Hedging my bets
Hedges are great. I mean, the right kind of hedges a great. A nice beech hedge, that’s a great hedge. But not all hedges are planted equal. Like, when someone, for reasons only known to themselves, decides to plant six …
Crocus tommasinianus ‘Whitewell Purple’ and Iris ‘Cantab’
Now we’ve had some proper Spring weather, with warmer temperatures and sunny days, the colour is taking off. First up is my favourite crocus, C. tommasinianus ‘Whitewell Purple’. In the sun it shimmers, and attracts the bees who feast on …
Slow-onset ME
This article was first published in the ME Association’s ME Essential magazine, Spring 2021, pages 32-33. Slow onset ME. You’ve probably never heard of it. It’s mentioned here and there, and on the ME Association website, but there are no …
Galanthus ‘Ophelia’
Following from posting Galanthus ‘Dionysus’ last week, this week is another snowdrop double, Galanthus ‘Ophelia’. G. Ophelia is an elegant double, with stronger green markings than G. Dionysus on the inner petals, and with some lighter green markings on the …
Galanthus ‘Dionysus’
As we have finally been blessed with some good weather with warmer temperatures, the bulbs are emerging. This is a new snowdrop for me, that I planted last year, Galanthus ‘Dionysus’. It’s a pretty double with distinct green markings, that …
Voilà Violas!
By good fortune, whether from wind or birds, these violas self-seeded in my garden. As if to say, Voilà! They are very pretty. This one is my favourite. I plan on letting them self-seed and will then choose the best …
Plant mage
My addiction to plants isn’t exactly unknown (you don’t say, they cry). A couple of months ago over on Mastodon, author Vicorva called me a ‘plant mage’. That rather tickled me. Then she wrote a #microfiction about a plant mage …
Acer griseum: playing the long game
With some plants, you really have to play the long game. No instant gratification, just planning, and years of waiting. Acer griseum (Japanese maple, also known as the paperbark maple) is probably my favourite autumn-winter tree, for it’s leaf colour, …
Saffron! My first ever saffron harvest
I am so excited I can barely contain myself. My first ever Saffron, Crocus sativus, has flowered! I’ve tried growing Saffron in past gardens, but the bulbs seem to have just disappeared. Not even a green leaf came up. I …
Pumpkin harvest 2020
With the nights drawing in and the chances of frost increasing, I decided to harvest the few pumpkins that grew this year. Given a lackluster summer, I actually feel I’ve done pretty well. In particular, the Sibley Squash, below, from …