Lovely walk up to the ancient, stunted oaks of Wistman’s Wood on Dartmoor this afternoon. A very special place where damp and wind have restricted growth and encouraged a wonderful blanket of lichens and mosses…
Archive for March, 2019
It has been sunny and warm down in Devon. I paid a brief visit to RHS Rosemoor, somewhere I haven’t been for a few years. Like other RHS centres there has been a lot of investment and more underway. The result is a series of varied gardens with lots of creative planting and other design features, all settled on the slopes of the River Torridge. A few pictures to convey the style…
Having been on travels ‘down under’ I’ve only recently returned as a garden volunteer at the wonderful Blickling Hall, Norfolk.
This week the Thursday mens team (Rory, Peter, Tim, Gordon and me) continued with removing the top soil from one of the four sections of the Parterre, designed in the 1930’s by Norah Lindsey.
These borders have become home to a lot of Bindweed, the soil has become tired and some of the planting (especially the roses) are very old and need replacing.
Head Gardener Paul tells me that new roses gave been ordered in shades of pink and red, and close to if not exactly the same varieties as in the original planting design.
This year one section is being tackled and the plan is to gradually do the same to the three other sections.
Here are a couple of pictures of the team at work…and you can also see the scaffolding on the Hall as roof repairs proceed.
Old School Gardener
There are as many reasons as there are snowbirds as to why retirees head to warmer territory than their home state during the winter months. It’s not news to anyone who knows me that one of my top reasons is that I can be outside and enjoy nature. The weather here is like everywhere else […]
Laura Barr – Marketing and Product Development Executive 2019 has been designated the Year of Green Action. The Year of Green Action (YoGA) is part of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and is a year-long drive to get more people from all backgrounds to take actions that improve the natural world. We want to encourage […]
via YoGA: taking action — The official blog for the North York Moors National Park
The first Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle, ND. Photo: The Newcastle Sun The second Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle, 1920s. Photo: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University. The current Great Northern Hotel at Newcastle opened in 1938. It’s the third hotel of the same name to occupy the site, its predecessors having been in operation since 1864.…
So, after a short (ish) break, here is the continuation of our trip down under…
Pictures from a recent visit to the Museum of Old And New Art, Tasmania. Inspiring building and grounds, provocative art and fun presentation…including the ferries from Hobart.
Old School Garden 