The caterpillar of the Pale Tussock Moth (Calliteara pudibunda) is large and very visible. Which is just as well. Otherwise, I would have trundled over this one with the ride-on mower. It seemed out of place somehow and far too exotic for a Sussex garden. The caterpillars feed on a range of tree leaves including … Continue reading Pale Tussock Moth
Photography
Cutting Back
Though it doesn't officially start until tomorrow, autumn has crept up on me these past couple of weeks. Low sun and pale mist greet me when I arrive - soon the mist down here in the valley will be heavier: cold, dense and wet. Dock seed-heads (of which there are far too many) sparkle with … Continue reading Cutting Back
The Tropical Border – 2nd Year
With the first hint of autumn, the garden is looking decidedly tired in places but the tropical border at least is putting on a show. It doesn't come into its own until quite late in the season and during this hot, dry Sussex summer it has needed almost daily watering. I added plenty of well-rotted … Continue reading The Tropical Border – 2nd Year
Garden Visitors
Gardening is a fine job and as an added bonus I see plenty of wildlife (as if I needed an added bonus). Here's a little of what I've seen recently. Some of the visitors to the Priory are aloof. I see buzzards regularly wheeling and crying above the valley but only very rarely close up … Continue reading Garden Visitors
I didn’t show you …
... the alliums in flower. After last year's disappointment (when they were mostly reduced to sludge by heavy rain) they were a fine sight. I originally planted one hundred A. aflatunense, twenty A. rosenbachianum and ten A. globemaster. They have increased dramatically in number and bulbs have mounded up to the surface. I won't need … Continue reading I didn’t show you …
Poppies On The Downs
A smudge of red has been visible from The Old Forge for over a week. As I worked in the garden, it drew my eye. The following morning, I decided to go for a closer look. I associate field or common poppies (Papaver rhoeas - should you care), with field margins but this huge expanse … Continue reading Poppies On The Downs
The Anxious Gardener 