Dead heading works!

I've always had a problem believing that dead-heading is the right thing to do - chopping away at a plant that is still in its prime seems to me to be a contradiction in terms.

But it really does work - demonstrated this weekend by the resurgence of the geranium by the back door. It's been looking very drab recently, with no flowers to speak of since I culled the remains of the first burst of bloom (its appearance isn't helped by the fact that the caterpillars have found it - I wont go off on another rant, but it appears tht if they can't eat basil, they'll find something else...). This weekend however has seen the emergence of a host of new buds, so Geranium The Sequel can only be days away. Here's hoping for a colourful Christmas.

The aqualigia is also benefitting from dead-heading, although it's rather less prolific in its encore, with only one flower appearing at a time. Still, this is its first year so I mustn't be too impatient.