Symmetry

Saw this strange juxtaposition on the way to work this morning. Furthest away are the two chimneys of the soon to be closed Ryton Plant. In between these is the 14th century tower of St. Leonards, Ryton-on-Dunsmore. Perfectly framed by trees.

Temporary interruption to service

Sorry it's been a bit quiet here here for a while. It's partly due to how busy I am at work, partly because there's less to photograph in the gardens, and partly because my old computer has slowed down to snail-like speeds, especially with Blogger and Hotmail. As well as its switching-on problem, it's now decided that switching off is too much bother too. Yes, I know it's two months since I said I'd get a new one, but these things take time! So here's a nice picture of Coventry to (temporarily) leave you with:


This is Greyfriars Green, a Green Flag park, and the gateway to Coventry, if you arrive by train and walk into town. Rising above it are Coventry's famous three spires. From the left: Holy Trinity, 237 feet; Old St Michael's at 295 feet the third highest in the country, and finally Greyfriars, 230 feet.
Here's a less pretty but probably more interesting shot of the spires:

It's taken from the bridge over the railway line. You can see how St. Michael's spire towers over the others. The railway is one of the best places to see the spires. As the train pulls into Coventry the spires seem to change places as your viewpoint moves. I like this.

I hope that normal service will be resumed in a couple of weeks or so.

Strange Fruit



Dinosaur Gourd

Dinosaur Gourd seems to be a variety of Bottle Gourd, Lagenaria siceraria, so is related to cucumbers, squashes and pumpkins. It seems better known in the US, where it is also known as Caveman’s Club, and seed merchants say it was traditionally used to decorate sweat lodges. It needs a long season to mature, but did well this year outside at Ryton’s Vegetable Inspirations garden.


Loofa

Loofa (Luffa aegyptica) is also a Cucurbit. It will produce a bath-worthy fruit in this country, but needs a very long growing season undercover, such as in the rather nice Alitex greenhouse at Ryton. In optimum conditions a loofa can reach 4m long, approximately three times as long as the average bath. It can be eaten if picked young, unlike a bath sponge.

Hairy Balls

Hairy Balls, or Gomphocarpus physocarpus, is also known less chortle-worthily as Swan Plant and Balloon Cotton Bush. The US Thompson and Morgan Catalogue says it ‘adds fun to borders and cut flower arrangements’. So, “Come into the garden, Maud, and see my Hairy Balls”? It’s much less available in the UK.

It's native to South Africa, but has been introduced to the Pacific Islands and Australia, where its wind-dispersed seeds mean it is a problem weed. It is poisonous to animals (except goats) as well as humans, and is cultivated for medicine in China. (NB I googled the Latin name, not the colloquial…)

Credit to Lesley, a gardener at Ryton, who grew all these plants.