Continue reading “Wordless Wednesday: Unusual Wallpaper Design”
Wall Art: Rustic Tree Slice With A Wiggly Outline
It’s intriguing to see inside a tree. I’m fascinated by the uneven outline of this cross-section – how it has what could loosely be described as a star shape.
The worth of an artwork is not so much tied up in its monetary value for me, but is more connected to how long you can look at it, enjoy it or think about it. I could look at this slice of tree for a long while. Continue reading “Wall Art: Rustic Tree Slice With A Wiggly Outline”
Cercis canadensis ‘Eternal Flame’
The Chelsea Plant of the Year (from 2021) is a deciduous, multi-stemmed redbud tree that keeps fairly compact at under 4 m / 13 ft. It’s something of a curiosity. Continue reading “Cercis canadensis ‘Eternal Flame’”
Cross-section of Mature Tree Showing Heartwood
Several people have reached out to find out why I’m quiet online – thanks so much for that. We are fine, but I’m in picture-gathering mode than writing and reading. We recently parted company with our internet provider after many days without service, and are waiting for the new service to be connected in a week or so. (Fingers crossed!)
The wonderfully shaped and richly coloured heartwood is from a stock of timber prepared for use by a woodcrafting company. It is not often we get to see what’s inside the trees around us. Continue reading “Cross-section of Mature Tree Showing Heartwood”
Partying With a Magnificent Chionanthus retusus (Chinese fringetree)
We saw – no, the right word is experienced – this frothy Chinese fringetree in bloom in Natchez last year. Each year when it flowers, the people who own it throw a party in celebration. We’d missed the official party, but had a wonderful evening, and I was charmed by the tree. If I remember rightly, they planted it shortly after buying the house and it is ‘only’ around 25 years old. Continue reading “Partying With a Magnificent Chionanthus retusus (Chinese fringetree)”
A Snowy Darwen Moor
Following up my frosty rose pictures, I thought you might like to enjoy Darwen Moor in the snow vicariously without freezing your fingers or nose. Continue reading “A Snowy Darwen Moor”
Seeds of The Horse Chestnut or Conker Tree (Aesculus hippocastanum)
While not a native tree, characterful flowers, leaves and seeds have made the horse chestnut tree so wildly grown that it is (or should be) part of every British childhood. Tough, spiky cases with an inner layer of padding protect large, polished chestnut-coloured seeds (conkers) while they form.
One of my memories of Autumn ’22 will be standing under the canopy of the biggest horse chestnut tree in Bold Venture Park to see if any fine conkers were left in the leaf litter underneath, a habit that dies hard. Better than that, I soon discovered, turn and turn about, conkers tippling their balance from unreadiness to ripeness in a decisive instant were slowly, heavily, falling around me. Continue reading “Seeds of The Horse Chestnut or Conker Tree (Aesculus hippocastanum)”
Susan Rushton 