Friends at Wakehurst

On Thursday Wakehurst sold off some of their surplus plants to employees, I could not resist although most will be going down to Cornwall for my aunts gardens. The large tomato however will sit on the back steps in Brighton.

Above Lindsay and Rose caught up in the chaos of the sale. Lindsay is a Canadian working at the seed bank, when the two of us get together we have been accused of being noisy since we laugh and joke a lot (just being Canadian). Rose is a researcher from South Africa working on Galanthus and puts up with us, more Lindsay than me since she works closely with her, with good humour. In the background is Tom, a graduate of the plant conservation program at Sussex and now working on his PhD at the seed bank.

http://www.kew.org/msbp/


A lunch visitor looking for a handout. He is a bit disappointed.

Sheffield Park



I have joined the National Trust since the remaining three months I intend to visit a few of the gardens and buildings they own. About 30 minutes drive from the house is Sheffield Park, and although the house is not open the grounds are quite unique, especially the collection of trees, with some mammoth specimens of Castanea and Nyssa ( I have posted images of the Nyssa on my website since it is a native Ontario species) http://www.ontarioplants.ca/ (the website is still under development so excuse the blank spots and typing errors to date, it is a work in progress when I and Wendy Harry have time).

I will say little about the garden sine you can visit the National trust link at the bottom of the page.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-sheffieldparkgarden.htm

A day trip with friends.



Two weeks ago the Sussex Language Institute organised a day trip and opened it to international students. Nine of us spent the day in a minivan touring the countryside, leaving the university at 9:00am and returning at 11:00pm, led by Lee from the institute. It was a great way to see many of the local sites and just to sit back and enjoy. These are in reverse order for the day. The Long Man of Wilmington, pictured above was one of our last stops for the day.

The origins of this huge figure cut into the chalk of the north face of the South Downs are unclear but it has probably served as a marker since Neolithic times. The Long Man is the second largest representation of a human figure in the world and obviously would have been clearly visible for many miles. As well as being a marker it probably had religious significance and would have been a gathering point for people from a wide area. The natural amphitheatre of the site amplifies sounds and would have made a spectacular backdrop for a speaker standing on The Long Man.The poles that The Long Man carries have been variously interpreted as measuring sticks, farming implements (they have been altered over time) and also as the doors to the underworld. On another hill nearby is a horse: I jokingly thought that maybe he lost his horse.



Camber Sands, both above and below is also unique since it is one of the few sandy beaches around.

The historic town of Rye on the river is where we spent some time amongst the cobbled streets and had a cream tea.

The view of Rye from the church tower, but not the one below.

This image above is taken from the wall around the Abbey at Battle (battle of Hasting, 1066)

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.10955

Part of the Abbey is now a private school.

Above and below is the castle ruins of Pevensey.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=ConProperty.206

Bua (Thailand) and Shipka (Pakistan) who work in the lab downstairs from me, solving problems of salinity in rice.

The garden of Rudyard Kipling in the village of Woodingdean.

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1001371

Lee the tour leader from the Sussex language Institute has posted more photos of the day at:

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sli99/album?.dir=/819fre2&.src=ph

click on the slide show icon in the top right corner of the page.

Ashdown Forest.


Ashdown forest is apparently where Winnie the Pooh lives. It is about a forty minute drive from my house and is unique in the region since most of the plants found here are growing on acid soils. This was important for my for my pollen atlas since I needed representatives from the acid loving group for analysis. I was able to find three types of heather (Erica) in bloom as well as a rare and endangered species of Gallium. That said there was no Winne the Pooh or Eyore.

I though the tombstone memorial above would have maybe marked the birthplace or burial spot of Winnie but it commemorates the visit of JFK in 1963, the trees around it were planted in honour of his visit.

I spent most of Saturday hiking here, it has spectacular views out over the weald but is mostly managed forest. On the way home I visited Sheffield Park Gardens, see the next blog.

Plumpton College Open Day

Towards the end of May the local agricultural college held a public open day. It was a day full of demonstration's, activities, crafts and competitions. It was well attended, I do not know the numbers but I would guess in the thousands. A lesson for us at Fanshawe.





They have a very intense arboriculture program, and the image above shows students in a competition climbing. What was also worthy of note was that part of their course taught the use of a portable sawmill to use the trees that were cut down, much more sustainable than what we do.

Not so sustainable was their annual production techniques, plants grown in foam packs. I was assured that this method of production was on the way out and that they were moving towards plastic. Their annual quality was poor as was their greenhouse hygiene. In fact the facility and organization and quality did not impress me: I expected much better.

Their greenhouses were older and made of several rooms, individually climate controlled which we lack at Fanshawe but I hope with the Ivey donation we will be able to do when we start the new building.

A new building that I did like was the construction shop and classroom, this was attached to the main greenhouse complex but was I thought, a little small.

What I did like was the gardens constructed by the students, there is much more detail and imagination used here than in Canada.

Paris with Sue and Gunter



On the 26, 27 and 28 of May I went to Paris to meet with Sue and Gunter and their tow daughters. Sue teaches in the Horticulture program at Fanshawe and Gunter is a famous chef, so we were assured of eating the best food and drinking the best wine which we did. It was a great time to sit back and relax, the first I have really done since coming to England in October and forget about all the pressures of the research. We had no agenda and were content to walk around, admire the sites and sit in cafes.

Above, the view from the roof of the Arch de Truimph.

The entrance to a museum, Paris is very grand as you can see from the images, with something to see at every corner.

The church at the veterans hospital.

Some famous short guy, who was defeated at the battle of Waterloo.

The veterans hospital, part of which is still in use today. At the back are extensive parterre gardens.

Versailles



On a rainy Sunday we took the train to Versailles, once a small town but now a suburb (district) of Paris and of course home to the famous palace; Versailles.

Built 1660-85 by Louis LeVau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart; André LeNôtre (gardens), Charles LeBrun (decoration) 36,000 workmen were employed to build the palace. In 1677 Louis XIV moved the court there.

The grounds of Versailles contain one of the largest formal gardens ever created, with extensive parterres, fountains and canals, designed by Andre Le Nôtre modified the original gardens by expanding them and giving them a sense of openness and scale. He also liked to enjoy sunbathing in his wonderful work of art. He created a plan centered around the central axis of the Grand Canal. The gardens are centered on the south front of the palace, which is set on a long terrace to give a grand view of the gardens. At the foot of the steps the Fountain of Latona is located. This fountain tells a story taken from Ovid's poem metamorphoses and served — and still serves — as an allegory of the Fronde . Next, is the Rotal Avenue or the Tapis Vert. Surrounding this to the sides are the formal gardens. Beyond this is the Fountain of Apollo. This fountain symbolizes the regime of Louis XIV, or, the "Sun King". Beyond the Fountain lies the massive Grand Canal. The wide central axis rises on the far side. Even farther into the distance lie the dense woods of the King's hunting grounds.

The Grand Canal.

Apollo rising.

The Royal Avenue.

Versailles was one of the principal reasons for the French revolution, it was the extravagance and perceived waste by the rich in the eyes of the poor that saw the monarchy fall.

Versailles is a grand garden, it is however a very controlled environment and is in regard a false image of nature as was the intention: man’s control of nature.


http://www.chateauversailles.fr/