life between the flowers

Partial shade perennial flowering wet & pondside garden plants Astilbe

2011-06-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Many of the Astilbes found in the British Isles today are hybrids. That is to say that they are a cross between two or more of the original wild species brought here by plant collectors from across the Far East where they are native. Astilbe's were first introduced here in the 1800's largely from Japan and Korea where the species were predominantly white. In 1842 the Treaty of Nanking was signed to bring an end to the first opium war between Britain and the Qing Dynasty, which then opened up China to British plant collectors and travellers and it is then that pink species found there were introduced here. Possibly by Robert Fortune a famous plant hunter who was sent to China around that time by the Royal Horticultural Society. Most notable in the development of the Astilbe cultivars we find in our gardens today however, was probably a German nurseryman called Georg Arends (arendsii cultivars) who began crossing those early species in the 1900's. and is probably responsible for over seventy varieties. There are today Astilbes from pure white,shades of pink to deep red and mauve.

Perennials, Astilbes do best when planted in humus rich, moist boggy situations. Around ponds are ideal. They prefer light to partial shade but will tolerate full sun if kept well watered. They are kept at there best by giving them a feed with a compound fertilizer in the spring. Astilbe's are very low maintenance. There are not any real pest or disease problems affecting Astilbes so if yours are looking a little sad, start with a moisture check, and then giving them a feed should perk them up in most cases. Flowering takes place from late spring through the summer months, the feathery blooms still looking good after they have died and dried. Old or unwanted broken stalks can be cut and tidyed in late winter ready for the new spring growth.

Click here to buy Astilbes from Crocus plants

Pictures: top/bottom Narrowboat on The Kennet and Avon Canal, in Hungerford Berkshire. Opened in the 1700's it was used by canal narrow barges as a transport link from Bristol to the Thames in Reading. to find out more visit the Kennet and Avon Canal trusts website: here Middle pictures: Arendsii Astilbes Site Navigation: click here to go to the start/ homepage or use older/previous or archive to view more posts.

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Hollyhock flowers ( Alcea rosea) full sun cottage garden & herbacous border plants

2010-11-08T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hollyhocks are a charming sight growing in front of English country cottage's and make a wonderfully tall colourful addition to any garden, coming in a beautiful array of different colours from pastel pinks to deep purples, reds, white and pale yellow. Flowering from July through to September they are mostly thought of as a biennial, that is that the plant will flower on it's second year of growth. What this means in practice is that once your hollyhock has flowered through the summer it will shed a mass of seeds (in Autumn) which if left in situ' or potted up grow on to become small hollyhocks in spring. These new plants, which are very easy to grow,will produce abundant foliage but, somewhat frustratingly will not flower until the following year. However it will be well worth the wait! The Original plant should have all its old woody flowering stems cut down to the crown of the plant. Generally the original will last several seasons but can sometimes die off completely especially if winters are severe. This is why it is sometimes refered to as a short lived perennial.

History is littered with references to hollyhocks. Pollen from hollyhocks were found in soil samples taken from the Shanidar cave, a Neanderthal (50,000BC) buriel site in Iraqi Kurdistan, although there is some debate as to whether the pollen entered the grave by burrowing rodents or was from flower heads ritually put in by relatives during burial. A native to China, Central and Southwest Asia, the Chinese used hollyhocks in culinary receipes as well as for medicinal purposes. It is thought that the hollyhock may have been introduced to Medieval England as early as 1290 by Eleanor of Castile queen to Edward I. Certainly in Tudor England (1485-1603) the dried roots were used to stave of strokes and miscarriages.

Hollyhocks prefer a good loamy well drained soil. One should endeavour to plant them in a position that gets full sun although light shade will be tolerated. Despite their obvious height hollyhocks seldom require much staking except in excessive stormy conditions. They are well adapted to long dry periods but will not tolerate water logging especially over winter. Without doubt the problem that affects hollhocks the most is the dreaded rust. This appears as yellow- orange spots and splodges on the leaves and as the summer progresses will cover the whole plant. Treatment however is relatively straight forward. Since the rust is a fungus spraying a systemic fungicide early in the season as foliage appears should do the trick. Also removing any infected leaves and burning them will help with prevention.

Pictures: Top to bottom beauitful hollyhocks sway in the summer breeze outside a cottage in the village of Tangley (copyright simon tinks davis) All posts are archived below. To go to the homepage click: life between the flowers home your views are welcome please say hello by leaving a message in comments below.

Spring blooming shrubs: Ribes red flowering currant

2010-09-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

The Ribes flowering currant (Species Sanguineum) is a popular late spring flowering shrub, which is at its best in April and May here in the UK. The blooms are a prolific and spectacular red when in full flower. It was introduced in England c.1817 as a cultivated garden shrub by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), after 19th century Scottish Botanist David Douglas send seeds back to London from his plant finding expeditions in North America where it is native and grows mostly in the western coastal areas. By far the most popular here and indeed thought to be the first gardened cultivar grown in Britain is King Edward V11 but there are numerous different varieties.

Deciduous and fully hardy, Ribes prefers a sunny position in well drained soil. They will grow to approx 4/5 ft tall but I have seen some much higher. Pruning is minimal except for taking out dead wood and poor stems which is best done after flowering. pictures:(copyright simon tinks davis) Top, village of Longstock. Bottom: Ribes flowering currant. All posts are archived below. To go to the homepage click http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/ Your views are welcome please say hello by leaving your message in comments below

Spring flowering fragrant yellow blooming shrub Hammamelis mollis

2010-03-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Hammamelis mollis is probably one the earliest flowering shrubs that can fill Winter weary eyes with warmth and colour like no other. Especially given that it begins blooming yellow spidery flowers, with a subtle fragrance, as early as chilly Feburary. Small black berries usually appear after flowering followed by greyish green leaves through the summer and falling in Autumn The shrub belongs to the Hamamelidaceae family of flowering plants, which is made up of almost all shrubs and small trees of approx 90 species native across Southeast Asia, North America and China the latter of which is the origin of Hamamelis mollis hence it's more common name Chinese witch hazel. The origin of the witch hazel name is thought to come from the Old English word 'wice' or 'wyche' meaning pliant. Indeed the stems of witch hazel as well as common European hazel are very bendy and have been used for water divining a somewhat mystical method of finding underground water springs.

Ideally Hammamelis mollis prefers a rich loam on the acidic side (PH 5.5-6.5) but will tolerate slightly more alkaline conditions. Equally happy in full sun or partial shade this hardy shrub can grow to approx 12ft x 12ft unchecked. Pruning is minimal as this shrub is a slow grower, just trim to shape as soon as flowering has finished in the spring. Different Coloured Hammamelis varieties are also availiable, xintermedia birgit has lovely red flowers and Hammamelis xintermedia aphrodite is orange. Pictures top: (c) Hurstbourne village church. Bottom: Hammamelis Mollis courtesy Donar Reiskoffer. All posts are archived below. To go to the home page click:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/ Your views are welcome please say hello by leaving your message in comments below

Ballerina, pink & white shrub rose for full sun or partial shade

2010-03-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hybridized and introduced to Britain in 1937 by Ann & John Bentall, Ballerina (Hybrid Musk parentage unknown) is a prolific flowering shrub rose that will, if regularly dead headed, provide clusters of pink and white flowers throughout the Summer. Grown more for its blooms, as there is only a slight fragrance, Ballerina has a tight bush like habit that suits either being planted singularly or in a group. They can grow quite tall (4-6ft) if allowed to and it is not unheard of for them to ramble into a nearby tree. Although best grown in full sun, Ballerina is probably one of the best roses to tolerate partial or dappled shade. It should be noted however planted in full shade they will become very leggy and flowering will be substantially reduced so is best avoided.

As with all roses planting should be in a humus rich soil. Roses have a PH value of 6.5 so slightly on the acidic side. I usually feed a handful of rose fertilizer in March and again in June, sprinkling the dressing around the base and forking in lightly. Ballerina is reasonably resistant to mildrew and rust but although not as badly affected as some roses, Blackspot can be a problem in badly infected areas. In such cases spraying with a suitable garden fungicide is recommended. Pruning is required only to remove the dead flower clusters and to keep it in general shape.Pictures(copyright simon tinks davis) Top: Summer at The Cricketers Pub Tangley village Middle: Ballerina in first year. Bottom: Ballerina's flower clusters of pink and white. All Posts are archived below.To go to the homepage from site or feed click here: http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/ Your views are welcome please say hello by leaving a message in comments below

Climbing vine Solanum Crispum Glasnevin, (Chilean Potato tree) ideal for walls, trellis and pergolas

2010-02-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Solanum Crispum Glasnevin climbing vine is a native of South America and part of the nightshade family of species. Interestingly it is closely related to the potato hence it's more commonly known name The Chilean potato vine or tree. I am not sure exactly who first introduced the plant to Britain but it was probably William Curtis, a well known 18th century English horticulturist who collected plants from all over the world. Certainly it was one of his drawings and sketches he made public in the late 1700's. The plant has been awarded the Royal Horticultural society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) It is a prolific flowerer with soft purple-blue flowers with a tiny yellow centre and a subtle fragrance. One can expect this glorious display to continue right through the Summer months from June until September when it produces small green-yellow berries which are poisonous to humans. It thrives best in a sunny position in neutral to alkaline soil and is an ideal climber for a wall, trellis or pergola although one should bear in mind it is very vigorous once established and can reach over five metres.

You will need to provide some support for this vine in the form of horizontal wires or trellis if growing up a wall. In some areas the plant will remain semi evergreen but is more likely to be deciduous. Pruning should be done in the spring as new growth is about to commence. Take out all dead growth and cut down roughly a third of older stems to ground level and tie in new growth. You will probably need to trim some growth so the vine lies flatter against your support to stop it lopping as it grows out as much as up. One thing I've personally found is that they do not like to be 'hacked back' to hard at one time especially if this takes place in the Autumn or over the Winter. Buy Solanum Crispum Glasnevin from Crocus plants here Buy Solanum Laxum Album (white) from Crocus plants here (pictures copyright simon tinks davis) Top: Thatched cottages in the Hampshire village of Amport. Middle: Chilean Potato plant in a sunny spot growing up a fence. Bottom: Solanum Crispum Glasnevin's lovely blue flowers. All posts are archived below, to go to the homepage (from site or feed) click:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/

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Wisteria: (history, planting, pruning) Climbing shrub for sunny or partial shaded walls,trellis, and arches

2010-02-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

The Wisteria is a popular climber in Britain and can be seen covering many cottage walls and garden trellis in villages all over the country. However this woody vine is not a native of these Isles but of China (wisteria sinensis), Japan (wisteria floribunda) and The United States (wisteria frutescens and others). The English Botanist Thomas Nuttall who lived in America from c. 1800-1840 named the genus Wisteria, of which there are approx ten species, after Dr.Caspar Wistar a prominent American physician and anatomist of the time. The commonest species found in Britain is Wisteria sinensis, brought over from China in 1816. Indeed one of the original imported plants still grows to this day on the wall of what used to be the head brewers cottage at the Fullers beer brewery in Chiswick London and is probably the oldest one in the country.

The Wisteria is a hardy climber and once established very vigorous, so care should be taken when planting one by making sure that you have enough space to accomodate it otherwise heavy pruning will be required, it can easily find its way into gutters and under roof tiles. Don't let that deter you to much however as the spectacle of a Wisteria flowering in May is one to behold. They do best in a position with full sun or partial shade. Plant in Autumn or Spring in soil that is humus rich and well drained. When talking about Wisteria the question I get asked most often is how to prune them for maximum flowers. The flower buds develop at the base of the previous years growth on the spurs jutting outward from the plant, most visible once the leaves have fallen. Any water or side shoots sticking out (long wispy bits) should be trimmed back to three or four buds from the base. I usually do mine over winter but some people prefer to wait till early spring. In the summer after flowering growth will be vigorous so cut off all the long shoots that you don't want to keep to extend the plants height or width otherwise it will become very tangled. Happy wisteria growing! Pictures (copyright simon tinks davis) Top: A lovely day among the cottages of Amport village. Middle: Wisteria sinensis Bottom: Wisteria sinensis Alba (white) All posts are archived below, to go to the homepage click:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/ your views are welcome please say hello by leaving you message in comments below

Spring Flowering hardy perennial plants Cowslip

2010-01-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

The Cowslip is a member of the primula genus (primrose family) It is becoming more common again in English meadows and village greens since there has been a change in farming practices that is, away from intensive agriculture to a more conservation minded approach to food production. The Cowslip has long been thought of as a wildflower. In more recent times however, gardeners including myself, have introduced the cowslip to grass areas to bloom in April/May after early spring bulbs have finished. This hardy perennial prefers a sunny position in chalky alkaline not acidic soil. It will tolerate a partially shaded position but the quality of flowering may be reduced. Best planted in Autumn, the Cowslip will naturally spread. If planted in grass, mowing should not be done until after the seeds have set and dispersed in late July (uk)

There are quite a few old English legends and myths surrounding the Cowslip. The name herb Peter was used widely in years gone by. It comes from the tale of St Peter who drops his keys at the gates to Heaven and a Cowslip springs from the spot where they land. The flowers were thought to be hiding places for fairies and that the plant had special powers to open the places where fairies hid their treasure. A woman who washes herself with water full of cowslip petals was said to be able to draw her lover closer to her. Today the Cowslip is the County Flower of four English counties.

Pictures (copyright simon tinks davis) Top: Cowslip and buttercup meadows at Biddesden House. Bottom: Cowslip plants in full bloom. All Posts are archived below, to go to the homepage click:http://www.lifebetweenthefowers.blogspot.com/
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Herbaceous Perennial Spring flowering Full sun & Partial shaded border plants Dicentra Spectabilis & Alba

2009-10-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

Introduced to Great Britain from its native origins in China by plant collector Robert Fortune in 1846, you may know and perhaps be more familiar with Dicentra Spectabilis by its common name bleeding heart, so called because of the heart shaped pink flowers which hang from it's arching stems. This herbaceous perennial is a spectacular early flowerer from spring to the early days of summer. However it should be noted that by mid and certainly late summer the Dicentras show is very much over, so care should be taken in finding the right place to plant it. In winter it disappears completely into the ground reappearing again in March. It will tolerate most soil types but light loamy and slightly alkaline is its ideal. Thrives in full sun or partially shaded cool moist areas.Dicentra Spectabilis Alba is the most common white flowered variety. Its leaves have a lime green colour and almost fern like quality and planted in a partially shaded cool border or woodland glade will usually have a longer flowering time and can maintain its leaves later than its pink cousin.
Pictures top: The Village of Thruxton,(c) STD middle: Dicentra spectababilis (courtesy Tiger Lily ESPhoto.com) bottom: Dicentra spectabilis Alba (c) STD All posts are archived, to go to the home page click:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com
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English Woodland Bluebells

2009-05-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

The British native bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are a common sight in spring in the Ancient woodlands throughout the land. Undisturbed for years the bulbs are well adapted to woodland life and carpet the woodland floor well before the trees come into leaf. Without leaves on the trees there is more light availiable which helps the plant complete it's natural perennial cycle. Sometimes known by the local name Auld man's bells, the bluebell of course, gets it's common name from the blue bell shaped flowers that hang from the stem. In Ancient times when deep oak woods and forests were mystical places, the people of those times believed bluebells were synonymous with the fairies who lived there. Superstitions tell that if anyone wandered into a bluebell ring they would soon fall under the enchantment of the fairies and meet their death. Equally they believed that bluebells rang to summon the fairies to secret gatherings amongst the old oaks. Anyone it is said who heard a bluebells tiny chime would soon wither and die.
pictures (c) simon tinks davis : woodland bluebells in North Hampshire. All posts are archived bottom right of this page. To go to the homepage clickhttp://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/

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Evergreen pink flowering fragrant shrub: Daphne

2009-03-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

There are approx 50-60 different varieties of the Evergreen and deciduous shrub Daphne, all of which belong to the Thymelaeaceae plant family. Daphne's are native across Eurasia and North Africa. They vary in size from small rockery or alpine sized plants to much larger ones suitable for a shrubbery or woodland area. The one pictured is Daphne bholua Jacqueline Postill. Most Daphne are scented but this particular variety is heavily fragrant.

Flowering in late winter early spring, it is ideally planted near your front door for the simple reason that you get bright colourful flowers with an amazing perfume at a time of year when you may not venture to far into the garden. Planting should be undertaken in Autumn, ideally in a humus rich well drained soil. They prefer a neutral PH value (6.0-7.0) that is, not to acidic or alkaline and generally do well in sun or partial shade. Some varieties do better in full shade. Be sure to choose carefully where to plant your shrub simply because they sometimes do not do well being transplanted, so it's best to get it right first time. When you buy your Daphne be sure to choose a containerised not bare rooted one as they will generally do much better. Most Daphne's are slow growing and pruning should only be required to keep your shrub in shape. Always do this after the plant has finished flowering. Scattering a handful of general purpose fertilizer around the base of your shrub in the spring will help it grow and keep it healthy. Please add your favourite varieties and the ones you grow in the comments section. pictures from top 1 bourne valley village 2/3 Evergreen Daphne (c) simon tinks davis All posts are archived at the bottom of the page to go to the homepage clickhttp://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/
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Spring flowering ideal shady border plants: Pulmonaria Officinalis

2009-03-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

Grown in the villages of medieval England, the Lungwort as it is commonly called, was used as
a herbal remedy to treat respiratory problems. This is because the white blotches on the plants leaves were thought by the people of the time to resemble the alveolar cavities of the lung. The plant has the Genus name Pulmonaria, which is from the Latin word pulmo meaning lung. There are many cultivars of Pulmonaria, but probably the Officinalis is the one most commonly found and indeed planted by me in my various gardens here in North Hampshire.

They grow well in a partially shaded border or indeed full sun and flower from early March through April here. The flowers open pink but soon turn a blue/mauve as they mature. It is a good plant to provide ground cover if required because they spread and clump reasonably quickly. This herbaceous perennial needs little maintenance except the removal of dead leaves. It can be beneficial to divide larger plants after a few years, best done in the Autumn.

Other Varieties of Pulmonaria: Angustifolia Munstead Blue, created by Edwardian plantswoman Gertrude Jeykll and named after the woodland garden at Munstead wood. Longifolia has a bright blue flower. Sissinghurst White as the name suggests pure white dainty flowers.

Blue Ensign Violet blue flowers somewhat larger than other varieties. This is by no means an exhaustive list but I hope it may help with identification and choice.
Pictures from top: (c) simon tinks davis 1 the spring bourne flows fast this year past a pretty cottage in the bourne valley villages 2 Pulmonaria Officinalis All posts are archived at the bottom of the page. To view the latest and go to the homepage click:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/
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Early Spring Flowers: Winter Aconites

2009-03-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Since the sixteenth century English Gardeners have planted Winter Aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) to bring Spring that little bit closer. Flowering from mid February the little yellow blooms lift the spirit by revealing along with snowdrops that Spring is not to far away. They belong to the buttercup family Genus and on the many cold days of late winter their blooms will remain tightly shut, unless the temperature reaches around 10c.

Planted under a large deciduous tree they will thrive as they seem to appreciate partial shade. They will also quickly naturalise and spread if left alone, they are not great lovers of being moved but if you must wait until after they have finished flowering. Winter aconites rely on early bees roaming out and about for pollination because they spread by seed.

New tubers (bulbs) purchased from your garden supplier should be planted in reasonably well drained, moist, fertile soil at a depth of around 5cm (2 inches) They are happiest in more alkaline soils, although they will tolerate more acid conditions but the speed at which they naturalise and spread will be somewhat slower. pictures from top (c) winter aconite clump, Tangley Church, winter aconites soon spread and naturalise. All posts archived at the bottom of this page, to go to the homepage and latest post click:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/ please leave your message by clicking comments below

Spring flowering bulbs: The Crocus

2009-03-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

The early spring flowering crocus is a popular hardy perennial flowering plant which is grown from a bulb (corm). Along with snowdrops they are one of the first flowers of spring They come in a variety of different colours, with about 30 known cultivated species. Botanically they are from the lily family genus (picture above: Crocus in full bloom (c) simon tinks davis
The Crocus can withstand frosts which are still very likely during their flowering period here in North Hampshire. Even if light snow falls as it did this year the Crocus keeps going. There is a special reason for this however, their leaves and flowers are protected by a wax like cuticle.
(picture above: Crocus wait for the sunlight of the day before they open (c) simon tinks davisPlanted around the base of an old tree in the same or different colours and among snowdrops as we have at Lord and Lady Newbury's they make an effective show. Planting Crocus as with planting any bulb, depth depends on the size of the bulb you are planting. As a guide use the length of the bulb and plant 3 times deeper than that length and for Crocus approx 2.5cm apart in a random pattern. (pictures above crocus and snowdrops planted around the base of a mature tree (c) simon tinks davis All posts are archived at the bottom of this page, to go to the latest and homepage click here:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/
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Wildlife meadow: Barn Owl nesting boxes, sites & habitat.

2009-03-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

Regular readers of this blog will remember that at Mark and Olivia Cooper-Portland's property we have created a wildflower meadow, with a desire to provide a habitat for all manner of wildflowers, animals and birds. Mark is a very keen birdwatcher and has recently purchased a number of Barn Owl boxes which we have recently erected.
It is important that the boxes are put up in trees with a clear line of flight or outlook and therefore not to obscured by branches etc. Barn Owls tend to look for holes not boxes so making sure the hole is visible is worth remembering. Our boxes in two different styles look directly out onto the meadow. For more information on siting follow the link at the end of this post to the barn owl trust. The Barn Owls main prey is the field vole and the best habitat for them ( and therefore barn owls) is rough tussocky grass with a deep litter layer. We have left several strips around the field margins for this purpose and it seems to be working well as we have already seen barn owls hunting these areas over the winter period.

This habitat will increase again as the new wildflowers and grass grows in the main field. Sheep have been nibbling away over the winter, which is essential to produce a vibrant wildflower population in the spring.
We are very much looking forward to seeing our barn owls take up residence in their new homes and have families. On a warm summers evening there is nothing more majestic than seeing a barn owl glide silently across the meadow. To find out more about barn owls go to the barn owl trust by clicking here: http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/Pictures (c) from top Barn owl courtesy Stevie B, Barn owl boxes recently erected, tussocky grass margin which field voles like to live in , the sheep move in to nibble down the grass in the main field, Barn owl glides across a field on the hunt courtesy Marilyn Jane. All posts are archived at the bottom of the page, to go to the homepage click:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/
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Traditional English thatching and the Battle of Newbury

2009-02-24T12:19:00.001-08:00

Originally from Switzerland, Nico and Liliane Saas-fee have settled happily with their four sons, in a large 16th century thatched cottage here in rural Hampshire. Included in the grounds are several meadows, a tennis court, and a croquet lawn. We have recently planted an orchard with a variety of dessert apples, victoria plums, greengages, a quince and a crab apple tree. We have designed the garden not suprisingly in traditional cottage style.

Every twenty years or so the straw that is used to thatch the roof of this beautiful cottage has to be replaced, and right now in the chilly month of February 2009 this process is well underway.

Thatching roofs has been going on in Britain since the bronze age and the results can be seen mainly in rural villages all over the country on cottages and barns.

The thatching process is undertaken by attaching yealms, basically bundles of specially grown straw, to the roof with spars. The spars are twisted pieces of hazel wood which when pushed into the yealm hold the bundle in place. Although this sounds quite simple, Thatching is a specialized skill that has been passed down from generation to generation.
There is an interesting story that goes with this particular cottage. During The English Civil War between the Parliamentarian Armies of Oliver Cromwell (known as Roundheads) and Soldiers loyal to King Charles 1st (known as Cavaliers), there was a large battle near Newbury in the year 1644. The town of Newbury lies just to the north of Hampshire in the county of Berkshire. The Cavaliers at this battle were largely defeated but two escaped hotly pursued by a band of Roundheads. A kindly farmers wife loyal to the King and sympathetic to the plight of the two Cavaliers hid them in the loft behind a concealed door in the oak paneling whilst the Roundheads searched the village. Their lives were saved. These days English Civil war battles are re-enacted by a society called the sealed knot.

Usually there's plenty of time to enjoy some fine English Ale in the pub afterwards... To find out more about thatching go to The guild of straw craftsmen click:http://www.strawcraftsmen.co.uk/finials.php To find out more about the sealed knot click:http://www.thesealedknot.org.uk/index.asp

Pictures from top: thatching the cottage (c) simon tinks davis. Bottom two: The sealed knot in action courtesy Jons pics. All posts are archived at the bottom of this page, to go to the frontpage and latest post click here:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/ please leave your message by clicking comments below.

Royal Novelty

2009-02-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

For this post you will forgive me for using slightly more discretion than usual since we are dealing with Royal matters. One of my customers, who will remain nameless for obvious reasons, spends time with The Queen, Prince Phillip and the British Royal Family quite often and sometimes sends me a little note or brings me a gift back from Royal households. This is quite a novelty especially when a note arrives by post in Her Majesties E.R. envelopes. I'm sure the postman thinks I've received my knighthood! To find out a bit more about Sandringham click:http://www.sandringhamestate.co.uk/If you wish to find out a bit more about the Royals in general, they have their own website now would you believe click:http://www.royal.gov.uk/

picture: a note to thank me for looking after Jerry the cat at Christmas and a gift of Sandringham fudge from the visitor store yum! (C) simon tinks davis (strictly copyright please)

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Snowdrops: Early signs of Spring

2009-02-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

A sure sign that the year has turned and early indicator that spring is on the way, is the blooming of the snowdrop (Galanthus). It is commonly thought of as a native wildflower of the British Isles, but it is widespread across the temperate parts of Europe and indeed is thought to have been introduced to Britain in the sixteenth century.

The varieties of snowdrop most likely to be found here in North Hampshire are the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and the Crimean snowdrop (Galanthus plicatus) the bulbs of which were brought back by soldiers so taken with the flower during the Crimean war. Both varieties flower from mid January until around mid March.

Here in North Hampshire the year has turned and early Spring snowdrops are blooming. However Winter has decided not to leave without one more icy blast and we have had heavy snow. But you can be sure the little snowdrops are hiding under the white blanket ready to make a cheerful appearance as the ice melts.

Pictures (c) simon tinks davis From Top: Snowdrops in the wood (Courtesy Bob Strife). Snow in the village of upton in the bourne valley. The village postbox wonders whether it will get a visit today. Snowdrops begin to emerge as the ice melts. Bottom: Ice hangs in the beech trees approaching the village, and snowdrops radiant when the snow's gone. All posts are archived at the bottom right of this page. For the latest post and frontpage click here:http://www.lifebetweentheflowers.blogspot.com/ please leave your message by clicking comments below

Pots of style in London

2009-01-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

Mark and Olivia Cooper-Portland entertain many guests at their country residence here in Hampshire. One regular visitor is Joanna Brinkman who often stays over the weekend with her husband Richard and their children. I always enjoy Jo's visits myself because she is a very accomplished gardener and always finds time to chat about goings on in the garden and to bring out a refreshing cup of tea which is always welcome on a warm afternoon.

Jo runs a very successful business in London, specializing in designed and planted Urns, Pots and troughs for Patios and Window ledges which are a most sought after 'must have' garden item amongst the fashionable set. Rather than sing her praises more here follow this link to her website and see for yourself whilst I enjoy my cup of tea! click:http://www.potsofstyle.net/

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picture courtesy (c) Joanna Brinkman

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Winter Woodland Evergreens:The Holly and The Ivy

2008-12-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

Here we are then in the dark days of winter. Great gardens big and small sleep silently under a chilly blanket. As we come to the winter soltice 21st December, the shortest day in deepest winter, the old oak woodlands and hills that roll down to the villages of the Bourne valley are sparkling with heavy frost.

Glistening among the woodland trees and frozen hedgerows is a tree of red berries to cheer us up on these winter days, The European Holly (ilex aquifolium).

Holly is an Evergreen broadleaved tree of which there are over 400 different species distributed worldwide. Holly is dioecious, so individual trees are either male or female, so it is important when planting a tree that you either plant both genders, or you make sure there is a male/female in the neighbourhood. The tree will not start producing flowers until it reaches approx 20 years of maturity. They are white in colour, and appear in May/ June. Pollination between species is mostly undertaken by bees. It is the female tree who's flowers once pollinated go on to produce berries which start green in colour and go on in mid winter to ripen to the bright red that we all know.

Wild Ivy (Hedera helix) is a prolific climber in English woodland and hedgerows. It's green leaves hanging high of the boughs of ancient trees and equally from garden fences and walls. Ivy berries also ripen in winter making them a tasty food for thrushes, wood pigeon and blackbirds when the ground is frozen. There are many cultivated varieties which make excellent climbers to brighten up a dull wall and are very easy to grow.

(pictures: 1, wild Ivy covers an old oak tree at upper chute, simon tinks davis 2, sparkling holly berries courtesy Jackie)

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The Red Poppies of Flanders

2008-11-24T13:48:00.000-08:00

At 11am on the 11th November 1918 the guns of the Western front fell silent after four years of continuous warfare. In the devastation of the trenches only one small delicate flower continued to grow, the Red Poppy. Its seeds some of which may have lain dormant in the soil for years, thrived amongst so much destruction. Three years before the guns fell silent Lt Col. Doctor John McCrae, a Canadian, described this in his poem 'In Flanders Fields'. In 1918 after the guns fell silent an American lady Moina Michael so touched by John McCrae's words wrote her own poem in response 'We Shall Keep Faith' and promised to wear a poppy in memory of the dead, and so the tradition of wearing a poppy on Remembrance day was born.

In 1921 Frenchwoman Madame Guerin persuaded Earl Haig that the Red Poppy of Flanders should be adopted by the Royal British Legion as a symbol of Remembrance after selling poppies to raise money for the devastated areas of France.

In 1922 Major George Howson, the founder of the Disabled society suggested to the Royal British Legion that members of his society could make poppies and from then on the poppy factory provided employment to disabled people, who in turn raised funds for ex service personnel.

Today one can see around the villages of North Hampshire, memorials to our war dead. On Remembrance Sunday and Armistice day poppies are laid in commemoration.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
WE SHALL KEEP FAITH

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields
Sleep sweet-to rise anew
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high we keep the faith
With all who died
And now the torch and poppy red
We wear in honour of our dead
Pictures top: field poppies courtesy foxy parr
middle: wreaths and crosses placed at the memorial service
at St Mary Bourne (simon tinks davis)
bottom: The war memorial at St Mary Bourne
(simon tinks davis)
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TOP TEN humorous garden quotes and quips

2008-11-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

My TOP TEN humorous garden quotes and quips I've heard around. Please add any you've heard in the comments section.

1) New Gardeners learn by Trowel and Error

2) Grow your own dope-Plant a man

3) Gardening requires alot of water, most of it in the form of perspiration

4) My mothers menu consisted of two choices, take it-or leave it

5) A man should never plant a garden larger than his wife can take care of

6) What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter? Pumpkin pi

7) What does the letter 'A' have in common with a flower? They both have bees coming after them

8) 'A favourite of birds' means avoid planting near cars and clothes lines

9) After all is said and done, a hell of a lot more is said than done

10) The one good thing about snow is it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbours

Don't forget to add yours in comments

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East Europeans make great staff 'almost' always...

2008-11-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

Down at Lord and Lady Newbury's there is always plenty to do in the garden and the house, so much so we have hired a lovely couple from Slovakia to help us. Pierre and Tatiana are a perfect couple, very hardworking and capable of multi tasking which is what this busy household requires with Children, Horses, Chickens, Dogs, Rabbits, Cats and Goldfish to attend to, as well as acres of grass to mow etc etc. They have a lovely little cottage provided and plenty of time off, indeed we are very keen to make sure they are happy.

Tatiana speaks very good English, Pierre less so and since I am typically English in that I perhaps somewhat arrogantly expect everyone else in the World to speak my language, sooner or later this was bound to cause a problem.

One day I called in to the House to find a furrow on Lady Newbury's brow, deeper than I had ever seen on her normally unwrinkled complexion. ' Why did you ask Pierre to dismantle the tennis pavilion' she asked? Now the tennis pavilion was a little wooden summerhouse type structure that was used keep all the tennis stuff by the court. 'Err um I don't know what you mean' I said looking puzzled. It turned out that 'cut down the grass round the tennis court' was lost in translation to 'demolish the tennis pavilion' Oops!!

The good thing is we laugh about it now, indeed the Newbury's often tease me about it. But we still to this day haven't told Pierre his mistake because he would be horrified if he knew. Needless to say I'm much more careful and make sure both of us understand what's going on. To this endeavour I use babelfish free translation, follow this link:http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ if you are to lazy like me to learn the language proper.( top: The Slovakian Flag)

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Evergreen Winter yellow flowering spiky leaved shrub: Mahonia

2008-11-08T15:45:00.000-08:00

Baroness Delores Whittingham lives in a pretty village in the Bourne Valley. A socialite and keen supporter of the Conservative party 'Dibbers' Whittingham is approaching her retirement with gusto. Since her husband died a few years ago she and I have changed the garden considerably giving the whole thing somewhat of a fresh look by adding a range of plants which would give us colour throughout the year

The Mahonia is an evergreen flowering shrub which we have added because it can give wonderful Autumn colour, indeed it is not unusual for them to continue flowering until March. The Yellow flowers appear on spiky stems above green holly like leaves. After flowering this hardy shrub produces purple berries in clusters, which compliment its glossy leaves. Very versatile it will tolerate almost all sunny positions but probably thrives best in partial or full shade.

Once planted they require very little maintainence and remain very healthy in most soil conditions. Pruning should only be done after flowering has finished. They are quite slow growing, but this particular variety Mahonia x media Winter Sun will eventually grow to approx 4m x 4m. To purchase a Mahonia online from Crocus plants in the UK click:here

Pictures: Top, entering the village of St Mary Bourne, a village mentioned in the domesday book of 1086, which was undertaken by William the Conqueror to assess the land and resources of England at the time. Bottom picture: Mahonia x media Winter Sun (c) Simon Tinks Davis

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Creating a wildflower and wildlife meadow from scratch

2008-10-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Mark and Olivia Cooper-Portland live in a large country house situated in a leafy lane near the village of Chute. With another house in London and busy lives high flying in financial institutions in the city and charities, they do enjoy coming down to the country for a well earned rest. They are both very keen on the garden and the natural world. Mark in particular is a keen bird spotter, so we have put up numerous bird boxes around the garden.In the late summer of 2007 we decided to create, with some twenty acres of land adjacent to the house, a wildflower meadow, with the idea of creating a habitat for all sorts of wildlife and flowers.

To create a meadow of this size is quite a task, so we engaged the aptly named Charles Flower from Flower farm in the village of Shalbourne to act as a consultant. Charles successfully turned some of his paddocks into amazing fields of wildflowers some years ago and now acts as an adviser to those seeking to do the same thing, as well as opening his property to the public in the summer.

The first thing to consider when planting wildflowers is that perhaps surprisingly, the poorer the soil in terms of nutrients the better they like it. Our land had previously been used for cereals so we were worried it might be a bit to rich, but were assured by Charles that with careful management things would be fine. The local farmer ploughed and prepared the seed bed and a special mix of flower and grass seed was scattered in. It is important that the grass seed in your wildflower mix is of a non vigorous variety so it doesn't swamp the flowers. Planting should ideally be in late summer, because some flower seeds need to overwinter and get frost on them in order to germinate the following spring.

It takes a number of years for the flowers to become fully established, but as you can see from the photos one year on we are not doing to badly. Wonderful daisies, knapweed and scabious are in abundance. To finish off this exciting creation it was decided to put in an avenue of Oak trees to enable generations of cooper-portlands to enjoy a picnic in the meadow under the spreading branches of the old oak trees.( pictures from top to bottom: 1,planting the Oak avenue commences. 2, One year on. 3, Wildflower mix one year after planting. 4, beautiful knapweed. photos (c) simon tinks davis To contact Charles flower our consultant visit his website by clicking this link:http://www.flowerfarms.co.uk/

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