The best laid plans o' mice and men.......

Last year I grew some celery, but it was tough as old boots..... not even Benji, our canine composter, would eat it. I liked the colour and form of the leaves though, so I kept one plant back and left it to grow at will in an old half-barrel.

Here it is with its dainty pretty flowers.

During a quick tidy-up in the greenhouse last Summer, I came across some lily bulbs. I always grew the lilies in containers but because of the time it takes to water them, I decided to cut down on containers. Having come across the discarded bulbs I thought it was a shame to leave them there, so I planted them in the nearest little plot of ground at the side of the greenhouse. I'm so glad I did. They're one of the highlights in the garden this Summer. Their roots not being confined to a pot (and a couple of liquid feeds), allowed them to grow almost to the height of the greenhouse! I took this photo early in the morning and the sun was shining on them making them seem paler than they are. The colour is more intense.

Here's another unplanned success. We were given this rose some years ago but everywhere was crammed full of plants. The only place available was down at the bottom of the garden where all the prunings and green 'waste' go. Being a rambling rose, I thought it would grow along the top of the fence amongst the other plants. Instead it scrambled its way through the Weeping Willow tree, reaching for the sunlight. Each Summer I think it wont survive and each year I'm proved wrong as it grows more beautiful than ever.

This little corner of the garden has been planned! It's a shady plot where the Weeping Silver Birch tree grows and behind it, ivy has almost covered the old stone shed. I've underplanted the tree with fern and foxgloves and some smaller woodland flowers. The birds like this part of the garden too, as it provides them with a sheltered place of protection. This is where all the baby blackbirds have perched throughout Spring and Summer, waiting for mum to bring them their meals.

The Millenium Bugs at Durham Botanic Gardens..... and 13 year old daughter. :)

This photograph has nothing at all to do with this post. :O) It's for John of Sedgdunum Warbler.

.........down at the bottom of the garden.

We've got a bees nest in our garden shed...... not in the potting shed thank goodness, but one of the others at the bottom of the garden. I've been doing a bit of tidying up down there - nothing major, just so we can walk in a straight line without stepping over obstacles - and I noticed all these lovely little bees periodically crawling through the gap under the door of the shed.

Bombus pratorum, the universal pollinator

What gorgeous bees... with orange bottoms. I'd never seen bees like this before so after typing 'orange-bottomed bee' into Google I discovered that this species is called Bombus pratorum, the Early Bumblebee. As for not having seen this kind of bee, I read that it is our universal pollinator, pollinating well over 140 different kinds of flowers. You can read more about Bombus and see some beautiful photographs by going here.

Although I sometimes go into the shed, for a bamboo cane or a seedtray, etc., I haven't explored the corner where I suspect the nest is, and it's too dark to see as ivy has totally covered the only window. I remember putting a bag of shredded paper there some time ago, which is now well-hidden behind various discarded garden pots so that's probably where they are.

A nest of Bombus pratorum

'Our' bees are welcome to stay in the garden shed for as long as they like. I enjoy watching them coming and going from under the door and they take no notice of me at all, but fly round me and off on to the more important job of collecting pollen.

I don't think they'll be here for much longer though, as I've read that bees die off round about Autumn. Just when I was missing the robins, Mother Nature sent me bees. I wonder what she'll send next.

(photographs courtesy of the worldwide web)

Naming names

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to name a plant after anyone we wanted to. Here are my choices.

Doctor Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)

Doctor Schweitzer was a physician, humanitarian, theologian and musician who started a hospital in Africa to treat African natives. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952 for his efforts in the campaign against nuclear weapons. His philosophy in life was one of compassion towards all life, human and non-human species. He is amongst the greatest of role models. If I could name a plant after Doctor Schweitzer, it would be a Bamboo which, in China, is considered to be 'a gentleman with perfect virtues'. It has the perfect balance of grace and strength. To find out more about Doctor Albert Schweitzer, go here.

'At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us'. (Albert Schweitzer)

Sophia Magdalena Scholl (1921-1943)

Sophie Scholl was a young German student who, along with her brother Hans, was a member of a non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany. The group, horrified at hearing accounts of soldiers' behaviour at the Front and of the mass killings of Jews, began to compose and distribute anti-war leaflets. Sophie and Hans were eventually caught distributing leaflets at the Univesity of Munich. Subsequently they, and other members of the group, were executed. Sophie was a member of the resistance group, The White Rose, but I would name a yellow rose after her. It signifies her last comment and, in floral terms, bears the meaning 'I care'.... which she certainly did. To learn more about Sophie Scholl, go here.

"Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go," she continued, "but what does my death matter, if through us thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?" (Sophie Scholl just before her execution)

Christopher Reeve (1952-2004)

When the name Christopher Reeve is mentioned, the fictional character of Superman springs to mind. Christopher Reeve was not only Superman in the world of films but in real life also. After suffering a spinal cord injury during a horse-riding accident, he became a wonderful ambassador for the funding of stem cell research and he never lost hope that a cure would be found.

Of Christopher Reeve, UC Irvine said, "In the years following his injury, Christopher did more to promote research on spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders than any other person before or since." The two words that describe Christopher Reeve to me are dignity and hope, so his special flower would be the dahlia since that is what it signifies. The Superman colours of blue and red would be ideal, but I'm not sure that anyone has bred a dahlia with blue in it yet. :D To find out more about Christopher Reeve, go here.

"Don't give up. Don't lose hope. Don't sell out." (Christopher Reeve)

Jane Tomlinson (1964-2007

Jane Tomlinson was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1991. Amazingly, over the next six years, she went on to complete the London Marathon three times, the London Triathlon twice, The New York Marathon once and cycled across Europe and the United States. She raised £1.85 million for charity and since her death, the charity she founded has announced a new fundraising target of £5 million. I would name a gladiolus after Jane Tomlinson as this is the flower that symbolizes strength of character, which Jane had in abundance. To learn more about Jane Tomlinson, go here.

Thank goodness the world is full of good people and heroes! Who, apart from family members, would you like to name a flower after?

Woody's Escape

It was a beautiful tranquil morning, the sun already shining, patio doors wide open with the faint hint of a breeze wafting in. I'd just seen daughter off to school so I settled down with a fresh cup of tea and began what precious moments of Open University study I can snatch.

Suddenly there was a commotion in the garden, lots of movement and what sounded like a frantic flapping of wings. Sparrowhawk, I thought! Fleeing into the garden, there I saw a cat gripping a woodpigeon by its wing. I'd been watching the woodpigeon pecking peacefully for bits of grain earlier on. Waving my Open University unit wildly and spluttering expletives, the cat darted off and Woody flew to safety.

During the encounter the woodpigeon left behind quite a few feathers..... some large wing feathers and lots of little downy ones. I wanted to immediately clear away the visible signs of the violent scene..... but I needed a cup of tea first! Sitting with my cuppa I felt glad that Woody had had a lucky escape and hoped that he would recover well . Looking out at the garden I saw that the sparrows were taking advantage of the incident...... there they were flying off with beakfulls of fluffy feathers to refurbish their nests! Just as well I didn't dispose of them.

Here is the very unit that helped to save Woody's life! :D

To visit the Open University, go here.

Bon Voyage Harry!

Today is a special day because Baby Harry has taken his first steps (or slithers) into the big wide world. Here are some photos he posed for this morning.

This illustrates his size. I said I'd release him when he grew to the size of a nasturtium seed but, as you can see, I put it off until he reached the size of a pea.

Here he is chomping on a fresh dandelion leaf

Hi there big boy!

At half-past eight tonight Charlotte and I said our goodbyes to Harry and took his jar from the shed into the garden. Whispering a short prayer, we released him on to a cherub statuette under the Angelica. We decided to let him go in the evening while it was cool and damp. As the saying goes, the world is now his oyster...... or the garden at least, full of abundant greens and minerals. From the tiny dot I first encountered on my kitchen worktop, it was wonderful to see him skimming over the surface of the cherub like Stirling Mollusc...... way to go Harry!

To all the humble beasts there be,
To all the birds on land and sea,
Great Spirit sweet protection give,
That free and happy they may live!

John Galsworthy