Archie's Bowls

One of the hardest things when a loved family member dies is sorting through their things and deciding what should happen with them. It's the same when a much loved pet dies. I knew that I'd take Archie's beds, bedding and towels, along with some other bits and pieces, to the Dogs Trust, it's a charity we've supported in the past and they can always make use of these things. I got everything washed, dried and folded ready to go quite soon after Archie died but it was quite a while before I could actually part with them. It's the letting go, isn't it, another little piece of him gone. 

Of course, we didn't take everything, there's some things we kept, like his bowls. I decided they'd make good planters and they'd be somewhere I'd see them everyday, just like when he was still here with us. There's no holes for drainage so I made sure to put plenty of little stones in the bottom before I filled them with compost. This was Archie's water bowl. I chose a delosperma Red Mountain and I think it looks lovely when the sun's shining on it.

It doesn't look quite so good when it's covered in shade, the flowers hide away.

I did the same thing with Archie's food bowl. This is a saxifraga White Blush though it isn't looking quite so good at the moment as the flowers appear in spring. We enjoyed them while they lasted and I'm looking forward to it flowering again next year.

I have lots of pots and containers in the garden so these don't look out of place and they're a reminder, as if I need one, of Archie.