Emma Lou's blog

Happy Valentines day

2010-02-17T18:53:00.007Z

I couldn't resist dressing Sheep up for Valentines day. She doesn't know it is Valentines, she is recalling her past life as a wolf. She is remembering the Lupercalia festival. Held in honour of Lupa, the she-wolf who suckled the infant orphans, Romulus and Remus. Sheep doesn't know she is not a she wolf anymore much to Floyd's disgust.

New Zealand part 3 Raglan with Lis

2010-02-14T14:11:00.003Z

New Zealand part 2 Pahia town and Boat Trip

2010-02-13T17:10:00.006Z

Still on the same initial bus tour I stayed in the town of Paihia (village) stayed at an ok but not great hostel which had the most beautiful Strelitzias growing in the garden. I took a boat trip that day and saw a famous 'hole in the rock'.

New Zealand part 1 Cape Reinga and Hundred Mile beach

2010-02-12T17:30:00.011Z

The first place I visited in New Zealand on a bus tour was the the Northlands. Here are some photos of the Ninety Mile beach, we drove along the length of the beach and ended up at Cape Reinga. On the way back we did the obligatory tourist activity of body boarding down the sand dunes, it was messy.

Winter cabbages

2009-10-04T19:19:00.003+01:00

Today we have dug over the patch where cabbage white butterflies massacred all our purple sprouting broccoli and sprouts plants a few weeks ago. We have now planted some winter cabbages that WILL NOT go the same way as their predecessors because this time we have added a net. We are very proud of the way it looks now it is finished but are slightly worried that a certain puppy will go charging through the net and bring it down. Just as we were hammering in the wooden posts to support the net a lone cabbage white butterfly flew overhead this omen spurred us on to get it finished so fingers crossed that it will stay up.

The Snakey show with Auntie Bob

2009-10-04T19:12:00.006+01:00

This is Snakey the snake, she was bought for my brother when he was at school but now he lives away at university so mum looks after her.
Auntie bob has decided to make an informative video for Tom, Jack and Katherine (my little cousins) about feeding time. Hope you like it guys!

Lewisia and NEW SHOES

2009-10-03T13:26:00.005+01:00

Me and mum went looking for some winter cabbages to plant in the now empty vegetable bed/butterfly colony. We made a huge first time mistake and did not put up netting around the purple spouting broccoli and sprouts so we got hundreds of cabbage white butterflies which destroyed all the plants. Turned out the local garden centre didnt have any winter cabagges so I bought a Lewisia instead. I didnt know what it was and only bought it for the pretty pink flowers. But have since learnt that it is an alpine plant, that it originates from the US. It is a clump-forming, evergreen perennial with rosettes of dark green succulent leaves and grows in well-drained, stony soil. I have just repotted mine asap as it was in soggy peaty soil when I bought it. This plant is written about as being hard to please on the internet but by potting it into at least 50 per cent sand according to the Ashwood Nurseries page I found via google hopefully mine will survive.

On to a totally different topic. I have new shoes, god bless Marks and Spencer where I bought these yesterday. Im saving for New Zealand which I leave for in a few weeks, but it will be my birthday before I go so contributions from Nana and Grandma paid for them.

My lovely new shoes!!!

Autumnwatch Fri 2nd October: Friday night on BBC TWO

2009-10-03T11:48:00.014+01:00

I watched the first in the series of the new Autumnwatch and thought it was brilliant, here's a link to it on BBC Iplayer so watch it if you can.

If you don't know this is a series from on BBC Two at 9pm on a Friday night. Great for those people who are like me who are not out clubbing at this time. The programme returns this year in a new format, lasts for eight-weeks and celebrated UK wildlife, live and interactive from across the country. Chris Packham and Kate Humble report from the BBC natural History Unit in Bristolon events such as monitoring bird migrations on the south coast, visiting a wildlife rescue centre to meet hedgehogs getting in shape for hibernation and soaking up the glories of our autumn woodlands, alive with rich colours and a wild harvest, in the Lake District to name but a few.

The programme follows up this year's re-introduction of wild beavers from Norway, finds dormice in unusual locations and helps stranded manx shearwaters. Investigates sightings of large numbers of killer whales that have learned to follow mackerel fishing boats. There will be weekly reports about how you can get involved with all sorts of interesting wildlife activities such as bat detecting, bird ringing, building homes for wildlife and finding out about ancient knowledge of medicinal plants. And my favourite comes via satellite link each week and follows the great autumn spectacle on the Isle of Rum. The gladiatorial battles and the sexual intrigues of the red deer rut.

This is my favourite part as I travelled to Rum about 4 years ago to watch the deer rut in my first year at uni. It is a very small island so the area he films in and even the research hut he is very familiar to me. It was an amazing experience brings back lots of good memories. Apparently he will also be going to the Arctic Circle and Africa to see the other side of the lives of migrating birds, such as geese, wading birds, sand martins and ospreys.
Here are some of my photos of Rum..

When I watched the rut I saw the stags fighting as shown on the programme, the most successful stag then was named Astral. We went out with the researchers to take the antlers from the dead stag, for measuring and recording purposes. Once we approached a huge dead stag which had been gouged by his opponent's antler through the eye socket, when we got close we soon realised it wasnt quite dead and had to run for cover. I saw golden eagles and sea eagles, otters, dolphins and the wild horses.

Bramble jelly and other preserves

2009-09-10T18:15:00.004+01:00

What a lovely day to pick blackberries

Looks there will be more ripe next week

My haul after 10 minutes

It has been so nice out that I've been going down to the beach to pick blackberries most days for the last week. I freeze them, top cheese cakes with them, use them to make crumbles and now to complete my fruit based preserve smörgåsbord make Bramble Jelly with them. Recipes for bramble jelly range from being very simple, using just black berries, sugar and water to the more exotic which encompass tempting liqueurs.
After a long hard think I've opted for the alcoholic version using some Creme de Cassis .

Ingredients:
3lb of Blackberries, washed
2 large cooking Apples, peeled cored and diced
450ml Water
Juice of 1 Lemon
Jam Sugar
A couple of tablespoons of Creme de Cassis

First string up a jelly bag in you're kitchen. Put blackberries, apple, water and lemon juice in a large cooking pan bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 mins approx (until fruit is soft). Tip the contents of the pot into the jelly bag and with a large bowl underneath and leave to drip overnight (It is tempting to smash the fruit down to make more juice but this will result in cloudy jelly). For every 600ml of juice in the bowl add 1lb of jam sugar (or any with added pectin) and pour into the cooking pan, put on a low heat while stirring constantly to stop burning and to dissolve all the sugar. Now add the Creme de Cassis and bring to the boil for 15 minutes stirring constantly. The idea is for the jelly to have reached setting point by boiling, a good test of this is to dot a plate with the jelly and when you see the jelly wrinkle rather than run when you tip the plate then setting point has been reached. Decant the jelly into jars and when cooled slightly add the wax seals and lids. If the jelly has'nt set you can easily just boil it up again, as I had to do on my first batch.

These are all the preserves we've made this year (so far). Marmalade, Raspberry Jam (homegrown), Greengage Jam, Green tomato chutney (homegrown), Hot red tomato chutney (homegrown) and Bramble Jelly (homegrown).

Making Chutney

2009-09-10T09:47:00.005+01:00

Even though there has been a resurgence of good weather in the last few days some of the vegetables have looked decidedly tired. The runner beans finished a couple of weeks ago and so we ate the last of them and pulled them down for the compost bin. The tomatoes are doing very well although I’m finding it hard to keep up with the watering. When the first downpour of rain started 2 weeks ago I went out and collected all the low hanging tomatoes green and red, my reasoning was the either the slugs would have them or they would just rot in the wet and I could not let either happen. I have been using organic slug pellets around the base of the tomato plants as well as a fence from heavy duty chicken wire to protect them from the Sheep. I would have liked to try the beer trap method but I thought the dogs would get it, the egg shell method but we don’t have our own chickens... so that idea was out and nematode worms are one for next year as well as I found them hard to find.

So anyway with the tomatoes I made some green tomato chutney, I made some hot red tomato chutney.

Ingredients:

1kg green tomatoes cut into small chunks
2 cooking size apples cut into small chunks
500g soft brown sugar
500ml malt vinegar
4cm of root ginger peeled and crushed (keep in one piece so you can fish it out at the end)
A couple of red chillis, left whole
125g sultanas
300g shallots, chopped
1 tsp salt

Place all the ingredients into a deep cooking pot (I use the biggest Le Creuset virtual cauldron in mums kitchen) and then bring it all to the boil stirring constantly to dissolve sugar and the stop the mixture from burning. When it has reached the boil you must then turn it down to a tame simmer, (with the lid off) and then keep stirring as often as possible for 3 hours approx. The aim is to be able to stir through the chutney and the bottom of the pot to stay visible as no liquid remains. I then fished out the chillies and the ginger and decanted the chutney into sterilized jam jars. When the mixture has cooled slightly add wax discs and then lids and leave to cool completely before adding you’re labels.

Brugmansia

2009-09-02T10:28:00.003+01:00

Tomatoes from start to finish 2009

2009-08-27T11:42:00.005+01:00

Tomatoes planted neatly back in March

Now the border is overgrown and has to be defended from dogs who are partial to tomatoes

Different varieties have self seeded themselves all over the garden. We have cherry and plum tomatoes which must have come from tins

All the self seeded collected up and potted, now known as tomato hospital

Common or Viviparous Lizard - Lacerta vivipara / Zootoca vivipara

2009-08-26T21:52:00.008+01:00

Since spring time I have being seeing lizards around the garden. First lizard I saw had absolutely no tail, then more recently Ive seen what looks like the same lizard with a black stump. I see the lizards basking in the sun usually near to pots, or seed trays, this is presumably so they can run for cover and so they stay close to a supply of insects.

Lizard with no tail, This photo was taken in March 09. I now know March to be the month Common or Viviparous Lizard wake up from hibernation.

What we think is the same lizard in July. This one appears to be regrowing a tail.

I looked up the lizard and on the brilliant website Reptiles and Amphibians of the UK.

It helps that there are very few native British reptiles or Amphibians so it wasnt hard to find. It could only have been the rare Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) some of which are found near to where I live in Hampshire except that these are much larger than those I have seen.

Nice plants in the house and garden

2009-08-26T21:01:00.004+01:00

Aloe vera populating the worktop in the kitchen

Nice purple plant, dont know what it is but very popular with the hover flies

Self seeding cyclamen

Begonia looks fantastic

My strelitzia is doing brilliant in the warm conservatory

South African plant is flowering

Walnut sapling, the only survivor of the sheep attack

The vegetables grown so far

2009-08-26T19:45:00.007+01:00

This is what the vegetable plot looked like back in March

Runner beans

Self seeded tomatoes growing in the beetroot

Butternut squashes

Courgette

Little Ray has flower buds

2009-08-26T19:36:00.002+01:00

By the looks of it wont be long until Little Ray flowers for the first time, unfortunately the weather here has changed as of today from hot and humid to blowing a gale and torrential rain (end of the British summer). I might have to move the plant into the garage to wait out the rain.

6 mixed Angels Trumpet hybrids

2009-08-26T19:21:00.005+01:00

On the 7th of August I started off the packet of mixed Brugmansia hybrids. 10 days later I noticed the first seedling poking through. I microwaved the soil first to sterilize it, then placed the damp seed tray in a propagator. The packet says the seeds take 1 to 2 months at 20c to 25c, I have a thermometer in the propagator which reads that its hot enough without adding extra heat. So far I only have the one seedling but its now 3 inches tall in only 19 days.

Long time since last blog - dog photos

2009-08-26T18:25:00.004+01:00

This is Sheep, she enjoys eating anything and everything especially chocolate, gardening and sign language. She dislikes going for walks (she lies down), water and being told NO!

Handsome Floyd loves swimming, sleeping in beds, playing with stones. Dislikes the hoover, being laughed at and other dogs we meet on walks.

Little Ray the Brugmasia has moved with me

2009-07-29T10:31:00.002+01:00

This is Little Ray in his new home. I brought him back to Hayling from Cambridge with me in the van. He has grown very horizontal as he was confined in the dark hallway of my flat but now his free to grow up and up and hopefully produce me some flowers. When he arrived in the garden he was still in a pot that was much too small. With the result that he had to be stabilized by bricks to ensure he didn't topple over and break his arms.

I bought him a new pot, its plastic so im able to lift him in and out in winter. I also bought some Stoppa Slug tape to try and thwart the slugs and snails that will inevitably want to come and munch him. The tape is made of copper and will apparently deter the nasties that will try to eat Ray.

Inside the pot I started with some big stoned I took from the beach, then a mixture of soil rich in organic matter and perlite. I hope this will make him healthy and lead to flowers.

Ive moved home to Hayling

2009-07-28T22:32:00.008+01:00

Not in Cambridge anymore but back on Costa del Hayling. Here are some photos of my mum's garden. Hope you enjoy them.

More Princess of Wales Glass House

2009-07-28T21:36:00.004+01:00

Still in the Princess of Wales Glasshouse we saw a lizard basking by the pool. Can you spot him in the photo?

Amorphophallus Titanum about to flower

and a spent one

Fabulous tree fern sculpture from New Zealand

Zygo hybrids

Alittle Paph

Lovely Vanda orchids

The Waterlily house and the Princess of Wales Conservatory

2009-07-28T19:20:00.006+01:00

The Waterlily house at Kew was built in 1852, it was then the widest single span glasshouse in the world, designed specifically to house the huge attraction of the age, the giant Amazonian waterlily. Although the glasshouse changed use in 991, it was converted back to its original use and today, it is the hottest and most humid environment at Kew, housing tropical ornamental aquatic plants and climbers.

Carnivorous plants hang in baskets and catch insects

The Princess of Wales Conservatory was named in honour of Augusta, Princess of Wales, who founded the gardens and opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1987. This is the most complex of Kew's public glasshouses has 10 different climate zones that are all computer controlled under one roof.

Fantastic Lithops collection

More Kew

2009-07-28T19:05:00.006+01:00

Pineapple planting outside the Palm House

Statues at the gate of the Palm house. The Palm house was constructed in 1844 by Richard Turner the world's most important surviving Victorian glass and iron structure. The Palm House was created specifically for the exotic palms being collected and introduced to Europe in early Victorian times. The elegant design with its unobstructed space for the spreading crowns of the tall palms was a perfect marriage of form and function. The technology was borrowed from shipbuilding and it can be seen that the design is essentially an upturned hull.

The unprecedented use of light but strong wrought iron 'ship's beams' made the great open span possible, giving room for the unhindered growth of tall specimen palms.For its tropical plants, the Palm House needed heat. Originally, the boilers were in the basement, heating water pipes under iron gratings on which the plants stood in great teak tubs, or in clay pots on benches.

The smoke from the boilers was led away through pipes in a tunnel under the Palm House Pond to the elegant Italianate Campanile smoke stack 150 m (490 ft) away. The tunnel also housed a small railway which transported coal the the Palm House boilers. However, the basement flooded in 1848, it took several years to lower the level of the water by pumps. In 1853 the floor level of the boiler room was raised, which had the unfortunate effect of reducing the amount of draught to the flues, badly affecting the efficiency of the heating system and making some parts of the Palm House too

Canna Lillies

Some giant leaves

The water vapor pours from the ceiling pipes at intervals to keep humidity high

Bromeliads

Some sort of Hibiscus?

Beautiful Frangipani

Kew Gardens

2009-07-28T18:21:00.005+01:00

Construction on the the Kew temporate house was started in 1860. Due to a series of complications such as the contactor becoming bankrupt the glasshouse was not completed until 1898. In 1861 the contents of the old 'New Zealand' house were transfered into the temporate house as was some Australian plants from the 'Orangery and palms from the 'Palm House'The admiring public were first admitted in May 1863, when the Temperate House was barely two-thirds finished.

In 1977, over a hundred years after the building was finally completed, a full restoration was started. The Temperate House is a Grade 1 listed building, so scrupulous care needed to be taken to keep the integrity of the original design. Modern heating technology keeps the building frost free, at about 6-7°C over the winter. It uses heat exchangers situated in the basements of the octagons, with intense heat piped from the main boilerhouse a quarter of a mile away.

My favourite Brugmansias in the temporate house.

Iconic Kew staircase

Cycad palm

Strelitzia I wish my little one will grow to look like

Koy carp pool

The Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walkway, it is 18 metres high

The lake

Making friends with the geese

Will anyone sponsor me?

2009-07-15T12:45:00.005+01:00

- The Brook pub just giving page -

Its that time of year again when I walk the ever increasing route of the C.R.Y charity bridges walk in London. I am walking with my friends from the pub for a very worthwhile charity to raise money for heart screening of young people to prevent sudden deaths and to pay for
support given to families that are affected by sudden cardiac deaths.

- The Brook Pub just giving page -

It's a dogs life alright

2009-07-05T14:35:00.006+01:00

Fallen asleep at the computer desk, a hard day at the office.

Cambridge Botanic garden photos June 09

2009-07-01T11:12:00.001+01:00

Click on this photo and visit my Flickr page of photos taken this weekend in the hot sun when mum came to visit.

New orchid and repotting

2009-06-29T20:44:00.004+01:00

My Lovely new orchid, picked up in the garden centre today for a mere 3 quid. The bark was mushy and waterlogged and the plant had no more buds on it and I assume for these reasons it was going cheap. I snapped it up and repotted in some some large bark chips a couple of hours after I got it home.

At the same time I also repotted my fabulous purple orchid. I was loath to repot it while the plant is still covered in flowers. BUT it came potted in moss which is now green and attracting flies plus the orchid is doing so well it is bursting out of the pot. So I risked it and potted this in a larger pot in bark.

Sculptures in the Close

2009-06-29T18:35:00.005+01:00

Currently on at Jesus College Cambridge Uni is the eleventh in the series of biennial exhibitions of contemporary British sculpture held since 1988. I visited 'Sculpture In The Close' this weekend in the blazing heat and here are a few photos.

Anthony Caro ‘Babylon’ (1997/2001)

Anthony Caro minimalist works from the 1970s.

Antony Gormley'snew installation, ‘Sculpture in the Close’, using cast iron and fibre glass figures to be located in the passages and courts and on the roofs of the College. Both Caro and Gormley were educated at Cambridge University.

Here are just a few sculptures from around the college grounds that form part of the permanent collection.

House plants in June 09

2009-06-26T21:00:00.005+01:00

A bowlful of rosettes of some Haworthi type plant seems to be starting a flower spike.

Sedum is overflowing the pot but not enough sun to turn the leaves red.

Another baby being put forth.

Vanda orchid basically dormant in the conditions of the flat.

Lithops which doubled in the spring without flowering

Purple orchid has extended the flower spike which now trails along the floor with flowers.

My lovely white orchid now has approx 15 buds.

The state of my hibiscus, it flowers regularly but has dropped nearly all of it's leaves.

Glandford Shell Museum

2009-06-17T14:28:00.005+01:00

This little museum was one of my favourite places in Norfolk. It was purpose built by Sir Alfred Jodrell, Baronet, of Bayfield Hall around the time he inherited the entire village of Glandford in 1915. Sir Alfred and his sisters arranged all the shells in their cases and these shells come from all corners of the earth. The collection is constantly being added to. There are shells of every colour, shells as delicately coloured as butterfly wings: shells exquisitely carved.

Next to the museum is the Glandford village church which was really beautiful

This carving adornes the pew that Sir Alfred Jodrell sat on with his dog. A tribute to the man that restored the church and the village.

My visit to Salthouse, North Norfolk

2009-06-17T13:31:00.007+01:00

Its been so long since I last posted. Uni has finished now and im awaiting my result, ive put up and then taken down my final exhibition (photos of which ill post soon) and now Im job hunting in the real world and unsure of where im going to live for how long with who..etc. A couple of weekends ago we escaped to the coast and stayed in a little cottage on the North Norfolk coast. The weather was very mixed but I loved the isolation and lack of a tv.

Salthouse beach

Looking back to the cottage

Tradition local flint wall

Beautiful yellow roses

A mini postbox

Giant gunnera I seem to find some everywhere I go

Norfolk dog stop

Stinging nettles

Wildflowers

Mr Snail

Irises

Botanic garden plant photos

2009-05-15T16:39:00.006+01:00

Botanic Garden exhibition

2009-05-13T09:24:00.006+01:00

Pterocarya fraxinifolia and other things

2009-04-24T00:25:00.004+01:00

Pterocarya fraxinifolia is from the Walnut family and originates from the Caucasus mountains in southwest Asia (Iran, Turkey) , the example above will be the site and the subject of my site specific botanic art exhibition next month. This species of tree was introduced to the UK in the early 1800s and this particular tree in the photograph can be found in the Cambridge University Botanic gardens. It was planted in 1850 as part of the original planting scheme by John Henslow, who is now most famous for being one of Charles Darwin's teachers when he was at the university. The original planting scheme of the garden was intended by Henslow to illustrate the variation of form within species, and we all know which theory this notion contributed to and subsequently went on to change the world. If you can, please visit the garden. Take advantage of the new audio tour which can be downloaded as a podcast direct onto youre ipod - Cambridge University Podcast. I was there today in the hot hot sun making changes to my installation plan and it was lovely.
All photos were taken in the garden this morning.

Baroque! Waldemar Januszczak

2009-03-27T10:03:00.006Z

Its only now, 2 months from the end of my degree course that I'm sure of what I suspected five years ago. That is that all I want to do is art history. One day in a few years I will have to try and get on an MA art history. This post is to draw attention to the new television series for BBC 4 with Waldemar Januszczak called "Baroque!" which I enjoyed.

The series is only 3 episodes. I feel lucky to have spotted it on the IPlayer, it can be missed easily. Episode one starts in Italy at St. Peters. Januszczak wanders over the course of the series looking at the great Baroque works of art ending up in episode three at St. Pauls in London. Januszczak explains the art and artists Velasquez, Caravaggio, Zurburan, Rubens and Vermeer. Another thing I like about this series is a short bit about Jusepe De Ribera. A lesser known Spanish artist compared to the likes of Velasquez but one I've been interested in since seeing his work on show in Seville. I found ittricky to find much info about Ribera but I now have an out of print book about the artist on order, exciting.

The Bearded Woman Breastfeeding, 1631

In this series theres alot of characteristic (for Januszczak) wobbly camera journeys and the camera following him hunkering down on the floor to look at maps, lying down to best view Baroque ceiling paintings and puffing his way along pilgrim trails. It's an interesting series if you like the baroque or social history and worth a watch.

Other recent art programs I like.

The Mona Lisa Curse - Robert Hughes

The Sculpture Diaries - Waldemar Januszczak

Toulouse Lautrec - Waldemar Januszczak

The Perfect House: The Life and Work of Palladio

This is Civilisation - Matthew Collings

House I'd like to live in

2009-03-27T09:55:00.001Z

Picture taken from google

Mums's RHS Orchid Show photos

2009-03-21T22:32:00.010Z

A view of the back wall of Lawrence Hall, looks like an art deco bus station. The same wall viewed from the steps overlooking the entire show.

We absolutely loved these giant pottery garden pottery toads if we hadnt got the tube home then we would have definately bought some.

RHS Orchid show 2009 (WARNING lots of photos)

2009-03-21T19:50:00.023Z

RHS Orchid show held in Lawrence Hall, Greycoat street in Westminster. It was a glorious lovely hot sunny day in London. I got very photo happy and took lots and lots of pictures and have put too many in this post.

House plants March 09

2009-03-19T13:25:00.008Z

Echeveria cutting has finally grown it's own body

Epiphyllum cactus number 219 from Glenhirst cactus nursery has also now sprouted.
Lithops Marmorata growing new leaves. I expected this lithops to flower last autumn but when nothing happened I realise now it is probably too young to flower. Reading the fantastic 'A guide to the cultivation of Lithops' written by Nick Rowlette.I can now see that my little lithops is working to a different internal timetable.

Since I first saw the new leaves I am with holding all water until the old leaves are completely shivelled as from these the new leaves take their water supply. See my old photos Lithops and Epiphyllum Sept 08

Vanda orchid from Thailand, i thought the cold winter and lack of light had done for it but now the weather is improving there's a new leaf growing.

Brand spanking new Epiphyllum cactus from Vince the gardener, I wonder what it will grow up to be?

Red Spider Mite fight continues

2009-03-19T11:36:00.008Z

I have recently used The Provado Ultimate Bug Killer aerosol spray which has the active ingredients Methiocarb and Imidacloprid to control kill Red Spider Mites. First application was in early January and it seemed to work, (its hard to tell when the mites are smaller than pin heads). Yesterday I've found the leaves of my lovely brugmansia covered again in the bugs, the underside of the leaves look dusty and leaves are yellowing fast and dropping off. I have applied the Provado again today but, after reading lots of information on gardening forums everywhere I am fully expecting the bugs to now be immune.

According to the Royal Horticulture Society website,

"Chemical control

Insecticides containing bifenthrin (Bayer Sprayday Greenfly Killer Plus, Scotts Bug Clear Gun or Doff All-In-One Garden Pest Killer) will control red spider mite, provided it has not gained resistance to this substance. Bifenthrin can be used on some edible plants - see the label instructions. Alternatives are sprays containing thiamethoxam + abamectin (Westland Bug Attack Ready To Use), acetamiprid (Scotts Bug Clear Ultra Gun), which are for use on ornamental plants only. Edible plants can be sprayed with plant oils, plant extracts or fatty acids (see above). The latter pesticides may require more frequent applications."

So from this I gather that the chemicals bifenthrin and thiamethoxam + abamectin and acetamiprid are thought to effective. These should be alternated so immunity cannot be gained by the bugs. So my next move is to get some Bayer Sprayday Greenfly Killer Plus and Scotts Bug Clear Ultra Gun or Westland Bug Attack Ready To Use and alternate the two. If i only had a garden I dont think I would have this problem, I dont move home to a garden until july.

There is also the question of insecticidal soap. My only experience of this is the Spidermite Control, containing 1% Coriander Oil, 94% Canola Oil and 5% Triethanolamine. The instructions say to dilute 25ml of the solution with 1 litre (1.75 Pints) but last time this scorched the leaves of the plant and I lost a lot. Maybe I will reduce the strength of the mixture and leaf wash my plant next tuesday.

No doubt I will write more about my battle and what if anything works.

Favourite recipe of the moment

2009-02-15T15:16:00.012Z

I love to make Nigella Lawson's recipes. I think she is just brilliant all round. I like her recipes and her personal style and although I am generally adverse to the culture of the celebrity I have to say Nigella has my interest. Also Charles Saatchi's involvement with 'Brit art' and the emerging culture of art as commodity was the subject of my Fine Art BA dissertation. Nigella's christmas tv series made me feel really festive when nothing else did, all I could think about at that time was the dissertation. This series is to blame for me covering the living room with white fairy lights and the accompanying book 'Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities' is on my amazon wish list.

Flourless Chocolate Brownies (From the book Nigella Express)

225g dark chocolate
3 Eggs, beaten
225g butter
150g ground almonds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
100g chopped walnuts
200g caster sugar

1 Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the chocolate and butter gently over a low heat in a heavy-based saucepan. 2 Take the pan off the heat, mix in the vanilla and sugar, and let it cool a little. 3 Beat the eggs into the pan along with the ground almonds and chopped walnuts. Turn into a 24cm square baking tin or, most sensibly, use a foil one. 4 Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, by which time the top will have set but the mixture will still be gooey. Once cooler, cut carefully, four down, four across, into 16 squidgy bellied squares.
Makes 16 squares

DEED NOT BREED Fighting Breed Specific Legislation

2009-02-04T15:13:00.010Z

This organization believes that legislation regarding banning so called dangerous dogs focuses at the wrong end of the lead. They feel that no breed is inherently dangerous. They comment that there are many factors can surround dog attacks and yet with no national dog bite statistics we are unable to pinpoint the most common factors, though restricting certain breeds is clearly not the answer. Four types of dog have been banned in the UK for many years, the Dogo Argentino, Fila Braziliero, Japanese Tosa and the Pit Bull Terrier type dog (which is not a recognised breed at all) yet:

• Ellie Lawrensen died following an attack by an alleged pit bull type - the law did not protect her.

• Two Rottweilers killed Kaydee Lee in Leicester just over a year ago - the law did not protect her.

• In Wakefield /Bradford a dangerous dog “hand in” has been in place for over a year yet a baby boy has been killed- the law did not protect him.

The law does not work because it focuses on the dog and not those responsible for the dog, whatever its breed.

Deed Not Breed calls on the government to urgently review the Dangerous Dogs Act with a view to drawing up new legislation that focuses not on types of dogs but on responsible ownership.

Responsible ownership includes proper controls of breeding and selling of dogs, training and education for owners, and a full registration scheme to enable the tracking of dogs and their owners. There needs to be education for all potential dog owners so they are fully aware of their responsibility as a dog owner before they become one, and continuing education and training to ensure that owners understand such things as the importance of training and socialisation.

Melanie Page, chairperson of Deed not breed said today:

“In certain circumstances any dog could be dangerous. Isn’t it time to stop targeting specific breeds and instead focus on responsible ownership?”

I've lived with Staffies all my life and now have an English Bull Terrier as well. I completely agree with this point of view. With the advent of amnesties such as that which was implemented in Merseyside it is the responsible owners that hand in their family pets who suffer. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6334241.stm

I mean look at this soft old thing!

R.I.P Winnie

New Phalaenopsis

2009-02-02T10:53:00.006Z

Snow in Legoland

2009-02-02T10:39:00.004Z

This was the view outside this morning, it is -2c at the moment and snow is forecast until friday.

Orchid Display

2009-01-31T16:50:00.004Z

The glasshouses

2009-01-31T16:24:00.006Z

The glass houses have recently been restored to their former glory, using reclaimed teak there are now 6 indoor environments. There is 'Continents apart' with Australia and South Africa borders.

'Oceanic Islands' shows plants which have evolved in isolation as the name suggests. 'Mountains' features plants from the highest and coldest elevations on earth. My favourite house is the 'Tropical Rainforest' which is the largest indoor environment. This shows plants from the wet tropics and past stars have included the Titan arum, Amorphophallus titanum in Latin or commonly known as the Corpse Flower from Sumatra as well and the Jade Vine, Strongylodon macrobotrys from the Philippines which is pollinated in the wild by bats.

There is the 'Arid Lands' illustrating the diversity of arid land plants and how distinct evolutionary process have resulted in parallel solutions, for example the water storage systems exhibited by Euphorbiaceae in Africa and Cactaceae in America.
And lastly is 'Before Flowers' exploring pre angiosperms with Ferns and Cycads.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens continued..

2009-01-31T15:57:00.006Z

The Botanic Gardens are one of my favourite places to visit while im in Cambridge. The garden was established by Professor John Henslow in 1846, this man is now best remembered for the role he played inspiring a certain pupil named Charles Darwin. The garden retains the original planting scheme within the 'Systematic beds'. This scheme was based on the book 'Pinax theatre botanici' written by the Swiss botanist Caspar Bauhin and published in 1623. The book is the first comprehensive compilation of all plants known at that time and groups them in their imagined families - the start of taxonomy. Without the aid of genetics many of these families of plants have since been found to be correct.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens

2009-01-31T15:24:00.005Z

2009 is the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin and 150 years since his seminal book 'Origin of Species' was published. The most important book ever written I feel. If this wasn't enough of a cause for celebration, it is also the 800 year anniversary of the University of Cambridge. Charles Robert Darwin was a student here at Christ's College so this July the university is putting on a festival from the 5th to the 10th of July. Im so excited! speakers include Sir David Attenborough, Richard Dawkins and Ian McEwan. Apparently it will be a festival of science, society, literature, history, philosophy, theology, art and music arising from the writings, life and times of Charles Darwin.

Costa del Hayling in January

2009-01-28T15:29:00.003Z

It was bitter on costa del Hayling in January, so cold the sea froze around the edges.

Laughter makes everyone feel better

2008-12-03T10:49:00.003Z

My favourite new dissertation distraction, this website makes me cry a little bit its just so funny. Lots upon lots of upside doggies. Laughing relieves stress there is no doubt whatsoever.

Feeling the pressure

2008-11-28T12:12:00.002Z

Today is officially rubbish, I am really feeling the pressure of getting my dissertation handed in and tidying up all other bits for the handin deadline especially printmaking. Work tonight should take my mind off it but it'll still be there, looming in the morning! At least I have this lovely hibiscus flower that opened this morning to make me smile a bit. Also christmas makes me happy another 3 weeks and it'll all be over with until the final semester.

Cymbidium

2008-11-25T10:37:00.003Z

Cymbidium orchids just like Phalaenopsis are relatively cool growing. Cymbidium orchids need a minimum temperature of 7-10C (so uk friendly, ish) and 24C maximum temp in summer. They like to be indoors during the winter when kept here in UK but can go outside in summer where they like high levels of sunlight. No direct sunlight however as just like the phalaenopsis otherwise the leaves will burn.
Just like the super popular 'moth orchid' there are now so many hundreds of variations grown for the supermarkets that exact names for these hybrids have been lost. This one came from Huw and apparently the reason this plant is always dripping with irritating sap is because it is trying to attract a pollinator. So no more washing with fairy liquid, whoops.

Wales vs New Zealand Nov 08

2008-11-24T12:30:00.018Z

This weekend I watched Wales play New Zealand (rugby union) at the Millenium stadium in Cardiff part as the Invesco Perpetual Series. It was brilliant despite the final score Wales 9 - New Zealand 29, this game was the 20th successive defeat to the All Blacks. Currently they are ranked world no. 1 and Wales 6th in the IRB world ranking. Apart from England there is nobody I would rather go to see Wales try and beat.

Penalty conversions were scored first by Steven Jones for Wales and then Conversions from Dan Carter and tries from Ma'a Nonu and then Jerome Kaino for the All Blacks sealed the victory. I'll admit I didnt believe we would really beat them going into the match, I believed it was possible but unlikely because we are so used to New Zealand dominating. Same is widely thought by fans and players and Warren Gatland knows it, hopefully the first half performance this time will go some way towards future self belief.

I loved the build up with pyrotechnics, singing, Joe Calzaghe bringing on the match ball and the ceremonial goat, of course. There were 74,000 people and the atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic. Im sure the Haka stand off at the start will be remembered by everyone and will be talked about as much as the great heart shown by Wales in the first half and the All blacks expertise in the second. Watch the stand off in the video above, the history is that at last meeting in Cardiff the All Blacks refused to perform the Haka on the pitch before Land of Our Fathers was sung. Because Wales wouldn't allow the Haka to be the last thing before play began (giving the opposition a psychological advantage on home turf) the All Blacks did the Haka in their dressing room only.

Flickr

2008-11-24T10:45:00.001Z

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

And the second box contained

2008-11-19T16:30:00.006Z

Second parcel this one from Malaysia contained a Vanda orchid seedling also from ebay, specifically a hybrid called Robert's Delight. Vanda orchids originate from the Himalayas and the name of the species comes from the Sanskrit name Vanda tessellata. It came in a tiny 1.5 inch basket with coconut hair and thankfully some very healthy looking roots and I don't think I will move it to a basket until next spring. This is my first Vanda so fingers crossed it survives until the weather warms up. I'm expecting both of these exotics to go into some sort of shock as its freezing here and not what they've been used to. Below is the vanda arranged suspended over a a glass so the roots can hang freely in a humid atmosphere, this is my temporary solution until I get a basket with wire suspension.

Excitement through the post

2008-11-19T11:04:00.019Z

I came home to find 2 parcels waiting on the doorstep. One had a stamp with an elephant from Thailand and the other one had a stamp featuring a green winged pigeon, equally exotic from Malaysia. I had been busy on ebay last week and so knew exactly what awaited me, I couldn't believe they arrived so quick. (combined expenditure under a tenner) I managed to get inside the flat and tidy up a bit before actually getting started on ripping open the parcels. More plants for my windowsills.

Number one parcel picked to open first was the box from Thailand. It contained a hybrid Adenium seedling, lost a few leaves in transit but generally it faired very well for such a long journey. Also popularly known as the Desert Rose this plant is a native of East Africa but is propagated in Thailand in huge quantities. Currently looks like this but will one day look like these stunners. Best site I found for Adenium info http://www.tropicanursery.com

Flor de maio

2008-11-14T08:55:00.008Z

My Flor de maio or Christmas Cactus is now blooming. These plants originally come from the Organ Mountains which are North of Rio De Janeiro in Brazil. They are epiphytes and forest dwellers, naturally occuring at elevations of 1500 metres above sea level surviving where they can by clinging onto trees. The genus and species of these white or pink or red flowering cactus is Schlumbergera bridgesii. Named for Frederick Schlumbergera who was a Belgian horticulturalist of the 1900s.

In order for flower buds to form the plant must have 12 hours of uninterupted darkness each night after summer has finished. So no artificial light after it naturally gets dark, placing a thick plastic bag over the plant each night can work wonders. Then with a good water supply the cactus can stay in flower until Spring time comes round again. In it's natural Brazilian habitat my little christmas cactus would have been pollinated by hummingbirds.

Phalaenopsis Orchid

2008-11-06T18:14:00.007Z

House plants early November

2008-11-06T17:51:00.005Z

I have stopped watering the Cyclamen so it now looks very sad indeed. The Sempervivum seems to be throwing up a flower spike of some kind. Leaves broken off the Echeveria and bits of Crassula that I dried out and then planted are showing signs of having roots of their own. The christmas cactus buds look ready to open I cant wait.

The Brugmansia is bigger still

2008-11-05T09:58:00.005Z

I will get bored of showing the progress made by my Brugmansia, probably but as it seems to have successfully survived a red spidermite incident it deserves another post.
Below is 'Little Ray' in early September,

One month later in late September,

Taken today on 5th November, with my hand to show the leaf size.

Birthday books

2008-11-05T08:21:00.010Z

I did very well on my birthday this year and have books to show for it. Good old Boris Johnson is funny in 'Have I got views for you' I havent finished this yet and Im just dipping into it when I have time. It is a collection of pieces written at various times about subjects such as Manners and Morals to Literary Heroes. Ive only read the collection of his fast cars articles for GQ before but this book is good for a laugh.

Brugmansia and Datura is the seminal text or so it seems about my beloved Brugmansia. Previously I have only been able to get info about the plants from american websites but this book covers all aspects of Brug care and is full of beautiful amazing photos.

I can recommend the 12 million dollar shark to anyone interested in modern art. Especially those who know that guy who stuffed a shark and sold it as art. It is a very interesting and completely readable look at the transactions that take place behind the scenes. Lots about auction houses, dealers, commissions and publicity.

Thank you Rich for Nanny Ogg's cookbook. I am not embarrassed to say I have always been a great Terry Pratchett fan and of course since his illness was made public every spin off book from the discworld is greatly appreciated. It is written in the first person in the saucy voice of Gytha the witch as in Masquerade.

Again I haven't finished the Lost Gardens of Heligan book but when I do find the time it is a treat. It is a real life Secret Garden and the story is totally gripping and fantastic. I love the magic of such an epic garden that was abandoned and then rediscovered.
Little People in the City starts with a comedy intro by Will Self, this book has taken the place of the bunny suicides for dip in humour. I like the little people hefting Wotzits around the London pavement.

Seville pt. 6 Cathedral y Plaza de Pilatas

2008-10-24T00:01:00.010+01:00

Seville Cathedral is a world heritage site and like the Mesquita in Cordoba was built over an existing mosque. The cathedral covers 11,520 square metres in floor space and the nave rises to 42 metres high. The cathedral houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus since he was moved back to Spain from Cuba.

Casa de Pilatas is a private palace that local legend says is built to the dimensions of Pontius Pilate's house in Jerusalem. The House is built in the Mudejar style and has fantastic courtyards gardens full of my favourite Brugmancias.

Seville pt. 5 Contemporary arts and Roman Italica

2008-10-23T23:43:00.007+01:00

The Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporano built in the old Cartuja de Santa Maria de las Cuevas Monastery. This place was a monastery, then bought buy an englishman and turned into a ceramics factory and then became the Contemporary Arts museum.

Massive Ombu, an evergreen herb in the entrance of the museum. In latin Phytolacca dioica, a fire and animal resistant plant from Argentina. They may reach 30 metres diameter at the trunk, this one is close.

We day tripped to the roman town of Italica. The home of emporers Trajan and Hadrian this town is complete with a 25,000 seat amphitheatre, public and private buildings.

Seville pt. 4 Cordoba y Carmona

2008-10-23T20:13:00.007+01:00

The last synagogue left standing in all Andalucia is in Cordoba, built in 1350 it has survived the expulsion of the Jews in 1492.

Above is an ancient Jewish residence, kept as a museum in Cordoba. Apparently Jews had lived in Cordoba since the 11th century BC and under Muslim rule the Jews had total religious freedom and prospered economically and intellectually, Maimonide a revolutionary philosopher and author of the 'Misneh Torah' lived in Cordoba before fleeing conversion or death by the Christians.

The Romans built a pagan temple in Cordoba, then the Visigoths replaced it with the Christian church of Saint Vincent. The Arabs then conquered in the 8th century and started work on the giant mosque. It took 200 years and was completed by king Abd ar-Rahman III in the 10th century. In 1236 Cordoba was recaptured by the Christian king Alfonso X and over time since this last reconquest a massive gothic cathedral has grown up in the centre of the mosque.

We visited the village of Carmona on our way back from Cordoba. We went to the viewing point that looks out over the countryside as mentioned in the rough guide.

Seville pt. 3 PLaza del Toros y Plaza Espana

2008-10-22T14:03:00.012+01:00

This is the outside view of the famous Seville bullring where Carmen was killed

These two views inside the bullring were taken while we did the tour. The Puerto del Principe or The Princes Gate above is the exit that the bullfighter may leave from only when he is presented with 3 ears from his 2 bulls of the day. This honour is presented for the manner in which he has dispatched his bulls. The ring accomodates 14,000 spectators.

Plaza de Espana where Star Wars 2 Attack of the Clones was filmed as the location for planet Naboo. The Plaza was originally made to host the 1929 Spanish-American technology and industry exhibition.

Seville pt. 2 The Real Alcazar

2008-10-22T13:04:00.009+01:00

Inside the gates of the Real Alcazar in Seville, these 2 amazing pink trees are Ceiba speciosa or the Silk Floss tree. This tree originates from South America and huge examples are dotted around the Alcazar

The Patio del Yeso

The palace facade overlooking the Patio de la Monteria

The view skywards in the Patio de las Munecas

Doors onto the gardens and the tiles floor of the Dormatorio de los Reyes Moros

View of the gardens of the Real Alcazar and below are some Brugmancia flowers we found in the courtyards below.

Seville pt. 1

2008-10-22T13:01:00.014+01:00

View from the bar in the square along S. Juan de la Palma, directly opposite Roger and Vibeke's appartment in the Macarena barrio on the north side of the city.

This photo is the reward I got for looking up while walking around the centre of Seville. This is the balcony above a shop named London City.

One of the many hibiscus plants I found which line the borders in the Jardines de Catalina de Ribera.

These photos taken in the Jardines de Murillo, this park is full of small fountains and tiled walls with benches. In the park were many of these massive trees (Im working on the species) and it is the old city walls with various surviving towers from the 12th century that surround the park.

Brugmansia lives

2008-09-26T11:42:00.005+01:00

'Little Ray' the Brugmansia is alive, he survived Newquay airport and St Austell brewery and seems to be ok. Im slightly worried about the big bites taken out of the bark at the stem by slugs but it has not interupted the vessels so hopefully it will heal.

Look what I grew

2008-09-26T11:30:00.006+01:00

After I culled all but one of the sweet pepper plants the last one suddenly came up with four peppers but then collapsed under its own weight. The chili plants are still covered in new fruits that I am collecting and drying out in a bowl. I dont actually know what to do with them all.

The corpus cristi time eater

2008-09-18T14:04:00.007+01:00

Walking by Corpus college the other day I spotted something going on and and when i got closer was told it was a new clock for the library, boring i thought. As it turns out the clock is a shining new version of 'grasshopper escapement' which is a mechanism whereby rotational motion of the internal cogs is turned into pendulum motion for counting seconds. The clock is made by horologist ex-pupil Dr John Taylor who cites John Harrison the inventor of gridiron mechanism and famous as the pioneer of longtitude as his hero.

He calls the new version of the escapement a 'Chronophage' (time-eater) - "a fearsome beast which drives the clock, literally "eating away time" I agree it is fascinating and awesome and i hope to find an excuse to get into the college and see it myself.

Dogs

2008-09-12T10:24:00.009+01:00

I have always loved Staffie type dogs as I have grown up with various of them, most of which had some serious mental issues and came from rescue but were brilliant anyway. Recent addition was a deaf English Bull Terrier also rescued from the breeder who wanted her destroyed for being deaf. The challenging character of this breed, the mouthing and head butting has made me love them. I cannot deny that the more I see of French Bulldogs the more I want one. I am keeping my eyes peeled for one in need, enjoy these photos i got from google below and my own dogs Floyd and Sheep above.

Chilli pepper and Sweet peppers

2008-09-06T15:10:00.009+01:00

As expected the Chilli plants red and purple grew themselves with minimal intervention from me, just some fertilizer. I gave away all my sweet pepper plants except 4, then as they grew giant I culled all but one of them which is now growing 4 little green peppers. I don't have a magnifying glass but I suspect red spider mites as the edges of the leaves are curling and there are small white dots on the leaves, so im trying to spray them damp every night. Im so proud!

Money Makers - May to August

2008-09-05T14:03:00.006+01:00

These are my Money Maker tomatoes. Started in May in a seed tray on my window sill and ending up in various other peoples gardens. The last photo was taken in August in my mums garden. I am very pleased with how these turned out, as very strong plants with thick branches. With the lack of sunshine and torrential rain going on I expect they will grow far fewer tomatoes than they could have managed.

Cactus arrived in the post

2008-09-04T10:51:00.007+01:00

The postman arrived with an exciting box last week from Glenhirst nursery. I got a cute little Lithops called Marmorata, a 'living stone' which will flower in the autumn with ice white flowers. Lithops come from South Africa in very dry areas where they survive half submerged as stones to deter animals from eating them. The box contained a succulent called Sedum Pachyphylum, a mass of club shaped leaves green with pink tips. Most exciting is an orchid catus or epiphyllum, these are cactus which grow spectactular flowers. Mine arrived as a 6 inch cutting which I am now rooting in in slightly moist compost. The epiphyllum flower.

Early September 08 plants

2008-09-03T20:05:00.012+01:00

I should really have started posting photos and documenting the progress of my plants at the start of this non existent summer. But better late than never. These are my houseplants as they now look, 4 succulents seem to be surviving but only the Aloe type specimen (bottom left) has produced any babies this year.

I have dried out one of the offshoot babies and am trying to get it to root in slightly damp soil. This succulent on the right below is Echeveria elegans, I removed this from the mixed bowl and is now huge. I hope it will flower next month.

Angels Trumpet

2008-09-02T16:21:00.002+01:00

New obsession as a result of this trip is Brugmansia suaveolens. I was doing well by not acquiring anymore plants from Eden and Heligan but then was given a young specimen in need of rescuing from slugs by the proprietor of the excellent Sedgemoor Heights B and B. Thanks Ray. Currently looks this below but will one day look like this above.

Holiday time in Cornwall

2008-09-02T14:25:00.008+01:00

Came back from St. Austell last night where Ive spent the last 3 days, got a good deal on Ryanair but beware Newquay airport development tax on the way home. We visited the Eden Project to start with and then got to go somewhere I have always wanted to visit, The Lost Gardens of Heligan.

I would revisit both again but the Eden project was a bit like a theme park and the Lost Garden of Heligan was magic, hundreds of photos were taken of both. I hope I can go back every year to both places and see whats new.

Went on the St. Austell brewery tour which was the first brewery tour I have ever been on and I have to say was really really interesting. Roy the guide was excellent, we were able to go everywhere and see every stage of the process and I can highly recommend Clouded Yellow the only wheat beer made in the brewery, very nice.