Geoff's apprentice - and we also watched another special programme Monty Don Remembers... Geoff Hamilton just the other day. Here's the man himself in action:

Geoff Hamilton & Ann Swithinbank's gardening tips (1980s)

• Order, order! news: A Brazilian legislative assembly was rudely interrupted - by a group of capybaras! Beats bloody "Just Stop Oil" protesters throwing orange powder, I suppose...
• Naughty knickers, shock! horror! news: Middle England has been clutching its pearls in shock at the news that the high street's most reliable, middle-of-the road store Marks & Spencer has started selling crotchless panties from a range by sex shop Ann Summers! Whatever next - poppers on sale in the "ready-meal" aisle?
• Don't eat the jelly! news: Thousands of bright electric blue sea creatures, thought to be "sea rafts" - related to the Portuguese Man'o'War but not as deadly - have been blown off-course from their usual tropical warm sea habitat, and washed up on a beach in Cumbria in northern England!
• And finally: RIP, David Z. Who? I hear you ask. Not only was he the principal studio engineer whose work transformed the early recording career of Prince (and was credited for creating the sound that launched the Purple One to mega-success), not only did he produce the magnificent She Drives Me Crazy for Fine Young Cannibals (which broke the band in the US, hitting #1 over there)... he was also one of the geniuses behind THIS!

Lipps, Inc. - Funkytown

And the weather? Still dry, not as hot as it has been - but so incredibly blustery I came home to find a whole branch of the bastard weed tree had snapped off and landed on top of the plants at the top of the extensive gardens here at Dolores Delargo Towers! Not much damage done, thank goodness, and The Madam's chopped it up and thrown it over next-door where it belongs [they're actually away, thank gawd, so we have some peace]!

---

FOOTNOTE:

Mayhem, Lesson 1 to 6 - incriminating evidence from Hils' 60th birthday party!

In case you were wondering what we were all staggering about dancing to - it's this!

DelaDap - Georgian Lesson 1-6

It truly wouldn't be one of our parties without it...

I talk about it, talk about it, talk about it, talk about movin...

After a simply faboo prolonged Easter break - the annual pilgrimage to Essex for plant-shopping, and the rest of the week spent almost entirely in the garden - it's the last weekend before I return to work [albeit briefly, as we're off to Spain again a week tomorrow!], and it's time for a party!

[Indeed, there is plenty to celebrate, as tonight Madam Arcati and I are off to the London Palladium (again - we're becoming regulars) for a gala evening - BBC Radio 2 Celebrates Elaine Paige, marking her 60 year career in showbusiness - and tomorrow John-John, Hils, History Boy and I are going to the Tutankhamun Immersive Experience.]

So without further ado, how about something funky from the summer of 1980 - (gulp!) 45 years ago - to ease our way..? Thank Disco It's Friday!

Lipps Inc. - Funkytown

Have a great weekend, dear reader!

Do the Mash

At the end of what has felt like one of the longest weeks of my life, returning to work, in the dark, after two weeks with my legs up (not as much fun as it sounds), I am in desperate need of some party music to lighten my mood and encourage me into my leopardskin roller-disco boots...

To that end I have discovered a most magnificent disco mash-up by an evident genius of that genre by the name of Robin Skouteris.

It features Miss Ross, Dan Hartman (who would have been 62 tomorrow), Donna Summer, Lipps Inc and many more - Thank Disco It's Friday!

Robin Skouteris - Disco Boys & Girls (70s-80s Mashup)

Hope your weekend's a great one!!

I talk about it, talk about it, talk about it, talk about movin!...

Can it really be 30 years since this funky little number was all over the charts? Heavens, time flies, etc., etc.

Lipps Inc. - Funkytown