Nature Photo Challenge: Ferns
Once, my sweetheart and I were coatless in the middle of Sunnyhurst Wood when a sudden downpour threatened to drench us. A young girl and boy appeared out of nowhere, shyly offering each of us the largest bracken frond they could find to pick, gesturing that that we should use them as makeshift umbrellas.
We accepted, thanked the children (who, satisfied, ran off to their parents) and carried the fronds over our heads as if they offered a magical form of protection, which they did – the kindness of young strangers.
I suppose drippier umbrellas have been used by smilier people, but we had a good try for the world record. Continue reading “Nature Photo Challenge: Ferns”
May Vidacovich’s Garden, Louisiana
Earlier this year we seized the opportunity to visit plantswoman May Vidacovich’s fascinating and beautifully cared for private garden in Louisiana. The garden is a heady mix of plants I know well with others I’d never seen before, or only ever at flower shows.
Normally I’d avoid being out in hot sun and I was tempted to describe it as a fleeting visit. In truth I lingered for longer than it felt at the time and pretty much had to be dragged away in a sorry state of heat exposure and reluctance to leave this piece of paradise.
I’m sharing these pictures with hardly any commentary other than to note that they only skim the surface of what was flourishing there. Continue reading “May Vidacovich’s Garden, Louisiana”
Candelabra Primulas For The Summer Solstice
I’m not sure why these pictures seemed suitable for a solstice celebration. Perhaps it’s the mix of sunlight and shade. Perhaps the primulas’ centres remind me of the sun. Continue reading “Candelabra Primulas For The Summer Solstice”
Wordless Wednesday: Spotted
The Wildness of Foxgloves (Digitalis Purpurea)
While I enjoy seeing foxgloves in gardens, I can’t help comparing the straight, sturdy, varieties of commerce to wild foxgloves that weave around Lancashire’s fields and country lanes.
Rarely without some form of wave or bend – the ‘nod’ of folklore – wild foxgloves can grow with aplomb wherever they find themselves, high or low. Much of their charm is in their willy-nillyness. Continue reading “The Wildness of Foxgloves (Digitalis Purpurea)”
Architectural Glasshouses, Greenhouses and Plants
It may not be the first English garden you’d associate with a Palm House, but Sefton Park has one of the prettiest. These tiered buildings hark back to times when palm trees were enough of a curiosity to justify building a magnificent structure to keep palms alive through our winters. Continue reading “Architectural Glasshouses, Greenhouses and Plants”
Susan Rushton 