Saturday, June 30, 2007

Gardens Blog Musings



The Mystical looking Indoor greenhouse from the Computer chair looking at the new plant display music cabinet :)

There is Fuchia Candy Pink, Fuschia Alice hoffman, Streptocarpus Unknown name, Aeonium, Geranium Vancouver Centennial, Bouganvillea, Japenses maple, Fuschia Thalia, Star Jasmine, And Geum yellow.

On the Right hand side there is Stephanotis, Aspidistra Elatior, Peace lilly, and in the dark shadow the Ludisia Jewel Orchid.

The only things you can see through the doorway are the Abysinnian Gladiolus (also called Peacock orchids). These have three foot high sword leaves at the moment), and the Verbena Bonarensis from the plant sale.

The Oriental Stargazer Lilly is nearly in Bloom now. I planted two pots with Bulbs from Wilkos. Both grew, but the second Plant dropped every one of it flower buds. Wierdly they both started with four buds, but dropped them. I have seen flower pictures with multiple buds and flowers on single stems. I dont know why mine dropped three or four buds.

However as Long as this one flowers I will be happy

I was reading my book The Heirloom Garden last night, and read there was a plant called the Madonna Lilly which has been grown since 1630! The original settlers brought it with them and it was grown in Puritan gardens. I wander if the plant is still for Sale? A white lilly with golden Anthers I think it said.

I wander if all this plant growing is a positive addiction? Having eighty plus pots growing in the windowsills, and whatever else I can use to position the plants near the light.

There is a richness in Variety, and I like a lot of different plants. A house with no plants is too lifeless for me.

Mum always had houseplants growing, and cutflowers. The garden also supplied some of those. The Kitchen windowsill was a mini greenhouse growing tomato seedlings and cuttings from shrubs outside. I am finally going home at the end of July for a gardening week with Mum who has a new garden. It has been a few years since I went back to Cheltenham.

I dont know if she has seen my Garden Blog either, its seen all across the world judging by the Statcounter World map when I click on it. Its reassuring that its looked at however briefly a hundred times a day on average.

I have started to add Garden Blogs I frequent when im not working.I have left countless comments so im embedded in a fair few blogs. It is quite time Consuming so I will add to it every so often. If you feel left out email me and I will add you to my list!

I am wandering about a horticultural course, doing the RHS advanced certificate. The level 3 looks more advanced and in depth. Somebody wrote a comment saying you missed your vocation. I dont think thats true as I love the Nursing, but I want the more scientific knowledge and the years of gardening experience of the RHS courses. They train the garden designers and professionals of the future.

I am known at work for being garden/plant mad now, and that suits me fine. I have become a gardener because of family history (mum,Nan and Grandad), my education (I loved Biology and Botany), TV (David Bellamy and David Attenborough), the Groundforce team (Alan Titchmarsh,Charlie Dimmock,Tommy Walsh), Magazines and books like Gardeners world, the radio for Gardeners question time... Monty Don too has inspired me, with his love of gardening/agricultural, and his work with the Mental health charity Mind with gardening as therapy.

I still want to see the NBC documentary Healing Gardens of New York.I could not afford to get a TV/DVD player that played North American encoded DVD's or I would have.

Gardens, gardening, plants and flowers have become an Integral part of my life. I have the green fingers, the passion, and I think im good at drawing out of others who might have become jaded or tired of the garden. I can inspire people back into the garden too.

The Gardens Blog is a tapestry of all things from the Natural world from frogs and birds, to spiders and ladybirds, seedlings to full blooms, tree's and shrubs, Sun rises and Sunsets, the places i have been, gardens i have helped on, and musings on anything garden related. I am amazed at how many labels for posts I have accumulated since March. I must blog widely on a variety of subjects.

It started with a plant list, and meandered into why the Blog means a lot to me.I love all the comments too, keep on coming.I generally reply to all of them :)

4 comments:

OldRoses said...

Madonna lilies are available, at least here in the US. I have two growing in my garden. The bulbs are pricey, so I only buy one each year.

David (Snappy) said...

Hi Oldroses,I knew they would be growing in the USA as it was listed in the Heirloom garden book.It was brought arounnd 1630, so it has been in America for nearly 380 years!
I still have not sourced suppliers here yet.I will though.Its been a while since i heard from you :)

Gardenista said...

I was reading back in your posts about the RHS course. What a great opportunity that is! I went to university for 10 years (now an MD) and I think of it as the reason why I need to garden! I think I'd gladly leave the medical profession to garden full-time, but the pay just wouldn't be the same...pity...

David (Snappy) said...

Gardenista,Thanks for the comment.I am just studying at the moment.If I manage to pass the Advanced certificate I will look then at moving Jobs.Its more about being happy in work, which for some people is an Oxymoron.I love gardens and gardening so doing a distance course is good, between hospital shifts.I dont have the choice of choosing one or the other yet.
I have seen a year Work experience at an RHS garden.Imagine spending a year working fulltime learning from all the experts there.To be able to apply all the academic horticultural knowledge to the practise of it :)
I found gardening a very healing pastime with the stresses of an admissions ward.Who can be stressed after a walk around a well loved garden admiring the plants and flowers?The colours and shapes and sounds.Its impossible not to let go of the stresses.