Such a wonderful evening at the Friends of Bristol Univ. Botanic Garden meeting last night. The president, Jekka McVicar cheerfully and efficiently despatched the business of the AGM in a record 20 minutes and we had an enthralling lecture from Dr. Chris Thorogood on Wildflowers of Western Europe for an hour and a half. You could have heard a pin drop in the packed theatre. Imagine if you will beautiful slides on a huge screen and splendid videos on subjects like the Dodder preying underground on its host plant, bees trying to mate with bee orchids, all accompanied by a superbly lucid explanation from Chris. Bliss! It really is a very long time since I sat without fidgeting for that length of time. We even had a mention of Madeira and tonight at the AGS meeting Dr. George Hargreaves is giving us a talk on the Landscapes of Madeira! Perhaps the winter is not so bad after all when it brings such joys.
Sounds like a fascinating talk Marion. Are your meetings always that good? Hope you have a great time at the Madeira talk tonight. Wrap up warmly, it's cold out there today.
Ooh, Marion! Hope you find the Madeiran talk interesting. It took me a while to identify some of the plants we found there in February - including a minute erigeron and an even smaller sisyrinchium, growing at around 4000 feet. Lovely!
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
You too. GWRS. I have just been to the Ags lecture on the Landscapes of Madeira at the AGS which was interesting too. I won an alpine primula in the raffle too. Hope to get more work done in the garden tomorrow as not so much cooking to do.
5 degrees and feeling a bit warmer this morning. My friend brought me six- pot carriers for some of my plants to go in for the botanic garden plant sale so started loading them up this morning as they are being collected on Wednesday afternoon. The hardy ones are OK out on the picnic table but I will keep the succulents like the black aoniums inside the kitchen door. With two people to carry them all we should make it to the van down my long drive in four or five trips.
Wow Marion, that sounds like a lot of plants! My dad grew a lot of alpines - when he retired he and my mum downsized from a third of an acre to a handkerchief-sized plot, so he decided to grow tiny things, using troughs and tufa. He was a member of the AGS and delighted in buying little gems from their plant sales.
After he died and my mum moved to sheltered accommodation, I took home a lump of tufa from his garden, complete with the little saxifrages etc growing in it. It's now in a big pot on my patio, with a few more tiny plants added when I find something appropriate, and is a constant reminder of my dad.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Awww Liriodendron I am so glad you and your Dad have the alpine connection. Something so taking about the diminutive and even more fascinating is the way they have evolved to flower in such harsh conditions above the treeline or on northern coasts. And ideal for small gardens and troughs. I have 24 plants for the Botanic Gardens stall out on the picnic table to be kept pristine till Wednesday.
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Hello , I am sure the talk will be interesting
I have put my onions sets and garlic in before winter , will put some more Shallotts in next month
Have a good day
Such a wonderful evening at the Friends of Bristol Univ. Botanic Garden meeting last night. The president, Jekka McVicar cheerfully and efficiently despatched the business of the AGM in a record 20 minutes and we had an enthralling lecture from Dr. Chris Thorogood on Wildflowers of Western Europe for an hour and a half. You could have heard a pin drop in the packed theatre. Imagine if you will beautiful slides on a huge screen and splendid videos on subjects like the Dodder preying underground on its host plant, bees trying to mate with bee orchids, all accompanied by a superbly lucid explanation from Chris. Bliss! It really is a very long time since I sat without fidgeting for that length of time. We even had a mention of Madeira and tonight at the AGS meeting Dr. George Hargreaves is giving us a talk on the Landscapes of Madeira! Perhaps the winter is not so bad after all when it brings such joys.
Sounds like a fascinating talk Marion. Are your meetings always that good? Hope you have a great time at the Madeira talk tonight. Wrap up warmly, it's cold out there today.
Ooh, Marion! Hope you find the Madeiran talk interesting. It took me a while to identify some of the plants we found there in February - including a minute erigeron and an even smaller sisyrinchium, growing at around 4000 feet. Lovely!
The Talk sounds great , obviously you enjoyed it
Hope the weekend weathers good for you
You too. GWRS. I have just been to the Ags lecture on the Landscapes of Madeira at the AGS which was interesting too. I won an alpine primula in the raffle too. Hope to get more work done in the garden tomorrow as not so much cooking to do.
Had a couple of Holidays in Maderia, very nice place , good for walking and garden very nice
Have a good day tomorrow
5 degrees and feeling a bit warmer this morning. My friend brought me six- pot carriers for some of my plants to go in for the botanic garden plant sale so started loading them up this morning as they are being collected on Wednesday afternoon. The hardy ones are OK out on the picnic table but I will keep the succulents like the black aoniums inside the kitchen door. With two people to carry them all we should make it to the van down my long drive in four or five trips.
Wow Marion, that sounds like a lot of plants! My dad grew a lot of alpines - when he retired he and my mum downsized from a third of an acre to a handkerchief-sized plot, so he decided to grow tiny things, using troughs and tufa. He was a member of the AGS and delighted in buying little gems from their plant sales.
After he died and my mum moved to sheltered accommodation, I took home a lump of tufa from his garden, complete with the little saxifrages etc growing in it. It's now in a big pot on my patio, with a few more tiny plants added when I find something appropriate, and is a constant reminder of my dad.
Awww Liriodendron I am so glad you and your Dad have the alpine connection. Something so taking about the diminutive and even more fascinating is the way they have evolved to flower in such harsh conditions above the treeline or on northern coasts. And ideal for small gardens and troughs. I have 24 plants for the Botanic Gardens stall out on the picnic table to be kept pristine till Wednesday.