Its been a long dark winter, but now candlemass has passed and the sap is rising. I am in the throes of preparing to exhibit at Ecobuild A friend and colleague Catherine Thomas is sharing the pitch with me on the BALI stand, and we hope to make new contacts, in quality and quantity. It will be a great opportunity.
A soaring gateway to - nowhere very much now, not so when these magnificent warehouses and head offices were built in Manchester's Whitworth Steet.
A good example of creating a stock proof barrier in a rural setting, when a fence won't do. Posts are driven in with brushwood woven in between. Whips (small trees/shrubs) can be planted which will eventually grow into a hedge. This one at the Waulkmill, joins beautifully to a wicket gate and drystone wall.
Outside the Imperial War Museum in London is the Tibetan Peace Garden.
What could be cooler than white Japanese anemones and electric blue ceratostigma? The combination of flowering ivy and virginia creeper careering over a high wall is lush. Plenty pollen for the bees and colour for the eye until winter comes.
Finally clearing out the greenhouse, here are the last ripe tomatoes of the season. Same number again of green ones! This year I grew Scottish Yellow and Mini Orange, both from the Heritage Seed Library, at Garden Organic. The Mini Orange has tended to mildew, even in the greenhouse. The Scottish Yellow has yielded well and looks good, but tastes better cooked. I got a great oven dried toms recipe from someone at our East Cheshire Organic group.
