Samhain

I have finished my second night shift of seven. I wanted some Spooky halloween pictures. I reblogged the pumpkin from last year, and the witches familiar Ziggy from my sisters house.

I love the idea of Halloween, as a link to our pagan past. Jack o lanterns, bobbing for apples, trick or treats!

Samhain was its original name, the day when the worlds of the living and dead crossed over. Costumes and Masks were worn to scare away the evil spirits.

If I'd been shopping I would have carved a pumpkin. maybe next year I will be able to grow several for making pupkin soup and carving jack o lanterns.

Happy Hallowen for all of you bloggers who celebrate it :)

Burnished Golden Leaves

The Tree's this morning on the way home from work were fiery looking, golden leaves blowing in the cool wind. The sky was blue, the temperature slightly chilly. Masses of leaves have changed colour now on tree's.

The photo was taken from my mobile phone. I actually uploaded all my stored photos onto the computer. The fuji Finepix is chilling for a change.

Daily blogging makes you look for things to write about, and things to photograph. Mobile phone cameras can be used when you are out and about. Some have picture quality like a moderate digital camera!

I love the light effect here of sunlight streaming through the leaves. Real Autumn picture!

Dahlia Days Past and Present

The Camera has run out of battery so I am posting what my one Dahlia flower looked like in its prime. The waxy white petals with splashes of egg yolk yellow, and light pink. The yellow centre has spiral patterns.
I wanted to come across a nice Aztec myth as they were great lovers of Dahlias, the Fleeting beauty and bright colours embodied their gods of War and Death.
Instead I came across an interesting article about the Southern Valley of Mexico of a people who grew flowers and vegetables on islands on a lake, the Xochimilca or people of the flowers.
http://www.moplants.com/blog/?p=1042
These man made raised land masses were made by hauling mud from the lake in Baskets and forming Canals between these chinampas (islands). This meant the soil was probably extremely fertile and well watered.
Flowers and Vegetables grew spectacularly here, untill the Aztecs came and conquered these people. The Aztecs took the flowers back with them and put them in their most high peoples gardens, the Empereor and the nobles. The Spanish Conquistador Cortez came upon these beautiful flowers too called Acocotli. Three varieties were taken back to the Madrid Botanical garden.
I wrote before that the mother of all modern hybrids came in an 1872 shipment from Mexico to Holland, the Dahlia Juarrezzi.
Now Mo Gilmer writes that in the citys Nursery districts that there is a blooming cottage industry, and lots of varieties of Dahlias are being sold.
The Dahlia has come full circle, and returned to one of its original dwelling places. Through thousands of years and many cultures. Now it is the National flower of Mexico.
I want to visit one day the City of Xochimilco, and get a flower decorated boat ride to these islands, in the land of the flower people.

Capsacins, Columbus, and Jalapenos

Gardenista got me thinking about my Chilli plants growing on the windowsill in the kitchen.

http://zoneonegarden.blogspot.com/

I have five plants growing, and some Seeds from the store bought chilli peppers shown are germinating in a pot.

I'm growing them for the ornamental beauty of the plant, and for usage in cooking. Stir fry dishes and Proper Texan Chili con carne.

You can also make salsa's with the Chilli peppers once they grow.

Here in the UK they are generally grown indoors or in greenhouses where they have protection from the frosts and cold nights.

This plant is from the Genus Capsicum, and the family Solanaceae, the same as Night shade, Nicotiana, Tomatos plants, and Potatoes etc.

My research says they were grown for human consumption since 7500 BC in the Americas. Thats about 9500 years.

As with many plants they were brought away from their native homes with Explorers, and traders. Christopher Columbus was the first European who encountered them describing them as peppers (because the fruit reminded him of Black pepper from back home), and taking them back with him. Soon after it is said that the Portuguese traders took them to the Philipines where they spread into Asian culture and cooking.

The Worlds biggest producer of Chilli peppers now is India. They are used ornamentally too and used to ward off evil spirits at the threshold of homes.

Some Chillis are that strong that you need gloves to handle them without getting blisters. I have been trying them to give food extra hotness.

Apparently the burning sensation in your mouth stimulates saliva, and endorphins which make you happy. In hot countrys the heat of the chilli cools you down in the hot environment.

In India they believe the smaller the chilli the hotter it will be. They are the most commonly eaten vegetable eaten by the population.

The USA has made the Scorville scale about the hotness of the Chillis. The chemicals in the chillis are Capcaisin which causes the burning sensation. Habaneros are measured at 300,000 units. My Jalapeno plants are between 3000-6000 units. Green bell peppers are 0 units, as they have no capcaisin in them.

The Store bought Chilli peppers are not overly hot, but burn slightly after eating them. I left the seeds in to see if it increased the burn!

I cut three in half and scooped the seeds out, dried them out, then planted them in a pot to see if i could grow some plants from store acquired seeds. They are germinating now. I will blog my results here.

Here are my links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper

And this one too: http://www.plantcultures.org/plants/chilli_pepper_landing.html

I love the mixture of Plants, history, trade routes, and absorbtion into many cultures across the world. The Ancient peoples were already crossing plants for consumption, maybe picking the most healthy plants with the hottest fruits. These were the parents of all the Chilli plants grown now.

The seeds are well designed to travel either within the fruit, or dried out, germinating when the conditions are right. Each plant then adapted to its local conditions. Genetics then develops new plants from the original 7500 BC plants.

From the Americas, to Europe, To Asia, and now growing in pots indoors all over the world by gardeners!

I love the story of the humble Chilli plant.

Leaves and Star wars

The Carpark tree glowing in the fading sunday evening light. The Clocks fell back an hour last night.

The leaves from the tree's are all on the floor like a brown/tan carpet.

I am watching Star Wars on the TV. One of my all time favourites. I have seen it umpteen times.

I'm hoping for good news this coming week about the house. Im back on nights, so the plants will be chilling out to classic FM.

They might listen to film soundtracks including the John Williams Star Wars music.

Pink Ribbon

Today was Breast cancer wear it pink day.I only realised when a cardiology nurse was wearing pink badges. I sent staff looking for something pink for my ward staff to wear.
The cardiac nurse had brought in a hair bobble with pink ribbons. She donated it to us, and we cut it into double pink ribbons for one pound each.
An impromptu session made 17 double pink ribbons stuck on safety pins. My battered ribbon is pictured in the photo.
All the MAU staff had pink ribbons by lunchtime and we made £17, which was not bad for an improvised fund raise.
This is the website: http://www.wearitpink.co.uk/index.php
If I'd known I could have brought pink roses, or pink Carnations. The house is a step closer now with all my paperwork with the estate agents. Hopefully monday will bring good news before my seven nights!

Chilli Plant dreams

The biggest chilli pepper plant growing on the kitchen windoswill by the radio. The Chilli plants love classic FM on the radio. Its hoping for a newer, more well lit kitchen to grow on.
I get to go to work now for thirteen hours, on my long day :)

Mouse without a trowel

This is the mouse away from the trowel! It will be used daily on the gardens blog, and replying to the emails. I'm waiting for a gardening book to be sent from a book publisher who emailed me, so I can review their book on here. The Snappy Gardeners first book review coming soon I hope. Just waiting for the postman....
Last year the Garden blogs became all literary. As winter cold took hold, and the dark nights closed in garden bloggers began to read garden books. Then post reviews of books both classic, old, and new.
As gardeners move from the garden into the computer chair, they can read books, seed and plant brochures, and relive highlights for the past year with their best or favourite photos. The amount of daily visitors here has slowed down from the heady days of summer, with sweet smelling flowers and buzzing bee's. I will be here blogging almost daily with plants, flowers, storys, photos galore, and books to remind us of spring and summer.
My trowel is in the canvas bag waiting for the go ahead to move. I have garden tools stored in Hils garage. I hope to be renovating the overgrown garden over the winter, and blogging my progress.
I have some brochures to read now. The Suttons flower catalogue, and the Marshalls kitchen garden catalogue. There is something comforting in a gardener reading brochures, making mental notes of what can grow where. How next year all your garden will grow beautifully and productively. Weather, pests, and soil problems are blown away on the dreams of a more beautiful garden. Lists are written, prices added up. I write wishlists, and work out how much i can really afford, then cross off the excess items!
The photos are pristine flowers, and vegetables, airbrushed to perfection. These perfect specimins are our inspiration during cold, dark nights. They are predicting a very cold winter here after a few mild years.
How do garden bloggers prepare for winter?

Coloured Light

is from the Busy lizzy plant on the windowsill. It is flowering still (Along with the Cyclamen they are the only flowers in the flat). It has the most beautiful red/pink flowers with petals like tissue paper catching the fading light.

I worked a long day yesterday, but have been off today. I bought a new mouse and mouse mat. Since I spend a lot of time on the computer, and the other mouse was unresponsive or sullen at times It was time for a new one.

Its got a pink top, but clear sides with crazy blue/pink/red lights inside that change colour depending on movement or stillness.

I dropped off paperwork intot the estate agents.I hope after nearly 4 weeks that they will let me have a moving date!

Apart from packing boxes I need British Telecom to move my landline and broadband to the new address.

Fingers and toes are crossed. My chilli plants want new windowsills to grow on over the autumn and winter.

The Window Frog will be moving too with the boxes, and the plants in the near future I hope :)

Green Post

The photo is from the other day. My struggling Brunnera Jack Frost with the one big leaf glowing with the light passing through it. If the Flash is on the Faint white you can see on the leaf stands out more.

I think this is a woods type plant that loves damp, cool, shady place. It needs a garden to grow in. At the moment it is growing in a pot covered with wood chippings. I bought it from the Tatton Park floral marquee a few months ago.

It keeps growing new leaves, but then the older ones get crinkly and die.

Vanillalotus wrote a post that mentioned her local Freecycycle group. She was going to pick up some African Violets that needed rehousing in the San Antonio area.

http://newsprout.blogspot.com/2007/10/caught-cold-bug.html

She then responded to my comment and said there was a Wakefield Freecycle group. I signed up, got a welcome email ever, and am now on it.

Its a grass roots group that recycles unwanted house hold stuff. Instead of being put into a landfill it is offered on the local area group as Offered. Like washing machines, sofas, pianos, or in Vanillalotus's group African violets! You can also put wanted notices, as long as they are within reason. Local Volunteers moderate the groups too.

The link for the main page is here: http://www.freecycle.org/

I do not have any Saintpaulia at the moment.They are on my wishlist now.Last year I was trying to grow new plants from leaf cuttings. I managed to get mine to flower for 9 months of the year!

Freecycle is another example of the small things we can do to help the environment. If I had a garden it would have a compost heap. I dont use any chemicals, and try to practise natural techniques using nature as a weopen against pests and bugs.

Recycling stuff and preventing it becoming landfill will help the natural world. It is a green post, green Brunnera leaf, and green group!

Ladybird Ladybird

In the News today was the story that 720,000 Ladybirds have been released in Manhattan as an effort to stop an aphid infestation. These lovable bugs were collected in Oregon, California and Nevada and have been chilled to put them in a sleepy state. They were then flown by aircraft across the USA, by the company planet natural:

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/index.html

I lifted the image from Wikipedia as my own photos were not great that I have on this computer.

There must be some Aphid problem in Manhattan. I like these coloured beetles as a sign of Spring. My photos of them were taken in April and May.

Heres the AP news story link: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i7KnV8_sIAZQ7B019c_KUG0daUzAD8SDFTB80

The BBC reported it as well, a day later. The story has grown wings just like the ladybirds (or Lady Bugs in USA).They will be feasting well, the natural balance will have be tipped in favour of the good guys. Not a pesticide in sight either..

St James Wort

The photo from this morning is of the Common Ragwort (or Senecio Jacobaea) growing outside the flat.
It has got raggedy leaves growing at the base, with the daisy like flowers, so Ragwort is a descriptive name. At the moment they are the only colour in the car park as all the other weeds are dying down.
Its been called amongst other things Stinking Billy, St James Wort ( In English folk lore he was the patron saint of horses.), Tansy Wort, and many other names.

It was called Stinking Billy as it started appearing in Scotland around the time of the battle of Culloden in 1746.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Culloden
William, the Duke (Or Butcher) of Cumberland, who after the battle had all the captured highlanders executed, and rode into a town with his blood stained sword. The weed seeds were maybe brought on the English army's feet. It apparently has an unpleasant odour when the plant is bruised. William has had a weed named after him in bitterness i think.
St James Day is July 25th , when it is first supposed to start blooming. It was thought once that it could cure a neurological disease effecting horses called the staggers. The people connected the Saints day with the plant and used it as a folk remedy using the plant as in infusion. They believed in its power and named it after the Saint.
However it is toxic to horses! In large doses it kills liver cells off, because of the alkaloids inside the plant. It has a bitter taste to try to deter grazing live stock. During periods of drought it can become palatable to some horses. It is only detected when 75% of the liver is damaged by which time its almost fatal to the horse.
Cooking it or drying it has no effect in removing the poison either, so even if you pull it out it needs to be disposed of.
It effects cattle as well as horses. Younger animals are more at risk than older ones. With this in mind it became an injurious weed in the 1959 weeds act. It is required that the owner of land takes reasonable action to stop the spread of the weed. Its not illegal for weeds to grow on your land, but illegal to let them spread to adjoining lands.
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/LookupWebPagesByTITLE_RTF/Ragwort?opendocument
Defra (the Department for Environment, food and rural affairs) has a website advising how to recognise it, how to prevent it spreading, and a complaint form if the weed is not being dealt with.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rds/weeds-act.htm
You would not believe such a colourful flower could wreak such havoc to the point it made it into the statute books.
This website has more about the common names for this plant. It has apparently been spread to the Pacific Northwest too!
http://www.paghat.com/tansyragwort.html
The snappy gardener has been educated this morning googling all around this one photo.They say a photo speaks a thousand words. This one has a colourful legend and history. Just growing alongside the Flats outer walls!

Cat's Snaps

These Snapdragons were flowering in Cats Garden still in October. I love the smell of these flowers like toy Candy sticks. A sweet smell I forever associate with growing up. I used to buy (and still do) the Candy sticks in rectangular boxes. These days these are decorated with super heros or tom and jerry.

Here is a flower with longevity from summer to autumn and beyond. I had Snapdragons last year that survived winter. Although they are listed as an annual. The only thing they do not like is being transplanted. Once they are in the ground thats where they should stay.

These are on my wishlist for a border plant. They can be bought dwarf, or normal height, and in a mixture of colours. They are also easy to raise from seed. Nurserys normally stock these as a summer bedding plant.

I must buy some Seeds to start some new plants off for next year.

Bird Of Paradise

Brrrrr, Its cold this morning. The cars outside have had frost on them. The first appearance of Jack Frost.

The Windows were covered in Condensation inside and frozen droplets outside. It was cold walking back from work last night. That chilly see your own breath kind of night.

The Photo is my Baby bird of paradise plant, the Strelitzia. It has grown on from the small plant I bought months ago.

It is a long term projects to see if I can induce it to flower eventually. I love the Curve of this leaf compared to the others, like a green wave. Its a South African native in the Southern and Eastern parts of the Cape Province and Northern Natal. It was introduced to England in 1773 by Sir Joseph Banks, and named after Queen Charlotte.

I love the name Bird of Paradise. Its Exotic, dreamy, fanciful. I saw some plants for sale with the flower before. On closing inspection the flower was made of coloured cloth material on a long cane. How bizarre to sell a living plant with a fake flower to show you what it looks like.

I remember having fake pink roses which looked real. The counterfit plants or flowers can look real. Its only when you touch the leaves or petals that you can feel they are not real.

I will photograph the Strelitzia if it ever flowers. I am going to a South African Barbeque tonight before the big game.

The Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa.

Canary Island Native

The Canary island growing Aeonium has revived after I cut the diseased top off it.I hope it continues to grow into a beautiful black Rosette. It has new baby plants all over the top layer of the stem. They look like mushrooms when they grow wild, with the Creeping Rhizomes putting up new succulent growths.
Its been a long day so more posts tomorrow. Saturday is barbeque day and the rugby world cup final between England and South Africa. Come on Johnny Wilkinson!

Ebony Knight and MACS

The Ophiopogon Planiscapis Negresens or Black Dragon, or Ebony knight. Also Mondo Grass I think someone called it once. I saw this first at Harlow Carr. I love the way the leaves turned black when exposed to Sunlight.

It is a dwarf evergreen (or black?) perennial that looks good in the front of borders or in raised beds to form clumps, that contrast in colour and texture. The centre of the grass is emerald green.

It likes full sun or partial shade, and well drained soil. It has been awarded the RHS award of garden merit, which means most people can grow it in most conditions. What a beautiful plant though. This is waiting patiently for news on the house front.

I was watching some video clips today from the Gardeners Corner website. It is reported on the GC website by the BBC radio Ulster team. There is an allotment project that helps vulnerable young people gain new skills in preparing, maintaining, and growing an allotment. The Project is called MACS, or Mulholland aftercare services, and is based in and around Belfast I think.

They were all amateurs the young people and their mentors, and asked for email advice through the BBC's email address.They planted potatoes, leeks, garlic, onions, runner beans, carrots, and strawberrys. They must have planted Peas, Pumpkins, Corn, and Swedes but not with the video camera there.

The idea was to grow some things that could be used in two weekly meals arranged at the allotment. A lot of the Young people (16-25 years old) had never experienced gardening, or growing vegetables. They all contributed, and did their allotted tasks in the videos.

It gave them new skills, brought groups of people together in a communitywho otherwise would be isolated, made them work together, and shared the things they grew. Either taking them home, or by eating them at the two weekly meals.

The funny part was what they could call the Allotment which is a dull name. They came up with the Lost Plot, a play on words where to lose your head is to lose the plot. They have somewhere to go now when they think they are losing the plot.

In essence it was like the Monty Don Growing out of trouble series. These were young people in contact with a charitable organisation which aims to support them and integrate them into a network for housing, training, education, mentoring, etc. Montys were Young people with Drug addictions on court orders.

The two projects work on the premise that healing that takes place is putting hands in the soil. and planting seeds. This simple act, and the maintenence of the crops seems to be working out, with the projects aims. There are all kinds of analogys you can draw between life, and planting seeds, growing on, flowering etc.

In the USA they call allotments Community gardens, which seems to be a better way of describing them. On the Video an old gent gives his advice about how to treat an outbreak of potato blight. The older gardeners must have accepted the younger generation in the plots.

My green fingers are itching to get some dirt on them, under my fingernails.The act of touching the soil and planting seeds makes us aware of the seasons, of the weather, and the wildlife around us. The simple act is the stone dropping in the lake, the benefits move outwards like ripples from a single act.

The bloggers who love gardens are a further extention of the gardening community. Thats how so many disparate groups and people can come together with a single passion. Whether its tomatoes, daylilys, orchids, or broccoli the passion binds them all together.

I hope that you who have Real Player can see these videos.The link is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/gardenerscorner/allotment/index.shtml

I am back to work tomorrow, so maybe a late post, or one on Saturday. May all your gardens be healing ones!

Guest Gallery

This Orchid is called Rodreguizia Lava Flow. The flowers are hanging down in a fiery lava like way. These are a selection of emailed photos to me. I think they show the Different Flowers and colours of Orchids. They are in a guys private collection I guess. The Costa Rica weather must favour orchids. I'm just sharing them with a wider audience. My three orchids look poor besides this floral explosion of colours.I can dream of making mine flower like these!

A Cymbidium at night, it has a striking Face I think complete with raindrops.

This is the second flower from the Supermarket Orchid, within the Same pot as the picture from yesterday.

This ones called Miltassia, got to love the colours of White and Purple/pink. Its like an Indians War Paint or a Water colour painting.

This is an Epidendrum, the flowers look like Angels with the top part hovering over the petals.

A Cymbidium Flower after the Rainfall (It is the Wet season now in Costa Rica)

A Crimson/Orange flowered Cattelya above the green leaves.

The White Flowered Ticoglossum on a glass table. I think this would make a good acylic painting. Love the flowers like Stars with yellow centres.
No news on the House front yet.I rang the estate agents today. It was actually sunny outside when I went to the little shop. The thing I miss about being gardenless is the simple act of sitting outside, and feeling the wind and the sunshine. I will be encamped outside with a table and chairs. If I can get a laptop with Wireless I can blog from the Garden.
Thanks to Canatico for sending me your Orchid photos. Now the Blogosphere can admire your plants happily growing :)

Persian Jewel Revived

This is the Cyclamen today with its flowers now standing tall. This is my Fifth Post today with some real blogger gremlins preventing the photos showing. Im reblogging this one to show its revivial. I wander if you can get cyclamen in white too? I love the Variegated leaves which are heart shaped with serrated edges.
At Cats I saw a larger than life fake Cyclamen. It never needs watering, and will never die. I prefer the real life version with all the problems that plants can get.
It is a real life Persian jewel.

Orchid Dreams

I can finally upload my photo of the Costa Rican Phalenopsis. I have been emailing a Canadian Orchidophile over the past few months, a regular reader. He sends me regular orchid pics from his Treasure house of many beautiful and unusual orchids, as I love these strange looking flowers.

In the Ghost Orchid book Susan Orleans said the more you looked at Orchids the more you could see faces or animals.

Our Visual Sense responds to the Flowers face, as they have evolved to encourage pollination.

This was one of a pair of Phalaenopsis Sold in a Costa Rican supermarket. A wildly beautiful places with many indigenous orchids growing wild, alongside the Hybrids sold in the shops.

Back here in England my Bletilla's have faired terribly, and are dying back now. One rotted (Remind me to buy some sand to make the soil very well drained. Also ignore advice from websites which I followed and killed the Orchid), and the other two look deathly :(

Not like Angelas in Northern California. Her Bletilla Striata looked magnificent!!

I have repotted my Phalaenopsis with a new well drained mix, as the moss and peat was not airy enough for the plant. Saying that I have eight leaves and a really well developed root system. Its a job remembering that some Orchids are Epiphytic, that is they live on trees and are not in contact with any soil. Thats why they have aerial roots, and have chlorophyll in the roots as well as the leaves.

The Ludisia Discolor or Jewel Orchid has grown a new set of leaves from the main stem. This is also a Terrestial orchid although one with Angelic white flowers once they grow. Im hoping it flowers again!

Two out of three Orchid species are surviving my flat just.

I have an address to for a Leeds based Orchid grower. When (If??) I move I want to buy some house warming Orchids from him.

The second ever guest photo is blogged (My Sisters was the first). Time to have Orchid dreams soon.

The Blue and the Pink

As Rolf Harris used to say do you know what it is yet? This flower was from my collapsed Cyclamen. It had totally dried out to the roots. I took off the collapsed flowers and dead leaves and watered it. The magic of H2O in reviving wilted plants is spectacular sometimes. From sickly to healthy in an hour or so of water being taken up from the bottom of the pot.
The heater has been on a few times, so the heat must have taken all the moisture out from the soil. It is reviving now on the Kitchen window Sickbay :)
What interested me is the flower from beneath, a pollinators eyes view. It has a blue crown with pollen fillaments as the golden adornments. The dark Pink strip highlights the crowns position.
The Reflexive petals are usually held aloft like a pretty pink Light bulb and you do not see the underside of the flower. This is usually hidden from view above the variegated green leaves. I hope my plant recovers from its shock. It already looks more healthy.
Photographing the fallen flower has shown me a part of it I have never seen before. Its always good to try and look differently at things we think we know. The wander of Vision as a sense!

Golden Cup

An Evening Primrose flower living up to its name by opening in the Early Evening.I just thought this flower looked like a golden cup with the sunshine cascading through the petals.

Even the rain could not dampen this flowers spirits. I love the yellow flowers, so this will be on my wishlist. I have grown them from seeds before and they grew quite easily.

Its also called Sun Cups and Sundrops...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evening_primrose

I know it as an oil capsule for women, evening primrose supplements.

The Botanical name is Oenothera was a mixture of Oinus (greek for wine) and Thera (greek for hunt). It Arrived in Europe in 1614 from Virginia. The English love it as a cottage garden or wild garden flower.

Thats some Longevity that its still being sold as Seeds amd grown here after nearly four hundred years. The flowers smell faintly sweet as well.

From the Autumn Tree

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn Tree" (Emily Bronte)

What you love the most in Autumn

The Sycamore Tree growing in the Car park through the asphalt. I noticed there are four trunks growing up. They looked like the council have coppiced them, as in cutting the top layer off so they have grown up with long thin branches covered in leaves. You can see the Brewery wall and the sky contrasting to the Autumnal Leaves.

As I walk around I am looking at the Tree's, watching the change of colours. From a Few odd coloured leaves it has changed gradually to Yellows, browns, and reds.The human eye loves to pick out the bright colours.It is indeed the joys of Nature.

Even as Summer fades the Autumn Arboreal Fireworks of leaves holds our attention. In places of many tree's people travel from miles to see the colours.

I think Autumn tree's would be great for painting and photographing. I must work out where the closest Arboreum is with lots of tree's.

These Trees are just what happens to be outside the Flat window so I have looked at it often!

My favourite tree is the Silver Birch. If I ever get a large Garden I will plant two or three of them for their whispering leaves, ornate white brak, and calming influence.

I hope you can all link your Fall pictures to me so I can see through your eyes what you love most about Autumn.

Rocking Robin

The Robin having a look from the tree. I love these birds, the colours of the breast are lovely. Not many British Birds have bright colours like their Transalantic cousins. They truly are feathered Garden spirits, and lift Gardeners spirits by flying around the garden and perching on tree's or fences.

Flowering Begonia

A Begonia on Cats Windowsill. I love the pink petals that are almost rose like in their form, and the different colours of the petals.

I photographed a Robin at Cats Garden. She said she had never seen the wildlife before. We saw a Grey squirrel running back and fourth along the fence mission impossible style. A Magpie that was hopping up and down a tree refusing to be photographed, and the Robin.

I want a bird table and feeders in any new garden because I love to watch them hopping around and watching me, watching them. The Under Gardener in Cheltenham was a rather portly Robin red breast. He watched me every day and ate the worms and insects I uncovered digging the borders..

Away from Gardening, I will watch the Rugby union World cup semi final tonight between England and France. The Entente Cordial. Our oldest rivals from the middle ages to napoleonic Wars... Its always good when we play France, whether in the Six Nations Championship or the World Cup. Win, Draw, or lose the Stadium will be full of patriotic songs.

Swing Low sweet chariot on one side, and Allez Les Bleus...Allez les Blues on the other.

Paris is Chocha full of ticketless English hoping we can beat the French team. My favourite player this tournament is Sebastian Chabal, nickname Sea Bass. The long flowing hair, and beard..

There is a connection between the Begonia and the World Cup semi final in France. The man who's name gave us the word Begonia was Michel Begon de la Picardiere. A French patron of Botany.

Allez Les Bleu's!

Scarlet Flowers

The Scarlet flowers of the Runner beans: Phaseolus coccineus

Pat grew these plants in a raised bed, a foot above the water logged grass. They went ballistic growing eight feet high, and were covered in the Red flowers and the Beans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runner_bean

I love the Rain drops hanging on the edges of the flowers. My magic beans post displayed the purple/white seeds.

http://snappycrocsgarden.blogspot.com/2007/09/magic-beans.html

Some people grow them for the flowers alone, and would not eat them. Im not sure how you cook the beans..Any ideas or recipies?

I have planted a single Daffodil bulb in a pot today. I brought it back from Mums when I was digging her borders. A single Bulb. After my How to Articles I thought I had better plant a spring bulb.

The house is a possibility again. After much chasing the Landlord is agreeing to send a reference to an agency.How much easier is it to plant seeds, then it is to get a rental house through an estate agent?

The plants are excited that they may finally be leaving the Flat, for a proper garden with soil and sunshine. I will have to move the Internet too and phone line. It is a proper address so it should not be difficult as it was setting it up here :)

I have about a Dozen Runner bean seeds in a clear plastic pot. I watched a programme the other day called the Victorian Garden. It was from the 1980's I think, and was an experiment to use Victorian Garden techniques to run a small country estate. They planted runner beans directly into the ground, grew Melons in a steam pipe heated green house, Prepared seed beds by shuffling in straight lines with shoes held together.

I may need UK tv Gardens on Cable to see how they got on. They used Heirloom Seeds commonly used by the Victorians. My Fav was dried pea seeds fifty years old that the head gardeners Dad had used. He found his Dads old seeds in an envelope in a shed. Amazingly some of them still germinated.

I want Runner beans growing up poles and strings, for the Scarlet flowers :)

White Rose

A White rose from Pats Garden, of unknown variety. This photo made me think of the use of this colour of rose....

The White Rose has been a symbol of Yorkshire since the 14th Century. It became famous in the 15th century with the house of Yorkshire waging a war against the house of Lancashire. Their Emblem being a Lancastrian Red Rose.

This became known afterwards as the War of the Roses...

King Henry the VII ended the War, and Symbolically made the Tudor Rose combining both the Rosa Alba of York, and the Red Rose of Lancaster.

My Wallet has a clue to this, in the shape of a Twenty pence piece with the Traditional English Tudor Rose...

The White Rose is also present on the Leeds United Football Shirt in the Clubs badge. My Grand parents and their family introduced me to Leeds united through gifts of Scarves and Pennents. The First Club you are exposed to is generally what team you follow throughout your life...

I bought the New Leeds Home shirt today online, with the Clubs badge on the left hand side where your heart is. The connection is there between the 15th century battles, the local football club, the Symbolism on the twenty pence, and my photograph from Pats.

I like flowers that have rich historys and stories attached to them. They become more poignant and symbolic. As we look forward we also can look back to where we have been before.

I must buy a white flowered Rose from David Austin when I finally have a house, soon I hope!

Autumn Torch

From Pats Garden, A rain drenched Pot Marigold or Calendula besides the Dusty miller. I watched ground force doing a nursing homes garden. Alan Titchmarsh said that older eyes see bright yellows and Oranges easier than other colours!
Mum had these in our first Cheltenham garden, and they self seeded magnificently. I always tried to transplant them around the garden. I like their claw like seeds which just need the soil turned to germinate them. They must be one of the longest lasting seeds that will germinate years after being produced.
No good news on the house. The Snappy one is being forced to stay untill December. The best laid plans of Mice and men...

Flowers for the Soul

Rainy day. The Busy Lizzy Carousel F1 plant has given me another flower. The last few flower buds that were developing pink flowers dropped off before opening. I am quite taken with these flowers now, double blooms. I will try in the new house (Fingers crossed) to grow these again.

Autumn is a reflective time, to remember what worked and what did not. When its pouring with rain the previous blog photos can inspire your memory.

The Daylight hours here are shorter, with the Sun rising later, and setting earlier. The two photos were taken about three hours apart. I sprung from bed at 6am like a switch had been turned on. All that sleep yesterday has repaired my tired body!

Sleep for the body, flowers for the Soul and mind. I am proud of my one plant that survived from the 12 seeds I planted :)

If one flowers then it eases the pain of so many plants keeling over. There is always next year..

I like the Rain splattered windowsill.Its hard to describe rain in photos!

Late Monday Musing

I am back in the land of the living after falling asleep for twelve hours Zzzzz.

The Flower is a Streptocarpus Happy Snappy. My plants have grown on well, or keeled over on my week of nights.

I need to prepare for moving,if the estate agents ring up. It was wet and cold this morning

not good gardening weather,as the soil is waterlogged and sticks to your tools.

This week I will photograph Pats Garden, and Help Fran plant her 140 Spring bulbs.I want some Hyacinth Bulbs to force indoors so I can smell them over xmas.

I finally read the First unit of the RHS course. will sit down and try to send off the questions for that. might just answer them as I best can and post it. hope the units get easier. it might be my academic lay off, six years has made my studying rusty.

Just need to blow the cobwebs and dust off. I enjoyed the more in depth knowledge of Seeds, and Taking Cuttings. Ideally I want some real life plants to propagate so the Academic knowledge is applied in real Horticultural practise. I must look for some placement somewhere like a Nursery to see these techniques in use..

A house with no DAMP will be more conducive to growing plants and seeds. Fungal infections have wiped out a lot of my plants. I guess Cleanliness is next to Godliness when you want to grow beautiful disease free plants that are not stressed!

I need to take some more photos this week, for the Blog mainly. David Austin Rose's have extended their judging until the end of October. I guess the Popularity meant they have been swamped with photos of their roses. If they don't Pick any of my entry's I will blog the photos I sent off to them. Fifteen Rose Pictures!

I can catch up on the Gardening Blogosphere, and see whats been growing and what people are writing about. I love the creativity of people, and the shared passion between gardeners of all ages, sexes, and nationality.

I am Happy the week of Nights are over. Now the Snappy gardener is Happy :)

Strawberry Sunday

Sunday morning.I never posted yesterday as I was exhausted from work.Even the snappy gardener misses a days post sometimes.

Six night shifts down one to go.I needed a photo to blog today....

Its my Strawberrys cup.So sweet I can almost smell them. With the Serrated leaves and White flowers with yellow centres..

The new garden will have strawberry plants too, to eat freshly picked from the plants.

I hope the new week coming brings good news.I can continue my RHS course, after reading the first unit book. It has been hard going though so far.

They would be nice with sugar and fresh cream...yum. I will have to dream of them instead at the moment. More blog posts soon :)

Ruby Raspberry Ripple

My free Streptocarpus Plant Ruby, with the mad looking flower nearly open. All five are in flower now, although the black Panther is drooping now. It only had the one flower bud on it.
I have been told the streptocarpus with the Furry leaves is a Cape Primrose.That did not show me any exact pictures on a google image search.
The Fourth night shift is over, three more to go. I love this flowers colours, the blurry Pink colour reminds me of an ice cream, with swirling white and Red colours inside the petal.
It is similar to the Happy Snappy streptocarpus. Will dream soon of the new garden and all the flowers that will bloom :)

Rain Drop Wasp and Whispering Trees

This winged beastie was resting on Pats green bean leaf the other day. He has handsome black and yellow stipes, metallic wings, and a shiny visor like front.
My Camera batteries decided they were not going to recharge overnight, so I could not take some photos for todays post.
Luckily I have taken soooooo many photos since March I have lots that I never post!
No news from the Estate agents about the house, or from David Austin Roses about my photos.
It was cold last night, with a clear sky, and a quarter moon. The only noise outside the ward was the wind rustling through the trees.They are so calming, healing noise is barely audible, but when I had the silver birch tree I loved to stand outside in the dark to hear its leaves.
I read about sensory gardens, and they mentioned Silver Birches are very good for the calming noise. Its like running water, or the rhythmic sound of waves crashing onto a beach...
Now im resting like my Green bean Wasp. Remembering the Trees.

Hanging Around

A Spider hanging around from the visit to Pats Garden a while ago.

Spiders get themselves busy in the Autumn spinning intricate webs between anything vertical and just dangle in the Breeze.

This Spider let me photograph him closely. Another wander of Nature.

The estate agent have not rung me yet about this house, so I am hanging around too :)

The Camera is empty of Battery, and needs recharging again, ready for more flower photos!

Nights and Red Satin

First night shift down, seven to go. Pictured is the Begonia Regal Minuet, a gift from Hil's friend.Im under strict instructions not to kill it in my flat! It has small pink flowers buds beneath, but the most beautiful thing is the foliage.
It is a shimmering red and black, like Satin, you can see how the flash has reflected off the leaves surface. Its sat by the Front room window with light, but not direct sunlight.I need to do more research about the plant when im not working.
I love the colours!

Stand and Deliver

The Happy Snappy in flower today. I like the Red/pink flower with the vanilla throat, and dark stripes, like Adam and the Ants from the 1980's. Stand and Deliver!

I got another flower catalogue through the post. This one was from Dibleys, pages and pages of Streptocarpus, African Violets, Foliage Begonias, and Other Strange Houseplants that I have never heard of.

From never hearing of Streptocarpus before, I now have five plants growing on the windowsills.

I am thinking about other colours that I dont have like White, yellow, or Blues. The plug plants only cost £2.30, which is probably about $3 in US money.

They are easy to grow, and give lots of flowers from April to Winter. They have survived the flat and will be moving with me to Windowsills new.

Im back on Seven night shifts this week, so the posts will slow down. I got a comment from Sue about a Retro Carnival Blog post, republishing your favourite old post again. I need to think as I have posted over 2200 times in three years :)

I will leave the link here: http://balcony-garden.blogspot.com/2007/10/lets-have-garden-bloggers-carnival.html

Hope all the people who visit here click on the link to read Sue's post. It will be a little bit of Winter Warming as the Northern Hemisphere slows down a little.