What it says on the tin

I have a great respect for those people who work in advertising who manage to create slogans that enter into common usage. Sometimes I find them annoying, but that doesn't in any way detract from the genius that creates them: it's difficult to do. Did you know that "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" was an ad campaign? Or that Kiwi Fruit is a brand name? (With apologies to my non-UK readers)

One such saying comes from an advert for wood preservative, the first of which explained that the product "Does what it says on the tin". It's some years since I was in England when I first saw this campaing but the phrase still stays with me as a hallmark of straightforward workmanlike integrity.



Well I'm sure that when I bought my Dahlia tubers, I bought two packets of tubers with light blue flowers. But here I find myself with light blue and a dark blue. I suppose I shouldn't complain, since now I have an extra option for my garden, but it's not what it said on the tin (well, OK, packet).













Another challenge with Dahlias is that you can't identify flower colour or shape from the tubers or cuttings, so you have to label carefully to keep track. I have to confess to some failings this year. So it's not what it says on the label either. OK, my fault....

How did this blue one get here amongst the reds? .....or this orange one here with the blues?





















But here's a magnificent yellow cactus Dahlia, right where it should be.