Take care.
Friday, 27 September 2019
Sunday, 22 September 2019
September Tree, September Flower
There's no telling which tree and flower will grab my attention when I stroll around the Botanic Garden, but here's a tree that I simply hadn't noticed before...
Honey Locust - Gleditsia Triacanthos
It was one of the few trees in the garden that was beginning to show just a touch of autumn colour and it also looked so light and delicate against the blue sky. All its label told me was that it is native to the south-east United States. So I took a few photos.
Although the tracery of branches may look intricate and dainty, that's rather misleading - dainty it ain't! This is a tough and resilient tree capable of surviving in a wide range of environments and in some places being regarded as a horribly invasive species. Here in the UK it's just an attractive small tree requiring very little specialist care.
Most Honey Locust trees have branches equipped with sharp spines which can be long enough and sharp enough to puncture car tyres. I didn't notice any and can't spot them on my photos so I'm guessing that this tree is a cultivar which has been selected for its lack of thorns.
The areas of bark which I did study had no sign of thorns but had some interesting shades and textures.
All in all it's a bit of an enigma: it looks delicate but is in fact hard as nails - quite literally as its thorns were actually used as nails in the past. In many places it's a popular tree which has fast growth and can be grown in all sorts of climates and on all kinds of soil. However this toughness can also make it an aggressive invader of agricultural land. I suppose you can't please all the people all the time.
But I know I can please at least one reader with my choice of flower this month.
Autumn Crocus - Colchicum Autumnale
The first thing to mention is that this "autumn crocus" is not a crocus at all but a member of the Lily family, whereas the true crocuses belong to the Iris family. Just to confuse things a bit more the common name of the Autumn Crocus is "Meadow Saffron", but it's not the plant that saffron is obtained from; that's Crocus sativus, a member of the crocus family which also flowers in the autumn!
There are in fact several closely related Colchicums, and many hybrids and cultivars, all of which are usually called Autumn Crocus by most gardeners. There are several similar plants growing in various parts of the Botanic Gardens - the Autumn Garden, the Limestone Rock Garden and the Alpine House.
They have a very individual life-cycle in that they burst forth from the soil at a time when everything else in the garden is thinking of shutting down for the winter. Its leaves have appeared in early Spring but they die back and then nothing happens all through summer till it flowers at the last possible moment, bringing a little cheer to the shortening days of September.
All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially to cats, though presumably most pussycats are too intelligent and discerning to try them. A drug is extracted from the plant though, which can be used for the treatment of gout.
The flowers are short-lived and often fall over on to the ground. But even that they do attractively and gracefully.
Take care
Honey Locust - Gleditsia Triacanthos
It was one of the few trees in the garden that was beginning to show just a touch of autumn colour and it also looked so light and delicate against the blue sky. All its label told me was that it is native to the south-east United States. So I took a few photos.
Although the tracery of branches may look intricate and dainty, that's rather misleading - dainty it ain't! This is a tough and resilient tree capable of surviving in a wide range of environments and in some places being regarded as a horribly invasive species. Here in the UK it's just an attractive small tree requiring very little specialist care.
Most Honey Locust trees have branches equipped with sharp spines which can be long enough and sharp enough to puncture car tyres. I didn't notice any and can't spot them on my photos so I'm guessing that this tree is a cultivar which has been selected for its lack of thorns.
The areas of bark which I did study had no sign of thorns but had some interesting shades and textures.
All in all it's a bit of an enigma: it looks delicate but is in fact hard as nails - quite literally as its thorns were actually used as nails in the past. In many places it's a popular tree which has fast growth and can be grown in all sorts of climates and on all kinds of soil. However this toughness can also make it an aggressive invader of agricultural land. I suppose you can't please all the people all the time.
But I know I can please at least one reader with my choice of flower this month.
Autumn Crocus - Colchicum Autumnale
The first thing to mention is that this "autumn crocus" is not a crocus at all but a member of the Lily family, whereas the true crocuses belong to the Iris family. Just to confuse things a bit more the common name of the Autumn Crocus is "Meadow Saffron", but it's not the plant that saffron is obtained from; that's Crocus sativus, a member of the crocus family which also flowers in the autumn!
There are in fact several closely related Colchicums, and many hybrids and cultivars, all of which are usually called Autumn Crocus by most gardeners. There are several similar plants growing in various parts of the Botanic Gardens - the Autumn Garden, the Limestone Rock Garden and the Alpine House.
They have a very individual life-cycle in that they burst forth from the soil at a time when everything else in the garden is thinking of shutting down for the winter. Its leaves have appeared in early Spring but they die back and then nothing happens all through summer till it flowers at the last possible moment, bringing a little cheer to the shortening days of September.
All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially to cats, though presumably most pussycats are too intelligent and discerning to try them. A drug is extracted from the plant though, which can be used for the treatment of gout.
The flowers are short-lived and often fall over on to the ground. But even that they do attractively and gracefully.
Take care
Friday, 20 September 2019
September's Garden
The Stream
In the north-west corner of the University Botanic Garden in Cambridge there is a short, slow-flowing stream. It's fed by Hobson's Conduit, an artificial water-course built in the seventeenth century to bring fresh water into the town, and supplies water to the bog-garden and lake.
Along it's length the gardeners take advantage of the wet environment to grow many water-guzzling plants which would otherwise not survive in this area of low rainfall. Area of low rainfall? In England? Yes, indeed. Despite all the clichés, this part of England receives only 563mm (22 inches) of rain each year. That's about the same as San Francisco, and less than Miami, Perth (Aus), Cape Town or Lisbon.
One of the most striking things about the stream garden, to a regular visitor like me, is the change that takes place through the seasons. In winter there's a lot of bare earth showing, then come the spring the gardeners are here planting it up for the summer and within a few short months the stream is all but hidden by the luxuriant vegetation, all built from the nutrients in the soil, water and sunshine.
Plants which thrive here include giant rhubarb, gunnera manicata, the skunk cabbage, lysichiton americanum, plume thistle (cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’), Culver's root (veronicastrum virginicum) and bleeding heart (dicentra spectabilis) - it says on the website.
Dragonflies often make a home here too, but it's really just a place to wander slowly absorbing the whole wild rampant show of growth.
Take care.
In the north-west corner of the University Botanic Garden in Cambridge there is a short, slow-flowing stream. It's fed by Hobson's Conduit, an artificial water-course built in the seventeenth century to bring fresh water into the town, and supplies water to the bog-garden and lake.
Along it's length the gardeners take advantage of the wet environment to grow many water-guzzling plants which would otherwise not survive in this area of low rainfall. Area of low rainfall? In England? Yes, indeed. Despite all the clichés, this part of England receives only 563mm (22 inches) of rain each year. That's about the same as San Francisco, and less than Miami, Perth (Aus), Cape Town or Lisbon.
One of the most striking things about the stream garden, to a regular visitor like me, is the change that takes place through the seasons. In winter there's a lot of bare earth showing, then come the spring the gardeners are here planting it up for the summer and within a few short months the stream is all but hidden by the luxuriant vegetation, all built from the nutrients in the soil, water and sunshine.
Plants which thrive here include giant rhubarb, gunnera manicata, the skunk cabbage, lysichiton americanum, plume thistle (cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’), Culver's root (veronicastrum virginicum) and bleeding heart (dicentra spectabilis) - it says on the website.
Dragonflies often make a home here too, but it's really just a place to wander slowly absorbing the whole wild rampant show of growth.
Take care.
Wednesday, 18 September 2019
Beneath The Roaring Traffic
You could drive along the A1(M) road hundreds of times (as some poor souls do) and never guess what lay under the highway. You could even drive around the busy roundabout on the A1000 Welwyn By-Pass which runs parallel to the A1(M) without noticing the entrance.
But if you did stop you might find this strange burrow beneath the roaring traffic which leads, should you follow it like Alice after the White Rabbit, to an unexpected world,
This downsloping tunnel is not part of the local sewer system as you might reasonably expect but is in the care of Hertfordshire Museums.
For here between 1960 and 1973 a local archaeologist called Tony Rook excavated part of a complex of Roman buildings. No sooner had he completed the work than plans were published for a new major road - going right over top of the site.
It was decided to build a "vault" over the remains and open it up as an educational facility and visitor attraction. This is the Roman baths which were part of a villa complex known to archaeologists as Dicket Mead. The photo above shows the poor old servant stoking the fires to heat the boiler.....
….meanwhile the privileged few lounge around in luxury. It has been suggested that as these buildings are close to a major Roman road it may have been the equivalent of a hotel. Or it may just be part of the villa of a wealthy family. It was built in the third century AD and was occupied for around 150 years.
There is also a display of various artefacts discovered during the excavation.
And here's a model of the buildings which give a little more idea of the layout. Nearest to us is the boiler room, but the bather entered via the far end where there's a cool room (frigidarium) which also acted as a changing room. They then proceeded to the warm room (tepidarium) where they may have had a massage, before entering the steamy hot room (caldarium). To the side of the hot room there's a hot bath. They then went out via the warm room and finished off with a cold plunge bath next to the cool room.
Looking back you can see the unfortunate servant, still stoking the boiler and unaware of the twenty-first century traffic rushing by overhead.
Take care
Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Wandering Near Welwyn
There are two places called Welwyn. The larger one is a new town founded by Ebenezer Howard and planned along similar lines to nearby Letchworth. The inhabitants don't like it being called a new town though; they prefer the sound of Welwyn Garden City which is its official name (even though it's not really a city). About a mile away stands the original settlement, sometimes called Old Welwyn - but not by those who live there; they prefer Welwyn Village.
So it was at the railway station in Welwyn Garden City that my walk began, through a flowery park.
Soon I descended into a leafy track known as Ayot Greenway, which follows the course of a former railway line. Dog-walkers, joggers, cyclists and even horse riders were enjoying the sunny morning.
Into the rural idyll of Ayot Green. What once used to be a poor rural hamlet is now a home to prosperous community and what were once sub-standard dwellings are now listed buildings and highly desirable residences; the previous inhabitants having moved out to more modern accommodation in Welwyn Garden City. Like it or not it's what's happened in many villages across England.
If change had not happened then these buildings may well have become derelict and been lost forever. I count myself very fortunate in that I've always managed to find housing and employment away from the bustle of our towns and cities. Three years at college in London was plenty for me.
Ironically, of course, it was in the big city that I learned about the evolution of our countryside! These wooded footpaths and minor roads hide the deep history of our rural past. The sign above incidentally does not refer to a "little green lane"; it's a lane leading towards a place called Ayot Little Green
Then, on a sharp bend in the road, there's an old graveyard. This is where Ayot St Peter's church stood before the church we saw in the last post was built half a mile to the south.
There were a succession of churches on this site over the centuries, one of which must have been a striking building indeed; it's recorded as having been octagonal and having a tower which stood on the opposite side of the churchyard. I'm told that in early spring snowdrops and wild daffodils dance among the gravestones.
You often see sights like this - farm implements left in gateways to prevent unwanted intrusions on to agricultural land.
There are still plenty of five-bar gates around, though this one doesn't look as though it gets much use these days. Shortly afterwards I made a diversion which involved walking beside busy roads - you'll find out why in the next post - before returning to quieter paths.
My progress across the fields was being monitored closely by a pair of equine eyes. He looked kind of lonely in such a big paddock.
A metal kiss-gate and a wooden sign mark the path across farmland. I know it's a niche obsession but I love it when the harvest is gathered and the fields are ploughed and harrowed, laying bare the subtle colours of the soil.
An inquisitive herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle come over to check out the unexpected visitor to their field.
Niche obsession time once more. The soils of Hertfordshire vary from tan through to beige and even pink or white where the underlying chalk comes close to the surface. I then walked on through some woodland, then a quiet lane led me to Welwyn North station.
Welwyn North isn't in either Welwyn Garden City or Welwyn Village. It's in Digswell, but don't ask me why!
Walkers log:
Start: Welwyn Garden City railway station 09:30
Finish: Welwyn North railway station: 15:10
Distance walked: 9.1 miles (14.6 Km)
Churches: Ayot St Peter - open for Heritage Open Weekend
Notable birds: Buzzard, Red Kite, Jay, lots of Rooks and Wood Pigeons on the freshly tilled fields
Animals: Muntjac, Grey Squirrel, Rabbits
Walkers: a few dog walkers on the Ayot Greenway, but just three others during the day
Cyclists: four on the way and two who were looking around the church at the same time as me.
Horse riders: three
Take care.
So it was at the railway station in Welwyn Garden City that my walk began, through a flowery park.
Soon I descended into a leafy track known as Ayot Greenway, which follows the course of a former railway line. Dog-walkers, joggers, cyclists and even horse riders were enjoying the sunny morning.
Into the rural idyll of Ayot Green. What once used to be a poor rural hamlet is now a home to prosperous community and what were once sub-standard dwellings are now listed buildings and highly desirable residences; the previous inhabitants having moved out to more modern accommodation in Welwyn Garden City. Like it or not it's what's happened in many villages across England.
If change had not happened then these buildings may well have become derelict and been lost forever. I count myself very fortunate in that I've always managed to find housing and employment away from the bustle of our towns and cities. Three years at college in London was plenty for me.
Ironically, of course, it was in the big city that I learned about the evolution of our countryside! These wooded footpaths and minor roads hide the deep history of our rural past. The sign above incidentally does not refer to a "little green lane"; it's a lane leading towards a place called Ayot Little Green
Then, on a sharp bend in the road, there's an old graveyard. This is where Ayot St Peter's church stood before the church we saw in the last post was built half a mile to the south.
There were a succession of churches on this site over the centuries, one of which must have been a striking building indeed; it's recorded as having been octagonal and having a tower which stood on the opposite side of the churchyard. I'm told that in early spring snowdrops and wild daffodils dance among the gravestones.
You often see sights like this - farm implements left in gateways to prevent unwanted intrusions on to agricultural land.
There are still plenty of five-bar gates around, though this one doesn't look as though it gets much use these days. Shortly afterwards I made a diversion which involved walking beside busy roads - you'll find out why in the next post - before returning to quieter paths.
My progress across the fields was being monitored closely by a pair of equine eyes. He looked kind of lonely in such a big paddock.
A metal kiss-gate and a wooden sign mark the path across farmland. I know it's a niche obsession but I love it when the harvest is gathered and the fields are ploughed and harrowed, laying bare the subtle colours of the soil.
An inquisitive herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle come over to check out the unexpected visitor to their field.
Niche obsession time once more. The soils of Hertfordshire vary from tan through to beige and even pink or white where the underlying chalk comes close to the surface. I then walked on through some woodland, then a quiet lane led me to Welwyn North station.
Welwyn North isn't in either Welwyn Garden City or Welwyn Village. It's in Digswell, but don't ask me why!
Walkers log:
Start: Welwyn Garden City railway station 09:30
Finish: Welwyn North railway station: 15:10
Distance walked: 9.1 miles (14.6 Km)
Churches: Ayot St Peter - open for Heritage Open Weekend
Notable birds: Buzzard, Red Kite, Jay, lots of Rooks and Wood Pigeons on the freshly tilled fields
Animals: Muntjac, Grey Squirrel, Rabbits
Walkers: a few dog walkers on the Ayot Greenway, but just three others during the day
Cyclists: four on the way and two who were looking around the church at the same time as me.
Horse riders: three
Take care.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)