Hostas

Hostas in pots

Hostas are perennial plants with attractive foliage and mauve flowers. They would be easy to grow if they were not the favourite food of some garden pests! We have tried various deterrents. Placing a pottery tube with a copper band around it seemed to be reasonably effective. Growing them in pots may also work better than putting them in a flower bed. Once the plants reach a certain size they seem to be able to hold their own against attack. Ours grow in semi-shade.

During lockdown I took a series of photos of one of our hostas. It has been attacked and has holes in leaves, but we have not been able to find the culprit!

Hostas sprouting

Tender hosta leaves

Hosta flower

On the Hunt for Joy: Take a Field Trip

This week Cee’s On the Hunt for Joy challenge is Take a Field Trip

Common spotted orchid

Last month we explored a new place with a family member, who was happy to look at wild flowers. There were common spotted orchids growing along the side of a track we walked along as well as many other flowers.

For more photos from this trip please see my earlier post.

Nature abhors a vacuum

I heard the expression Nature abhors a vacuum (which is attributed to Aristotle) countless times during my childhood in the context of plants filling bare earth.

When the activities of workers left plant-free space at two locations in this diverse parish, I wondered whether any of the plant-life would be lost.

The first, previously overgrown with sea mayweed, sea radish and other hardy salt-tolerant plants, was near the sea-defences, which had been improved using heavy plant – the yellow metal sort! In a few months plants have begun to recolonise the area.

Before the work (August 2019)

Bare earth just before lockdown

Recovery July 2020

Recovery July 2020

The second was in an arable field, where the newly ploughed area extended into what had been a wildflower area next to the path. The field pansies and other annual plants reappeared along the edge and among the growing crop of barley.

Field pansy in June

Arable plants in August