Magazine - Articles by Lesley
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FORMS OF GROWTH
1 week ago -
Photo of the Week -
Lesley
- 1 comment
Forms of Growth is a collection of sculptures that point towards the Kitchen Garden in Chatsworth Garden. The largest of the four is a huge archway, about four metres tall, that serves as an archway into the Kitchen Garden. All four forms are made from ‘Flanders Red’ willow and also utilize oak from the estate (cut during woodland management) and bamboo from the garden.
Each of the forms suggests organic growth, perhaps an abstract ‘seed to seedling’ appearance, but each carrying a sense that the form hasn’t finished growing. The folds, or slits in the forms were a reference to the stone statues that originally graced the entrance to the Kitchen Garden – each statue, or figure, had moss-covered garment swathes, that inspired the work.
THE GALAXY GARDEN19 Apr 2013 - Website of the Month - Lesley
Artist Jon Lomberg’s Galaxy Garden in Kona, Hawaii and his painting of the Milky Way Galaxy from the Smithsonian Institution. The garden is 100’ in diameter, and visitors can walk through a galaxy mapped out with plants to represent the stars and nebulae. Plants included in the garden: Hibiscus and Vinca to represent the nebulae, ‘Gold Dust’ Crotons to represent the stars, Dracaena and Bromeliads for globular star clusters. A “philosopher’s bench” has been placed in the garden at the intersection of Orion and Sagittarius, where you may stop to ponder the mysteries of the universe.
CYCLISTS ACROSS THE UK TO BENEFIT FROM MULTI-MILLION CYCLING NETWORK.7 Mar 2013 - Projects - Lesley
Cyclists and walkers from across the UK are on track to benefit from thousands of new cycle spaces and routes from the middle of this year, Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced. Over 7,500 new cycle spaces at railway stations and 38 new and improved routes have been agreed, as part of a £30 million package of developments to connect communities, reduce carbon emissions, get people active and make cycling safer and more convenient. The schemes will also promote economic growth by providing commuters with improved sustainable travel options.
BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY.5 Mar 2013 - Website of the Month - Lesley
This is a great web site, it gives information on bird life, climate change, Migration and much more. Garden BirdWatch Annual Results 2012 5 Mar 2013 Some 15,000 ‘Citizen Scientists’ support the BTO's Garden BirdWatch survey, submitting observations of the birds and other wildlife using their gardens throughout the year. These observations are analysed and interpreted in real time as they come in to the BTO’s database of 86 million observations. Looking back at 2012 reveals a significant movement of Jays, Nuthatches and Coal Tits into gardens last autumn, suggestive of a widespread failure in the seed crops of various trees.
THE FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING
21 Feb 2013 -
Photo of the Week -
Lesley
It was the coldest winter in a century, with record low temperatures and snow across the country.
But the freezing temperatures appeared to have done little harm to the first signs of spring.
It has been a "stop-start" spring so far, with wildlife reacting to warmer temperatures last week after the cold snowy spell in late January, the Woodland Trust said.
NERINE LILY4 Jan 2013 - Plant of the Week - Lesley
Nerine Lily is a breathtaking plant, especially on a dull autumn day. With its tall scapes, terminated by a loose umbel of five to 10 trumpet-shaped, shocking-pink flowers, it must surely be the most exotic autumn-flowering bulb. Each flower has six narrow perianths with flamboyant wavy edges, which in certain lights appear to have been sprinkled with gold. And their faint musky scent carries on the autumn breeze. Grown as a block or a thick row, Nerine Lilies are a lively addition to an autumn border. It flowers outdoors from September to early November, depending on temperature and site, with stems 30cm-50cm (12in-20in) tall. The flowers are long-lasting in the garden and keep going when cut for indoor decoration. The strap-like leaves emerge after flowering and survive the winter undamaged.
HOW ASH DIEBACK COULD THREATEN BRITAINS WILDLIFE.28 Dec 2012 - Photo of the Week - Lesley
The loss of Britain's ash population would pose a serious threat to the UK plant and animals that depend upon the trees for their survival. The species forms a significant proportion of the country's woodland cover and contributes to thousands of miles of hedgerows. The network of Wildlife Trusts says any loss of this crucial habitat would have a dramatic negative impact on the natural environment
GARDENS BY THE BAY, SINGAPORE. 27 Dec 2012 - Website of the Month - Lesley
History of Gardens by the Bay Gardens by the Bay brings to life NParks' vision of creating a City in a Garden. The Gardens captures the essence of Singapore as the premier tropical Garden City with the perfect environment in which to live and work - making Singapore a leading global city of the 21st century. In January 2006, an international master plan design competition was launched to seek world-class design ideas for Gardens by the Bay. It drew more than 70 entries submitted by 170 firms, from over 24 countries, including 35 from Singapore.
HOLLY AND THE IVY10 Dec 2012 - Plant of the Week - Lesley
The Holly and the Ivy are common Christmas evergreens, still used in England for decorating houses at this time of year, and featured on many Christmas cards. But until the 20th century holly was used medicinally in the winter to "thrash" chilblains - in other words the treatment was to give the feet a whipping with this spiny bush, an uncomfortable remedy that was supposed to work better if it drew beads of blood, like the berries the tree itself produces.
THE ROBIN27 Nov 2012 - Photo of the Week - Lesley
The UK's favourite bird - with its bright red breast it is familar throughout the year and especially at Christmas! The Robin is a plump bird with bright orange-red breast, face, throat and cheeks edged with grey, a white belly and olive-brown upper parts. The sexes are very similar, if not identical, though some texts suggest that the brown forehead is "V" shaped in females, and "U" shaped in males, though even this is not always apparent. They have a brown bill and legs.
REAL CHRISTMAS TREE CARE INSTRUCTIONS25 Nov 2012 - Website of the Month - Lesley
How to look after your Christmas Tree and prevent needle loss Some years ago the Forestry Commission's scientists discovered that the secret of preventing your Christmas tree from loosing its needles was to encourage your tree to drink water whilst in your house at Christmas time. They proved that it is possible for cut Christmas trees WITH NO ROOTS to drink water, by capillary action, through their bark - in the same way that cut flowers drink water in a vase. 1. Ensure that you buy a fresh tree. This is best ensured by going direct to the grower - your local Christmas tree farm. Click here for a list of members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. Once there, check that the tree is fresh by gently running your fingers down the length of one of the lower branches. The needles should stay fast. 2. Once home, if you are not going to take the tree into your house immediately, place the tree in a cool, dry place out of the wind.
HEBE10 Nov 2012 - Plant of the Week - Lesley
Hebes are versatile garden plants, originally Native to New Zealand they have been much hybridised and the resulting range combined with the species varieties provides a diverse group of plants. Hebe's a perfect garden plant By selecting the right variety a hebe can be found for almost any situation, they can thrive in coastal areas, produce beautiful flowers with a variety to flower in most months of the year ranging from large specimens to small alpine varieties often with glowing foliage colours. Hebes are well suited to modern gardening offering a long season of interest for small gardens where limited numbers of plants can be grown and they are ideal for container gardening. Most prefer full sun through to moderate shade and a free draining soil, they are not fussy plants and will easily perform well for gardeners of all abilities.
HEDGEHOGS AND BONFIRES27 Oct 2012 - Photo of the Week - Lesley
Bonfire night must be a frightening time for hedgehogs. Many crawl into bonfires in the hope that it will be a cosy location for their winter hibernation only to find that it goes up in smoke. If you are planning a bonfire please help keep hedgehogs safe from harm by following these simple guidelines:
LANTRA25 Oct 2012 - Website of the Month - Lesley
Lantra is an employment-led organisation, licensed by UK government to represent the skills and business development interests of over 230,000 businesses and 1.5 million workers in the environmental and land-based industries in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their work impacts on many areas, including rural regeneration, the voluntary sector, sustainable development, environmental protection and enhancement, food and farming, animal health and welfare, environmental pollution, business and skills development and health.
