Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica at Rosemoor (and a Rant)

Clary sage is a biennial or short lived perennial. Showy white flowers, with pink bracts and lavender hoods tower above the leaves.

The plant has an excitable look to me, as if it is holding out a whole series of arms to claim our attention, as well it might.

Need I say this post was prompted by the final day of Becky’s SquarePerspectives? I do wish this particular perspective of Rosemoor’s lovely garden was within reach of my doorstep. I may be living under a beautiful blue sky today, but I was shocked to note how many leaves had browned and fallen yesterday. Autumn approaches.

If you just want to pleasantly dream about walking in this garden, stop reading now with my blessing. 

Further steps have been taken in parts of Northern England to prevent Covid-19 from coming back in force as it was obviously set to do. Announced on yesterday’s late night news (just as Eid started) to come into force at midnight, I found it depressing. Very late, in my opinion, and announced carelessly. These things matter.

Still wide awake, intent on knowing exactly what the government was saying and prepared to do some digging, I could only gather the gist of the instructions. Northerners, it seems, don’t need any details. Details are wasted on us – so much so that the government had been telling us for over 3 months that our infection rate was relatively low, then suddenly tripled it on the official website at the start of July when pillar 2 testing (tests carried out by contractors) was added in. It’s easy to criticise, but what the heck? Our local director of public heath didn’t even know.

Today the government’s message is clearer but full of holes. Just one instance: we can go to pubs without mixing with other households. That might work in London, but have these people spent time in a northern pub? When has six feet prevented a northerner from mixing with other households? Meanwhile, the law is to be enforced by local police, 22 of whom have been told to quarantine because 9 of them went to a retirement party where someone later tested positive. You couldn’t make it up.