It’s been warm and green here this week with many plants emerging for the sunshine. Here’s some photo’s from the forest garden and what we’ve been up to in the gardens.
Pyrus communis – Pear in blossom under
Morus alba – White Mulberry in Apatheia. A tasty pear, not sure of the cultivar but grows fine under the shade of the
Morus alba – White Mulberry although it has taken on a dwarf form making it very easy to pick the fruit from.
Prunus avium – Sweet Cherry is in full blossom at the moment and buzzing with bees and other flying insects. The first cherries should be ready by the third week of May if the weather stays warm.
In the early evenings of the sunny days, a range of flies can be found on a warm spot next to our compost heap. Flies are always welcome in the garden and many flies are equally important to pollinating crops as bees and some such as the tachinids are good pest predators.
Great to see
Lunaria rediviva – Perennial Honesty is voluntarily spreading around the garden. The edibility of these plants is uncertain to me, but in any case, their value as a wildlife attractant is much appreciated.
Levisticum officinale – Lovage with Ribes nigrum cv.- Blackcurrant in the background.
Plenty of Corona in the garden at the moment, fortunately only those of the bold Daffodils. In Latin, the Daffodils are called Narcissus and named after a beautiful hunter in Greek mythology that people were forever falling in love with. The hunter, Narcissus, was not having any of it and only showed disdain and contempt to his admirers. One day the Oread nymph Echo met him in the woods and alike many before, instantly fell in love. She followed him around the woods but Narcissus sensed that he was being followed and eventually Echo revealed herself to him and attempted to hug him. Narcissus, true to form, pushed her away in irritation and Echo, in despair, roamed around the woods for the rest of her life, and wilted away until all that remained of her was her sound.
Nemesis, (a goddess of retribution and revenge) learned what had happened and decided to punish Narcissus for his behavior. She led him to a pool where he could gaze at his reflection in the water knowing that he would fall in love with himself. When Narcissus understood that his love for himself was as good as it was going to get he committed suicide. Always love an upbeat anecdote from the classics :)
That’s all for this week!
