Gardening
Thinning out Terry’s Greengage tree in his garden in Preston Park, Brighton. We’ve been looking after this tree for many years now and have found that pruning is best done in the spring when the sap is moving, rather than just after the fruit has been harvested This catches up with storm damage and reshapes the tree to keep it low and flat. It’s a shame to loose the buds and even blossom but the tree has a tendency to over-fruit then dieback the next year. And anyhow the fruit would be out of reach of harvesting.
My garden Camellia in full flower, out and proud in the spring sunshine under Latrigg (368 m.) in the Lake District.
Workout outside today: a session on my garden’s hedges is at least as good a workout as a session in the gym. Keeps the hedges and me in trim: that’s the hedges less spiky and my upper body and core worked, plus chats with my Keswick neighbours.
Great to workout in such lovely cloud forest scenery! And then off to the council tip to recycle the four bags of cuttings.
Our Christmas Poinsettia, yes from a nursery but a while ago and doing fine at home by following the care instructions plus a plant light. Our family first associated the Poinsettia with Christmas in 1958, when my Father was a Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Latin name Euphorbia pulcherrima, known in France as « Rose de Noël ».
Wonderful deep red to the eye, one of those colours that only looks right in real life, never on a screen.
My cloud forest garden in Keswick is far from dormant this November. A neighbour says the growth spurt is because the council have now stopped garden rubbish collections for the year. I think it’s the rainfall, it’s had more than 310 mm of rain so far this month and growth continues: many late blooms and plenty of snipping to do. Much to enjoy while working in the cloud forest: the little birds are singing while nibbling the lichens and there have been some great sunsets.
More photos: Flowers from the clouds - Lake District National Park
