2015 - 15 minutes of green

“Will flower until frost”

13th November 2015 4th January 2016Autumn, In the garden 0

With the wind and rain and noticeable drop in temperature, the garden has started to take on a rather dishevelled, limp-around-the-edges persona. The last of the summer-flowering perennials have all but shrivelled and the dampness of heavy dews lingers late into seemingly endless grey, overcast mornings. So thank goodness for those autumnal gems that “will flower until frost”.

The rich jewel tones of the autumn borders

Eye-popping autumn borders

Yes, there are still plenty of perennials and shrubs brightening the darkest corners, even in early November. Here are some of my favourites …

Pollen-rich Rudbeckia and Gaillardia splash the borders with the colours of sunset

The elegance of the Japanese anemone

Sedum splendour

Long-lived golden nasturtiums brighten gloomy corners

Rich jewel tones of aster and cyclamen

Autumn fruit and leaf colour: Berberis berries and the changing leaves of Virginia Creeper

So enjoy the last of the autumnal colours – in a week or so they will be all but gone.

Blue Moon Microadventure

9th September 2015 10th September 2015Out and about 11

Coming up with inspired birthday presents for my husband is a challenge. I started with books, music and toiletries, moved on to sports kit and gadgets, and graduated to ‘experiences’. You name it, he’s done it – truck driving, zorbing, sand-yachting, hovercraft racing, indoor sky diving, segway rallying, flyboarding. I had drained the ideas well of actiongiftsformen.com dry. I needed a hefty dose of inspiration … fast!

Campfire inspiration

Cue the first-ever Transglobe Expedition Trust Campfire event, where an influential line up of adventurers, explorers and Olympic gold medallists enthralled us with invigorating tales of daring deeds and extreme physical challenges. The over-riding theme of the evening was to get off your backside and grab a slice of life.

Transglobe Expedition Campfire speakers. From left to right: (Top) Ed Stafford and Alastair Humphreys; (Middle) Steve Backshall, Heather Stanning and Helen Glover, Sir Ranulph Fiennes; (Bottom) Me with Helen Glover – who knew Olympic gold medals were so heavy! And the wonderful Bonfire Band

While I am highly unlikely to trek the length of the Amazon (Ed Stafford), look into the eyes of a sperm whale (Steve Backshall), traverse the globe on its polar axis (Sir Ranulph Fiennes) or train for 6 hours a day to achieve Olympic glory (rowing gold medallists Heather Stanning and Helen Glover), the concept of a ‘microadventure’, as outlined by author/adventurer Alastair Humphreys, was appealingly do-able and provided the spark of an idea for my husband’s upcoming birthday.

What is a microadventure?

Essentially, a ‘ microadventure’ involves doing something outside your comfort zone, somewhere you’ve never been but close to home – a cheap, simple, short and effective means of breaking out of the same old, same old.

A bivvy bag and a plan

The present was simple to wrap – a bivvy bag and a promise of a microadventure to come. Alastair has a full year of microadventure ideas on his website, but the next one on his list at that time – sleeping without a roof on the night of the next ‘blue moon’ (31st July) – was simply meant to be, as my husband is a Manchester City fan.

This year’s birthday present – a bivvy bag and the promise of a blue moon microadventure

While my colleagues were hilariously horrified at the idea of ‘sleeping on a hill’, my husband was predictably delighted with the idea. So, on the evening of Friday 31st July, we got out our bikes, had a quick look at the OS map of our local area for contours and greenery (and a pub – there had to be some perks if I was tagging along!), and set off into the unknown. I admit that I double checked the weather forecast before setting off, as I do draw the line at sleeping without cover in torrential rain.

Some greenery and a few contours – key ingredients for a microadventure location

Blue moon view

We only cycled 4 miles, but it was far enough away from home to search for a place to sleep before it got dark, and near enough to a pub to enjoy a decent evening meal before we bedded down. Initially, we found an invitingly grassy clearing in a small wooded area …

Option 1 – a grassy clearing under the trees

… but as we had deliberately picked this date to see the moon, we decided to look for somewhere more exposed. We found the perfect spot between two already-harvested fields, where the long grass at the field edges had been flattened to make a cosy mattress.

Tonight’s bedroom – a quiet corner between two fields

The moon was already high in a perfectly clear summer sky, shedding a slightly surreal light over the golden cropped field. I was a little disappointed to discover that a blue moon isn’t actually blue (nor is it made of cheese!). Without getting too technical, the modern definition of a blue moon is a second full moon in a month (which doesn’t happen that often).

Having picked our spot, we raced off to the pub to grab something to eat before they finished serving food, and caught a spectacular sunset en route.

A sunset fit for a microadventure

Field of dreams

Fed and watered (stuffed and tipsy), we returned to ‘our’ field to settle down for the night. We hadn’t brought much with us – sleeping bags (of the 4 season variety, as the nights were already turning ridiculously cool), thermarests and of course the newly acquired bivvy bags. I’d also brought along a couple of ‘luxuries’, namely a small blow-up pillow and my toothbrush! We didn’t need our head torches as the moonlight was phenomenally bright.

Setting up camp

Once we’d put our rucksacks in bin bags to prevent them getting soaked with dew and climbed into our sleeping bags (a process that seemed to involve considerably more faffing on my part than my husband’s), we let the silence of the night envelop us.

Settled in our bivvies. Woolly hats in July?!

There were a few eerie nocturnal calls and every rustle of vegetation was amplified in the stillness; nevertheless, I soon drifted off.

Barking alarm clock

I’ll be honest, it wasn’t the best night’s sleep! I tossed and turned quite a lot, and was eventually woken by the persistent harsh barking of a fox at 4.30am. At this point, my bladder prompted me to vacate my cosy cocoon and I struggled out of my wrappings. Stumbling into the hedgerow to complete my ablutions, I was impressed by how well camouflaged we were in the long grasses.

Camouflaged camping – hard to spot us amongst the grass

As s I rounded the hedge separating the two fields, I was amazed to still see the moon in all its glory, despite the lightening sky.

Morning moon

I wandered around the field a bit, waiting for my husband to wake too.

This is no time for a lie in!

He eventually stirred at around 5.30am, as the sun began to rise, and a deer appeared at the far side of the field, eyeing these strange interlopers in his usually private domain.

Breaking dawn

Dawn bike ride

Fuelled with cereal bars and fruit, we set off on our bikes before anyone was any the wiser that we had borrowed their field for the night. We took a longer route home, revelling in the views of the surrounding countryside as the sun warmed up the landscape. Not being a natural early bird, I was enjoying the solitude of this ridiculous time in the morning, when even the earliest of dog walkers hadn’t yet emerged.

Early morning views of Hampshire

We were back home by 9am, invigorated at having done something a little less ordinary. Now that we have experienced our first microadventure, I sincerely hope it won’t be a ‘Once in a Blue Moon’ experience (sorry, couldn’t resist!).

Another successful birthday present – ‘more microadventures please!’

If you’re fed up with the same old familiar routines, then I urge you to give it a try. There are loads of ideas on Alastair Humphrey’s website, and his blog is fabulous reading, so take a look, and let me know if you give it a go!

Marigold mania

28th July 2015 28th July 2015In the garden, Summer 1

This year I opted for the work-intensive option of growing my own annuals: marigolds, salvia, nasturtiums and cosmos. On the up side, I ended up with plenty of bedding plants, which is good news for the bees and butterflies … and the slugs have enjoyed them too! On the other hand, it involved a lot of extra effort.

For the most part, I bought the seeds fresh this year; all except the marigold seeds, which I collected from last year’s plants and stored over winter. Some seeds require special treatment before sowing (e.g. scratching the seed coat, or freezing to break dormancy), but most annuals can be scattered thinly, covered in a fine layer of compost, kept moist and left to get on with things.

Sowing seeds

And that’s what I did. In May, I scattered my seeds fairly haphazardly in seed trays full of ‘seed and potting’ compost, sprinkled a little compost over the top of them, labelled them and left them in the conservatory area of my kitchen to germinate.

The easy bit … seed trays full of seed doing its thing

That was the easy bit! Germination was phenomenally successful – first two ‘seed leaves’ for each plant, swiftly followed by several ‘true leaves’. The seedlings were ready to prick out a couple of weeks after the true leaves appeared and a decent root system had been put down.

An abundance of marigold seedlings ready for pricking out

Pricking out

Pricking out is, without a doubt, my least favourite gardening job. It is sooooo time consuming. I am not a patient person, so the process of teasing out each individual seedling and its roots, carefully lifting each individual plant from its neighbours – being careful to hold onto the leaves, not the stem! – then replanting each seedling in a module or small pot, firming it in with more compost, and of course watering it in, is something I find quite tortuous.

Yet somehow I got through it, filling countless modules and pots with fragile seedlings.

Planting seedlings into modules …

… and pots

… and more pots!

Growing on

Then I waited. While a watched kettle never boils, a watched marigold does seem to shoot up pretty quickly. I kept the seedlings well watered and warm, and within a month I had lots of lovely bedding plants ready to plant out.

Blooming marigolds, ready to plant out

In fact, I’m still planting them out now, plugging the last few gaps at the front of my borders.

Marigolds in situ, adding a much-needed splash of summer colour throughout the garden

So was it worth it? Hmmm … probably!

A ringlet on one of my homegrown marigolds

Hanging tomatoes

28th June 2015 28th June 2015In the garden, Summer, The veg plot 0

I’m still cramming the vegetables and annuals into the garden. As I haven’t got a greenhouse, and I’m rapidly running out of space – and pots – on the patio, some of the tomatoes have gone into hanging baskets.

There are plenty of bush-type varieties with shallow root systems that do well in hanging baskets. I’m trying Tumbling Tom (yellow) and Tiny Tim (red), one plant per basket, hung south facing at the back of the house.

Yellow Tumbling Tom tomatoes in hanging basket

The baskets are pre-lined so I haven’t had to faff around with liners or moss. I put a small plastic saucer and several used tea bags at the bottom of each basket to help retain water, and firmed each tomato plant in with plenty of all-round garden compost and a few growmore granules.

A small saucer and used tea bags, placed at the bottom of the basket to help retain water

I haven’t bothered with water-retaining granules, as there are no holes in the liner so the water shouldn’t drain away too quickly.

Because of the habit of these trailing plants, they require very little maintenance, so I won’t need to do anything else now, other than regular watering, plus weekly feeding when the tomatoes start to develop.

Tumbling Tom tomato planted in hanging basket

Now we wait …

Huffing hedgehogs

26th June 2015 26th July 2021In the garden, Summer, Wildlife 31

I was walking around the garden last night. It’s amazing how much unseen activity there is after dark: plenty of rustling in the borders, small rodents no doubt, or perhaps a few larger ones! Then I heard the ‘huffing’, a loud persistent raspy panting or puffing. Which could only mean one thing … we have hedgehogs back in residence.

And here’s the proof. Erinaceous europaeus!

It has been several years since we have seen any hedgehogs in the garden. Our cosy straw-filled hedgehog boxes have gone unused for the past two winters, so I was thrilled to find they were back.

I quickly threw a few hedgehog treats onto the lawn in the vicinity of the activity (we actually still had some hedgehog biscuits left over from the days when they were coming in regularly – see below), and low and behold a hedgehog emerged. After all that huffing, he (or she) was hungry!

The huffing is often made in mating season (April to September, with May and June being the most active months). It is part of a hedgehog’s courtship behaviour, where they huff and circle each other. So we can but hope for hoglets later this year. Watch this terrific piece of footage on YouTube of hedgehog courtship behaviour to see and hear the huffing behaviour for yourself! They huff at other times too, so you may hear them doing steam train impressions through your herbaceous borders after dark.

Feeding hedgehogs

Hedgehog numbers in the UK have declined by more than a third over the past decade and they are now on the endangered species list. So if you find them in your garden, look after them!

Hedgehogs are insectivores; over 70% of their natural diet comprises beetles and other insects, worms and a tiny number of slugs and snails, but you can supplement their evening dinner with:

Meaty cat or dog food
Specific tinned or dry hedgehog food, available from garden centres and pet shops
Cat biscuits

Do not give them:

Bread or milk – they can’t digest them!
Salty meats such as bacon or corned beef
Dried mealworms. Although they are a good source of protein, they have a poor calcium: phosphorus ratio. Too little calcium/too much phosphorus can lead to metabolic bone disease (which is on the increase in hedgehogs) so it is best to avoid them completely. A healthy calcium: phosphorus ratio is 1:1 or 1:2.

Make sure you:

Provide a source of water (no other type of liquid refreshment) – they drink a lot!
Provide a sloping exit out of ponds so they can get out if they fall in.

For more information on hedgehogs go to The British Hedgehog Preservation Society, The Mammal Society, Prickles Hedgehog Rescue or Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital.

Do you have hedgehogs in your garden? I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or let me know on Twitter @15greenmins

Magna Carta celebrations

10th June 2015 14th June 2015Out and about 0

On 10th June 1215, King John of England and his entourage rode out from his castle in Odiham, Hampshire, to meet a group of rebel barons in the water meadows at Runnymede, near Windsor. On 15th June, they sealed ‘Magna Carta’.

Well, actually, they sealed the ‘Charter of Runnymede’, a forerunner of what later became known as Magna Carta in 1217. But let’s not allow factual accuracy to get in the way of the celebrations 800 years on. In Odiham, we’ve been celebrating in medieval style.

Odiham peasant, Magna Carta celebrations 2015

Odiham peasant – I’ve no illusions of grandeur!

Flags over Odiham

First, we all put our flags and bunting out, so that anyone approaching Odiham and the neighbouring village of North Warnborough would know there was something going on. The colourful flags of all designs and sizes fluttering outside our shops and homes gave a heart-warming sense of community and proved to be surprisingly educational, as prior to this event I had no idea what the Hampshire county flag or the Odiham parish flag looked like.

The flags of Odiham. Clockwise from top left: Odiham parish flag; Union flags in flower pots, homemade flag depicting Odiham castle; mixed nationality bunting; the Mayhill flag; Hampshire county flag

The new Mayhill flag was designed by children at Odiham’s Mayhill Junior School to represent the NE Hampshire constituency in a parliamentary flag competition. The green ‘O’ represents ‘Odiham’ and the close relationship the village has with the natural environment. Inside the ‘O’ sits Odiham castle above a horse shoe, depicting Odiham’s connections with farming and King John’s journey to Runnymede (and let’s not forget the village’s association with the start of the veterinary profession in England). The two strips of blue across the top of the flag represent the River Whitewater and the Basingstoke canal. The gold and red backgrounds reflect Odiham’s historic connection with royalty.

The Mayhill flag – a pretty impressive piece of design

Village festival

The actual festivities got under way with a procession through the village, led by King John and some of his courtiers on horseback. There was a huge turnout, with lots of people getting into the spirit of the event in medieval costume.

Odiham village Magna Carta parade, medieval style

Peasants, nobility and knights walked side by side in the Odiham medieval procession

After the procession we congregated in ‘The Bury’, the former market square at the heart of the village in between All Saints church and The Bell pub.

Quite a gathering: in ‘The Bury’, the area between one of our village pubs, The Bell …

Magna Carta event in The Bury, Odiham, outside All Saints Church

… and All Saints Church

The Hook Eagle Morris Men got the party started, with a lot of yelling, a fair bit of stomping and plenty of bashing of stout sticks; there’s nothing dainty about their form of Border Morris dancing – in fact, it’s pretty primeval. And a lot of fun!

The Hook Eagle Morris Men doing their thing

Meanwhile, in the walled garden adjacent to The Bury, medieval re-enactors battled each other with swords and spears.

Medieval re-enactors, Odiham Magna Carta celebrations

Chain mail, shields and swords: medieval re-enactors put on a show for the crowd

Living history

If that wasn’t enough excitement for this normally quiet corner of North East Hampshire, for several days the 13th century also returned to the fields surrounding the remains of Odiham castle (also known as King John’s castle) on the Basingstoke canal.

Odiham (King John’s) castle

Here, the Feudals Living History Group, along with several other historical re-enactment groups, camped out to demonstrate the various crafts and skills that would have been used during this period.

The 13th century brought to life at Odiham castle

I was particularly amazed at the weight of chain mail. It was a wonder the knights of the day could walk in it, let alone fight.

It took a man with muscle to battle in chain mail

The falconry display by Albion Historical Falconry was a real treat. They train all of their birds of prey using historically accurate methods, derived from manuscripts dating from the 1100s to the 1800s. Although King John is believed to have favoured the Peregrine falcon and Goshawk (native British birds), he would have been familiar with the use of Saker and Lanner falcons too.

Stunning birds. Left: the Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus); Right: the Saker falcon (Falco cherrug)

The terrain wasn’t suitable for the Peregrine falcon to be flown (given the speed at which it flies there wasn’t enough room for it to land!), so it was the Saker falcon that stole the limelight on this occasion, soaring at speed around the trees, which it used as cover to avoid prematurely alarming its prey, before swooping in on the lure at incredible speeds.

The Saker falcon, one of the hawks often used in medieval times

Preparing for take off: the Saker falcon, a bird that was imported from the Middle East and Mediterranean during the Crusades

And of course, there was always time for one more battle. Even King John made an appearance.

King John ... not the happiest of kings!

King John … one of the more controversial monarchs of medieval England

Medieval battle re-enactment: barons vs knights

On the one side, the rebel barons; on the other, King John’s knights. On this occasion, it didn’t end well for either side!

Flowers, dancing, boats and embroidery

As if that wasn’t enough, there was also a village flower festival in All Saints church, with over 30 stunning displays from various local clubs and community groups, and a clog and morris festival involving 20 Morris teams from around Hampshire.

The energetic manoeuvres of clog and morris dancing

Meanwhile, down at Odiham wharf, a canal boat rally was in full swing alongside canoe demonstrations and music by the Cactus Brass Band; it all added more than a little touch of colour to the Basingstoke canal.

Canal boats at Odiham wharf

BUT, the piece de resistance of all the amazing organization for these celebrations has to be the phenomenal embroidery depicting 800 years of Odiham’s history from the time of ‘Magna Carta’ (King John is depicted setting off for Runnymede) to the present day (as depicted by a Chinook helicopter from RAF Odiham).

Designed by Odiham-based artist Mary Turner, with contributions from around 70 volunteer stitchers, this beautiful work of art hangs in Odiham library, so if you’re in the area, take a look!!

The Odiham embroidery, depicting 800 years of the village’s history, stitched using traditional materials and techniques

So what’s all the fuss about?

Magna Carta (‘The Great Charter’) laid down the principle that everybody, including the king, was subject to the law. In particular, the 39th clause gave all ‘free men’ the right to justice and a fair trial.

No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land. To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice

Although the initial document failed to achieve much in 1215 (within a few weeks of making the agreement, King John, nice guy that he was, had the pope annul it!), it was, effectively, the first written constitution in European history and became part of English political life. It is now enormously symbolic as the foundation of democracy and civil liberties in England and as a major influence on the law of the land in the USA.

Memories of May

9th June 2015 17th June 2015In the garden, Spring 0

As Rodgers and Hammerstein so succinctly put it, “June is bustin’ out all over”. Indeed, much of the garden is now a dazzling display of glorious technicolour. But this month has a lot to live up to. Let’s not forget the slightly more subtle splendours of May. Here are my highlights, re-lived in pictures.

My garden in early May

Delicate tree blossom …

A young apple tree smothered in delicate pink blossom, hinting at the abundant autumnal harvest to follow

The only large tree in the garden, a mature hawthorn, smothered in frothy white blossom

Nesting blue tits made the most of an abundance of insects amongst the milky white petals

The last of the Spring bulbs …

Guaranteed to make an impact: vibrant red tulips

Rather less showy, but no less resplendent, bluebells added a touch of quietly under-stated class

New growth in shady areas …

Down at the shady end of the garden, hostas started sprouting …

… and ferns unfolded

The attractive early foliage of shrubs …

The spirited new growth of Pieris ‘Forest Flame’ escaped the frosts this year

The first leaves of this Cotinus ‘smoke tree’ glowed like embers in the Spring sunshine

In the vegetable garden …

The chives were starting to bloom in the herb bed

And there were signs of sweet things to come in the strawberry patch

In the pond …

A proliferation of lily pads across the surface sheltered the fish from the attentions of a visiting heron

And last but by no means least, the Spring-flowering perennials …

Clumps of Centaurea montana (Great blue-bottle) were the first to emerge

Swiftly followed by glorious spires of lupins and ebullient mounds of Johnson’s Blue geraniums

Up popped the self-seeding aquilegia, usually at the base of another perennial(!), but they were forgiven when their nodding granny bonnets began to emerge

And my absolute favourite, towering over the other border plants, a fanfare of trumpeting foxgloves to take us into June

Spud update

26th May 2015 26th June 2015In the garden, Spring, The veg plot 0

Last time I mentioned the potatoes, they were merrily chitting on a bedroom window sill.

Chitted and ready to plant

A lot has happened since then. First, I had to decide where to put them. If, like me, you are pretty limited on space, the perfect solution is to plant in sacks or containers. I’ve just about managed to squeeze mine in behind the raised vegetable beds.

A chorus line of potato sacks

I filled my sacks about a third full of compost, along with some ‘potato fertilizer’, and placed the chitted potatoes on the top (about 5 per sack), then covered them with more compost and watered them well.

Five seed potatoes per sack

Since then, I’ve pretty much left them to their own devices, and they have done their thing extremely quietly and quickly. Before I knew it (and partly because I’d been away) the leaves were poking out of the tops of the sacks.

Sackfuls of … leaves

Not what I had intended! The plan had been to gradually earth up soil around the stems as they grew. Instead, I have now had to shovel a load more compost into the bags and hope I haven’t got a potato disaster on my hands.

So now it’s just a waiting game. I shall keep them damp (not wet!) and await the flowers; then we’ll see if there’s anything to harvest.

The Great Garden Sowing Marathon

21st May 2015 21st May 2015In the garden, Spring 0

Move over the Great Chelsea Garden Challenge (as seen on TV), it’s time to make room for the great garden sowing marathon (as seen in my garden recently). Having gone a bit nuts on the seed buying earlier this year, I now realize that I may have bitten off a little more than I can chew.

My post on ‘Seedy decisions’ earlier this year gives a full list of the vegetables I’m aiming to grow, and as foolhardy as it may be, I’ve stuck to the plan. In addition to all those vegetables, I’ve sown a fair few seed trays with complementary flowers such as marigolds and nasturtiums, plus salvia, cosmos, rudbeckia and gaillardia to fill in any gaps. GAPS? I could do with another garden to fit it all in!

I don’t have room for a large greenhouse, and my little put-me-up is full.

No room in the greenhouse

So, the question of where to put all the seed trays and pots has been a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, I have a very understanding husband, who doesn’t mind a kitchen floor full of seed trays (for a short while at least)!

Seed trays on the kitchen floor by the door …

… and by the radiator

I never quite believe that anything is going to happen when I sow seeds, and I’m always delighted when the pots and trays start to show signs of life. I collected the marigold seeds myself last year, so I was particularly delighted when they started to germinate after just 3 days.

Germination success

And these are just the seeds I’ve started indoors. I’ve sown beetroot, leeks and spinach outside, with more to follow. Safe to say, I’m going to be ‘blooming’ busy for the next few weeks!

Bluebells, bikes and Hockney

11th May 2015 12th May 2015Out and about, Walks 0

This time last week I was travelling back from Yorkshire, after a fabulous bank holiday weekend catching up with ‘old’ friends. The ‘green’ highlight of the weekend was a walk on the Bolton Abbey estate, starting at the Bolton Priory ruins, a 12th century Augustinian monastery overlooking the River Wharfe.

Bolton priory ruins on the edge of the River Wharfe, Yorkshire Dales

Starting point: Bolton priory ruins

At this point, not being the most sure-footed of individuals, I opted for taking the bridge over the river. For those less concerned about getting their feet wet (aka, my husband!) the alternative is to hop across 57 stepping stones (some, a little wobbly!).

Bolton Abbey stepping stones on River Wharfe

Stepping stone route for the more sure-footed walker

From the other side of the river, we followed an uneven path up into Strid wood, a site of special scientific interest and one of the largest areas of acidic oak woodland in the Yorkshire Dales. At this time of year, it is still carpeted with bluebells, and the trees and river banks were alive with birds.

A carpet of bluebells in Strid Wood

At river level we spotted a dipper bobbing up and down in its search for food among the rocks, while pied flycatchers and grey wagtails skimmed the surface of the fast-flowing waters in their quest for insects.

Down by the river: dipper (top) and pied flycatcher (bottom)

Further along the path, someone had left several piles of seed out next to a bench, and we reaped the benefit of their thoughtfulness with an impromptu photography session, as nuthatches, coal tits, blue tits, great tits, robins – and even mallards – swarmed over the easy pickings. And we didn’t get much further down the path before we glimpsed a treecreeper inching its way up a rough-barked oak.

Woodland birds (from top left clockwise): nuthatch; coal tit; great tit; treecreeper

Woodland birds (from top left clockwise): nuthatch; coal tit; treecreeper; great tit

We passed the ‘Strid’ itself, a narrow section of the River Wharfe where the water gushes with extreme force through a deep chasm of rock. The strid gets its name from the Anglo Saxon ‘Stryth’, meaning tumult or turmoil.

The frothing waters of the Strid at Bolton Abbey

After a brief (uncomfortable!) rest further upstream, we crossed the river at the turreted aqueduct. The impressive castellations of this elaborate bridge hide the pipe that carries water from reservoirs in the Dales to the conurbations of West Yorkshire.

I could do with a cushion!

We then headed back downstream along the opposite bank, back to the start of our walk, where we tucked into hot chocolates and fudge cake. Yum!

‘The arrival of spring’

As for the rest of the weekend, given how close we were to Saltaire, it would have been rude not to check out the work of local artist David Hockney. His only permanent collection in the UK is exhibited at Salts Mill, a former textiles factory built by Sir Titus Salt in 1853. It is now a complex of art galleries, bookshops, shopping outlets and cafes across several floors.

Road across the Wolds, 1997, by David Hockney

The star attraction at present, rather apt for the time of year, is David Hockney’s collection of 49 five-foot framed pictures, all drawn on an iPad, entitled ‘The arrival of Spring’. Each picture depicts a specific day between 1st January and 31st May, 2011, and are a detailed study of the change in scene on Woldgate, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire, during that period.

The Arrival of Spring by David Hockney

The introduction to the exhibition summed up how I feel about 15minutesofgreen and the time I spend in the natural world:

These pictures depict fleeting moments of intense beauty, reminding us of the importance of – and the joy we can get from – looking very closely!

My Hockney favourites

Saltaire village

Titus Salt also built housing, a church, schools and almshouses for his work force, and we enjoyed a meander around the fascinating Victorian industrial village of Saltaire, which is now designated a world heritage site and well worth a visit.

I loved the Saltaire lions: ‘Determination’ and ‘Vigilance’ are positioned outside the former factory school, while on the opposite side of the road ‘War’ and ‘Peace’ watch over the Mechanics’ Institute (Victoria Hall).

‘Determination’ Saltaire lion. Originally designed by the sculptor Thomas Milnes of London for the base of Nelson’s column in Trafalgar Square. After he had completed the models the commission was taken out of his hands and Sir Titus Salt snapped them up instead

Lots of lycra

So we’d experienced the nature, wallowed in the art, and nearly come to blows over politics at the dinner table (but that’s another story). And so to the sport, as our visit just happened to coincide with the Tour de Yorkshire, one of the biggest cycling events in the UK this year. We positioned ourselves along the high street in Ilkley, where an over-excited crowd had gathered.

The anticipation of the crowd, high street, Ilkley

After a lot of waiting, we saw … a lot of bikes … going very fast! Blink and you missed them.

A blur of lycra

I didn’t manage to get a glimpse of Bradley Wiggins (the only cyclist I stood a chance of recognizing), but I cheered on the rest of the peloton, and clapped extra hard for the stragglers further back (I know that feeling!).

Riders in the Tour de Yorkshire, Ilkley

Within a couple of minutes, they’d all gone past and I reverted to the serious business of admiring the town’s flower displays, which were simply stunning.

The flower beds of Ilkley were bursting with colour

All in all, an excellent bank holiday. Thanks to Steve G for organizing!

Pura Vida

24th April 2015 28th April 2015Out and about, Travels abroad 6

For the past few weeks 15minutesofgreen.com has been on hold while I have been experiencing the ‘pure life’ (Pura Vida) in Costa Rica.

This incredible land between the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean has a unique geography, rich in its variety of habitat. I travelled between humid tropical rainforests, jungle-fringed beaches and cool misty cloud forests, all teeming with spectacular wildlife.

The diverse habitats of Costa Rica (from top left clockwise): the peaceful waterways of Tortuguero; Arenal volcano; the tropical foliage of Esquinas; Savegre cloud forest

Costa Rica covers less than 0.1% of the earth’s surface, yet it is home to 5% of the earth’s biodiversity. More than a quarter of this small Central American country is designated national park, biological reserve or wildlife refuge.

I can’t possibly do justice to the stunning scenery and jaw-dropping wildlife that I encountered, but I hope you will enjoy this brief snapshot of an inspirational country, which has reaped the benefits of putting conservation and the environment at the top of its list of priorities.

Fabulous flora

If you like trees, you’ll love Costa Rica. There are a lot of them (!) and the view from the top is simply breathtaking.

Monteverde forest canopy: mature tree crowns fill every available space in their search for sunlight

Below the dense green canopy lies a dimly lit underworld of strangler figs, bromeliads and giant ferns, bejeweled with heliconias and orchids.

Below the canopy (from top left clockwise): the Monteverde forest; giant fern unfurling; epiphytic bromeliads; heliconia

Even outside the forests, the vegetation is vibrant and eye catching.

From top left clockwise: cashew nut; soursop fruit; guanacaste tree (Costa Rica’s national tree); plantain

Astonishing bird life

Although we could hear birds wherever we walked, they were often extremely well hidden amongst impenetrable vegetation; even the most brightly coloured species had an uncanny knack of blending in with the nearest tree trunk or branch. It usually took the eagle eyes of our expert guide, Andres, to point them out, and even then it took a while to hone in on what he could see. But it was well worth getting to grips with our binoculars on this trip!

A collared redstart foraging for insects on a mossy branch

From top left clockwise: keel-billed toucan; boat-billed heron; male resplendent quetzal; blue-crowned mot mot

There’s something rather magical about humming birds in flight … but blink and you’ll miss them

Amazing mammals

We would never have spotted the silent well-camouflaged sloths without expert help, but if we heard a rustling in the undergrowth, a little patience often revealed something furry snuffling across the forest floor …

From top left clockwise: coati; three-toed sloth; raccoon; agouti

… or swinging in the trees above us.

The swingers (from top left clockwise): howler monkey; spider monkeys; white-throated capuchin

Leaping lizards

When it came to the reptiles and amphibians there wasn’t actually a lot of leaping going on. Most species were incredibly obliging when it came to having their photograph taken, posing sedately for their close-ups.

We were captivated by the green baselisk lizards of Tortuguero national park, both male (left) and female (right)

From top left clockwise: jumping anole; spiney-tailed black iguana; green pit viper; moulting ameiva (whip-tailed lizard); poison dart frog

Seeing is believing

I could keep going, but you get the gist! In Costa Rica, every person is constitutionally entitled to ‘a healthy and ecologically balanced environment’, and that’s what they appear to have. I’m not saying they’ve got it all sorted (who has?!), but the UK could certainly take a leaf (or several, as they have plenty to spare!) out of their book when it comes to protecting the natural environment and our indigenous species.

I know that I am extremely privileged to have been able to travel to such an amazing place and that such an opportunity is not available to everyone, but if you are a nature lover and it is within the realms of possibility to visit Costa Rica – GO NOW!!

My favourite links to Costa Rica:

Essential Costa Rica – official tourism website for Costa Rica
Exodus – Costa Rica holidays (see Discover Costa Rica trip – as above!)
Something in her ramblings – Lauren’s (mostly) solo travel blog; she’s currently living in Costa Rica
Two weeks in Costa Rica – Matt and Jen’s fascinating insight into life in Costa Rica, and helpful itinerary planning

April wonderland

17th April 2015 24th April 2015In the garden, Spring 0

Oh what a difference a month makes. Back in the UK, after inspiring green travels far afield, a walkabout in the garden reveals it has been blooming busy in my absence.

On first inspection, yellow predominates. The last of the daffodils are waving their nearly spent trumpets, clumps of wild primrose (Primula vulgaris) are holding their faces aloft with gentle but confident beauty, and the Forsythia is full to bursting with sunny floral joy.

Forsythia brings sunshine into the garden whatever the weather

Alice may be celebrating 150 years since her extraordinary adventures, but I wouldn’t swap her wonderland for mine …

The herb garden is springing back into life, with chives, oregano and lemon balm already ready for use in the kitchen

The early unfoldings of tulips splash the garden with vibrant colour

The heavy-blossomed pear tree shouts the promise of a fruitful autumn harvest

Blooming aubretia softens and brightens stone walls and shady corners

The vibrant red-tipped growth of the Pieris Forest Flame reminds me to be alert for frosts

The vibrant red-tipped growth of the Pieris (Forest Flame) reminds me to remain alert for frosts

The flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) is flowering in spectacular fashion

The flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) is most definitely flowering

Then there is the ever-consistent hellebore. It is the plant that keeps on giving: from the first splash of colour in an otherwise grey canvas in February to the heavily nodding blooms that continue to vie for attention in the crowded borders around my pond today.

A Christmas rose is not just for Christmas!

And it’s not just the flora making me smile. Before we went away, we knew that a pair of robins were making a home in a nest box nestled in the ivy opposite our kitchen window (see Watch the birdie). On our return, it was clear from the non-stop industry of the adults that incubation was over as they were already feeding their offspring.

A busy robin taking food back to the nest

So we’ve been keeping our eyes out for signs of the youngsters, and they have obliged in spectacular fashion, with 3 faces regularly peeping out of their increasingly cramped abode. Most broods tend to have a dominant sibling, and ours is no exception.

So what better name than ‘Alice’ as she becomes ‘curiouser and curiouser!’ about the wonderland that awaits her. In fact, her curiosity has almost resulted in fledging a little ahead of schedule.

First, she decided to get a better perspective on the world outside her nest

Then she tried out her undeveloped flight feathers … and nearly fell out!

It doesn’t look like it will be long before Alice and her slightly less inquisitive siblings fledge, and as they will be unable to fly for a couple of days I shall have to go on cat alert.

So, now that I’ve got all the holiday washing out the way and we’re getting back into a regular routine, the hard work really starts. There’s lots of sowing and sorting to be done, but I can think of worse chores!

Forget me not!

Year: 2015