RECENT EVENTS
AGM
My last Newsletter included formal notice of our 18th AGM, which passed off successfully on 9th November 2017. Thank you if you attended.
AGM
My last Newsletter included formal notice of our 18th AGM, which passed off successfully on 9th November 2017. Thank you if you attended.
January Jolly
Our Post Christmas social on Friday 11th January was well attended and a lovely supper was had by all.
The star attraction was our very own Curator, Edward Eastwood, who gave a practical demonstration on tying knots and explained in what circumstances a particular knot might be useful and why. I didn’t know there were so many variants on the bowline!
Things were rounded off with a refreshingly challenging quiz.
Our Post Christmas social on Friday 11th January was well attended and a lovely supper was had by all.
The star attraction was our very own Curator, Edward Eastwood, who gave a practical demonstration on tying knots and explained in what circumstances a particular knot might be useful and why. I didn’t know there were so many variants on the bowline!
Things were rounded off with a refreshingly challenging quiz.
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS
It’s been a fairly cold and wet winter so far but, more unusually, a very windy one too. The wind puts some of our more veteran specimens under stress and although no tree has been brought down so far, one or two have lost large limbs, for example the deodar cedar at the south western end of White Pine Triangle.
Lots of trees have lost smaller twigs. These have been scattered all over the place and we have been trying to clear them away from the snowdrops and paths but more just keep coming down! Winter is also the time for felling trees. Some of the older larches have begun to lean in an alarming way and are being felled. More clearing up!
The brook that runs the length of the Annexe and Pinetum proper has been behaving as a bourne should i.e. flowing intermittently but most strongly in winter when there is higher rainfall. This has been useful in helping us to decide where to place a weir to create a head of water to drive our ram pump. This project has been long in the gestation but we have had the ram pump installers visit us to confirm requirements and we intend to push forward this year.
It’s been a fairly cold and wet winter so far but, more unusually, a very windy one too. The wind puts some of our more veteran specimens under stress and although no tree has been brought down so far, one or two have lost large limbs, for example the deodar cedar at the south western end of White Pine Triangle.
Lots of trees have lost smaller twigs. These have been scattered all over the place and we have been trying to clear them away from the snowdrops and paths but more just keep coming down! Winter is also the time for felling trees. Some of the older larches have begun to lean in an alarming way and are being felled. More clearing up!
The brook that runs the length of the Annexe and Pinetum proper has been behaving as a bourne should i.e. flowing intermittently but most strongly in winter when there is higher rainfall. This has been useful in helping us to decide where to place a weir to create a head of water to drive our ram pump. This project has been long in the gestation but we have had the ram pump installers visit us to confirm requirements and we intend to push forward this year.
THE SNOWDROP
At this time of year, I usually write something about the snowdrop to tie in with our snowdrop walk. If you look at our Articles section, you will find one with lots of facts about snowdrops.
Recently, I did hear something new to me at a talk given by the curator of a university botanic garden. He suggested that the reason the snowdrop’s flower is pointed downwards is to keep its pollen dry. The plant invests a lot of energy in producing pollen and seeks to keep it available for pollinators, although there aren’t many of those around in January and February in Britain.
This year, I thought a poem about snowdrops would be a bit different, so here is “The Snowdrop” by Alfred Lord Tennyson:
At this time of year, I usually write something about the snowdrop to tie in with our snowdrop walk. If you look at our Articles section, you will find one with lots of facts about snowdrops.
Recently, I did hear something new to me at a talk given by the curator of a university botanic garden. He suggested that the reason the snowdrop’s flower is pointed downwards is to keep its pollen dry. The plant invests a lot of energy in producing pollen and seeks to keep it available for pollinators, although there aren’t many of those around in January and February in Britain.
This year, I thought a poem about snowdrops would be a bit different, so here is “The Snowdrop” by Alfred Lord Tennyson:
Many, many welcomes, February fair maid!
Even as of old time, solitary firstling,
Coming in the cold time, prophet of the gay time,
Prophet of the May time, prophet of the roses,
Many, many welcomes, February fair maid!
