Earth Day Links

I've added links to some fun/informative sites for Earth Day. Just getting in under the wire but most of them are about things we can do all year. I've also added a new blog to my roll "Hazard Hot Sheet". It covers threats to our environment. I've found Bob Carlson's posts informative and he backs up his arguments with science and links to sites with additional information. He writes under the name Green Knight. It makes me think of an armour clad horseman riding out to joust in the cause of nature.

Meet the Rhodo Guys Of Glendoick

The story of the Cox family would make great reality T.V. Three generations of adventurers headed into uncharted territory in India, China and later Vietnam, gathering plants for the collection on their Scottish estate.

Glendoick House

Following service in WW1 Euan Cox was a disillusioned young man frittering away his time at society parties and trying to avoid returning to his wealthy family’s business. By chance, in 1918, he met Reginald Farrer, one of Britain’s most famous plant hunters and garden writers, who invited him to join his next expedition to Burma. Unfortunately, Farrer died in Burma in October 1920 leaving Euan to manage their collection including several new rhododendron plants. Required to apply himself to serious study it was to define his true passion. 

Glendoick the family estate in Scotland became the repository of many of the seedlings and Euan went on to become a well respected writer and magazine editor. 

Glendoick Garden

Although Euan never went on another expedition his son Peter embraced the adventurers’ life. Together father and son established a nursery at Glendoick in 1953 and then Peter was off to China, Turkey, India, Armenia and Tibet over the course of 47 years and 23 expeditions.

R. huianum from Cox collection

Peter’s son Kenneth Cox is the third generation to go plant hunting, most recently to Vietnam.. For the previous 3 years Kenneth explored one of the least known and most impenetrable parts of the Himalaya, where most of the mountain ranges are virgin plant-hunting territory. He is often called the “Scottish Indiana Jones”. 

R. ochraceum from Cox collection

Glendoick itself has flourished under the care of the Cox family, benefiting from the various expeditions. It is now recognized as a world class centre for rhododendrons.

Glendoick Garden

I cannot do justice to the adventurous lives of the Cox family or the scope of Glendoick.

For more info visit the website and read the books they have authored.

http://glendoick.com

Favourite Names

I'm a fanciful creature so often the first thing to attract me to a plant is its name. Here are a few of my favourites.


Flashy Trout's Back Lettuce   My all time favourite

Flashy Trout's Back

Ardwyna Tomato  Sounds like a temptress from Camelot
Costuloto Genovese Tomato I say this with a pronounced Italian accent
Teton de Venus Tomato  I will let you translate (my husband is partial to this one)

Teton de Venus

Duke of Albany Pea  Indulging my delusions of grandeur
Gravedigger Pea  A wonderful producer so don't be put off by the name. The first farmer to cultivate it got the seeds from the local gravedigger.

Gravedigger

Alice Sunshine Snap bean. I feel cheerful just reading it
Purple Peacock  Bush bean with purple stems and leaves

Purple Peacock

Mostoller Wild Goose Pole bean. This is one of many supposedly found in the crop of a goose just shot by the farmer. The Mostoller story does seem to have a little more documentation than some.


Many dry beans have intriguing names including Amish Gnuttle, Wink's Jacob's Cattle and Ireland Creek Annie.


For a flower I can't resist "Kiss me over the garden gate".

Kiss me over the garden gate

What are some of your favourite names?

Permafrost Plant vs Endangered Species

Scientists led by the late David Gilichinsky at the Russian Academy of Sciences claim to have grown a plant from seeds buried in permafrost for 30,000 years.    

plant from 30,000yr old seed

Although noteworthy as a scientific endeavour, is this the best use of our scientific resources?

A global analysis of extinction risk for the world's plants, conducted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew together with the Natural History Museum, London and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has revealed that 22%  of the world’s plant species are threatened with extinction ( September 2010).   http://www.iucn.org

Dwarf Lake Iris-endangered

“We cannot sit back and watch plant species disappear – plants are the basis of all life on earth, providing clean air, water, food and fuel. All animal and bird life depends on them and so do we. Having  the tools and knowledge to turn around loss of biodiversity is now more important than ever and the Sampled Red List Index for Plants gives conservationists and scientists one such tool.”  Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s Director, Professor Stephen Hopper.

                            


                                                                                                                            

Medicinal Plants In A London Attic

While I’m still thinking about London and the Barber Surgeon’s apothecary garden I thought I would tell you about The Herb Garret in St Thomas Church. The church and adjoining hospital were ministering to the sick and poor from the early 13^th century. Medicinal plants were pretty much the only treatment available therefore the apothecary was a valued practitioner.

Recipe from 1560 for a salve: lard of goose and sheep dung, oil of spice, honey and poppy.

In 1703 the church was rebuilt and the unusually large attic proved to be the ideal place to dry and store the medicinal plants.

After St Thomas hospital moved to a new site in the 1860s the garret lay undisturbed for almost a century. When the attic was being cleaned four dried poppies were the only plants remaining. Fortunately excellent records of the contents had been kept by the hospital. Opened as a museum in 1961, it is a fascinating place to explore the use of healing plants from medieval to current practices.

Part of the garret was partitioned off in 1822 to make an operating room. This is also open to the public. If you are at all squeamish do not read the descriptions of real patients and the operations they endured. I left feeling deeply grateful to be living in the 21^st century.

Location: 9A St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY. 2 minutes from London Bridge Underground Station. Cost: Approx $9 or 6 British Pounds. When I was there last year they did not accept credit or debit cards. Open daily 10:30 to 5. http://www.thegarret.org.uk