Scented winter shrubs

Derek writes: At the School’s gardening Club we have been talking about winter flowering shrubs. These include, Winter sweet, Daphne and winter flowering Honeysuckle ( Lonicera fragrantissima ).Today, Saturday I read an article in this month’s RHS magazine about how winter flowering shrubs had inspired a prospective young gardener. The shrub in question was Edgeworthia … [Read more…]

January skies

Derek writes: This evening Wednesday 10th January, all of a sudden a lovely sunset appeared. We grasped the moment and stood in awe ( thank you Gary Coxall for the photographs ), likewise the stars have been quite magical this evening.

Autumn tones

Derek writes: Look out for those special Autumn moments when the stunning colours of fading summer meet the vivid clear skies and light of incoming winter, like the sky on Saturday and the moon likewise. How about these pictures taken by Gary Coxall at Courtlands last Thursday of a Ginkgo tree. You have to capture … [Read more…]

Box moth

Derek writes “Last Monday we had the monthly working party in the Churchyard here at St. Margaret’s Church. It was well attended with 11 of us including David Dale visiting his parents from Austin, Texas.Our task was to cut down the boundary box hedge which has been killed by the Box Wood Moth caterpillar. As … [Read more…]

Box caterpillar

Derek writes: The Box hedges and shapes in the Churchyard have been devastated by the Box Wood moth caterpillars.To such an extent that they will have to be removed in the Autumn.Collectively we will then have to decide whether we replant with something else or leave blank.What happens is that the Moth lays its eggs … [Read more…]