Old School Garden

Anyone who has ever written anything, from school essay to holiday postcard to first novel to tardy blog post is familiar with the tyranny of the blank page. Enough has been written on that subject, and I am sure that plenty has been written on the subject of starting a garden from scratch on an […]

via Blank Page/Empty Garden — Edinburgh Garden Diary

It is reassuring to know that even the sun is insecure. On our last day in our favorite beach in Portugal, the star staged an unforgettable sunset. It clearly wants us to return next year to worship again its glorious light. How can we say no?

via Astral insecurity — Salt of Portugal

The summer holiday washout wiped out a bumper season for wildlife, National Trust experts said today. Family holidays were not the only victims of recent wet weather, with wildlife suffering from extensive summer rain. 2017 was on course to being the best summer for wildlife in over a decade – ending a long run of […]

via Summer holiday washout wipes out bumper season for wildlife — National Trust Press Office

Finding sycamore trees (Platanus occidentalis) along creeks in Austin is commonplace. When I looked at this sycamore leaf along Bull Creek on July 25th I saw something I’d noticed once before, years earlier, but had never tracked down. Val Bugh came to the rescue this time: “the white stuff is a secretion that a female […]

via Strange white stuff — Portraits of Wildflowers

Dame Vera Lynn today pledges her support as the National Trust launches a £1 million appeal to further protect the future of the White Cliffs of Dover. The conservation charity aims to buy 700,000 square metres of land immediately behind the clifftop which it secured in 2012. This will enable the restoration of habitat and […]

via Dame Vera Lynn backs £1m appeal to secure future of White Cliffs — National Trust Press Office

Camellias reign supreme in the gardens of the north of Portugal. They love the rainy, temperate climate and the slightly acidic soil. The first camellias were probably brought from China by Portuguese merchants five centuries ago. These merchants also brought back some leaves that, when infused in hot water, produced an extraordinary drink called tea. […]

via Extraordinary Portuguese tea — Salt of Portugal

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It’s a good idea to scout around your local area to find the nearest site – ideally within walking distance. This isn’t always possible, especially in urban areas, but getting there should not be a hassle, or you will quickly lose interest. Local councils own most allotment sites, so they should be approached to find…

via Getting Your Own Allotment — The Enduring Gardener

I thought I would look back at a visit we made with friends, Pete and Sherlie in the spring to a garden called Cartref. It was a “pop up” NGS garden which is a garden that opens unplanned but that looks good so the owner wants to share it with other NGS, National Garden Scheme, […]

via Celebrating the Glory of Spring – the garden at a cottage called Cartref — greenbenchramblings

It’s been a long time since I showed you a buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) flower globe, so here’s one from the edge of Bull Creek on 7/25. Throw in the 24 hours that made up that day, and you’ve got a 7-24-25 right triangle: 7 x 7 + 24 x 24 = 25 x 25. The […]

via A buttonbush flower globe — Portraits of Wildflowers

Jude and I have a soft spot for gardens with a Japanese feel to them, and we are lucky to have an excellent example in our home county of Shropshire and just a short drive away. We had heard of the garden at Westgate in Bridgnorth and always intended to pay a visit but circumstances […]

via Westgate Villa, a Japanese garden in Shropshire — greenbenchramblings