Allotment in September

A quick visit to my allotment provided me with some lovely late ripening fruit and a chance to check that everything was ok up there.

Above I let a sucker from a floppy stuffy rose grow out in preference to the man made variety and over the course of 1 season has provided me with much more interest than the cultivar could. Look at all the lovely rose hips! Im hoping for even more next year! I did wonder about what I could use them for- but havent found a recipe that has interested me enough yet to try so left these for the wildlife.

The Globe artichokes flower heads had just gone over but are still looking beautiful and hopefully will provide some birds with some food.

I got my first and only pear from my small tree! Im hoping for more next year! :)

The sunflower seed heads were placed on the compost heaps and its easy to see were a hit with someone! Either a bird or mouse has come and pulled them up and eaten them there and then! Great to see!

And lastly a surprise for some very late strawberries! They were delicious!

Australian Landscape @ The British Museum

Every year the British Museum turns one of its front lawns into a recreation of a landscape from a different country- this year it was Australia- and ties in with an exhibition within the museum and is made in collaboration with Kew Gardens. In the past few years they have done China, South Africa and India.

I first visited the garden back in early May- where we had had some blustery cold weather so the garden really wasnt looking its best- but upon a return visit in late August really showed the plants surviving remarkably well the temps of a pretty awful British summer!

The grass trees always hold a soft spot for me as I have one myself that lives in a friends garden while I am currently garden-less! and these 2 below looked beautiful. I have to say a couple looked very worse for wear- but Xanthorrhoea are notorious for coming into this country with no roots at all- and then slowly dying. Indeed my X.glauca arrived with only 2 roots! But slowly regrew over time- but i know of many others that simply dont survive. These 2 below are probably over a hundred years old- which i believe makes looking after them something of a responsibility. They are all imported with a liscence to show they have been taken legally from teh wild from where the land had to be cleared- and would have otherwise been destroyed. And also luckily for me have proven to be hardy - especially with the winters we have been having recently.

My lovely Blue Grass Tree (X. glauca)

Me at the South African Garden @ The British Museum last year

Live Forever!

Following on from my Garden makeover blog- i wanted jsut to draw your attention to these 2 little pots which im rather fond of.

They are full of houseleeks or Sempervivums to give them their latin name- which means ever living- in reference to the fact they can survive in very little soil.

These guys came from Columbia road and I grow them on my kitchen and living room window sills as they are very drought tolerant- but pulled a few rosettes off to plant up in their own little pots for my front window.

In europe they are often grown on the tile roofs of houses to prevent lightning hitting the house apparently- but i think they look beautiful!

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1084269950025419241nmafwM

Columbia Road

I dont think I had been to Columbia Road this summer at all! Which is highly unlike me!

I suppose not having a garden of my own has restricted me in my plant buying trips- but every so often it is nice to surround yourself with flowers! And i am always on the look out for must-have plants for the window sill- although getting much much better at saying no!

I do enjoy the buzz of the market- its always really busy- and packed full of plant mad people like me either looking for bargains, or unusual plants, to others just out to buy a bunch of flowers to take home, or occasionally mad people who try to take home a palm tree on the back of their bicycle!

When i used to have my tropical garden- I would often ask advice from the stall holders as to whether it would survive outside in London- and the answer was always YES! No matter what it was! I learned quickly you have to take everything they say with a pinch of salt!

This guy was sitting in the upstairs window of a shop embroidering something- I loved it! Even if it was a little creepy!

I came away with nothing- (which used to disappoint me)- but im glad my self restraint works sometimes! There was a short twisted stemmed olive that caught my eye- but that can wait until another time!

Loved seeing the Pearly Kings and Queens- the pearly costumes are designed to attract Eattention and make them instantly recognizable. Each group is associated with a church in central London and works to raise money for London based charities.