Sunday, April 6th, 2008
HOT & SPIKEY!!!!
| World Garden Bloggers it's been a cracking time at Lullingstone over the last few weeks. The star orgasmic, highlight has been the construction of the 58ft long, 23ft wide and 16ft high Cactus House, aptly named "Hot & Spikey". The construction of this horticultural orgy, of all things spikey & succulent has been hardcore horticultural fun albeit knackering. We only finished planting the some 1,000 hot horticultural lovers a couple of days ago! It's south facing, the backdrop being a tall hot wall, so it should provide ideal conditions for the cacti, succulents & bromeliads. |
 |
 |
Without the Lullingstone team to help me, the cactus house simply wouldn't exist. For example moving by hand and barrow the 21 tonnes of 5 different types of rock for each of the beds required 18hr days in March!!! The significant, amassed diversity of plants mainly donated by the brilliant local cacti enthusiast Jim Earles look simply stunning and give the World Garden visitor something extra to see rain or shine. Or should I say snow or shine: The 5 inches of snow that fell today (Sunday 6th April) was breathtaking beautiful, transforming Lullingstone into a winter wonderland. This beautiful scenery though and the bitterly freezing cold Easter weekend has meant a dip in visitor numbers but the brave, adventurous visitors that have come have been brilliant and have enjoyed their visit. Let hope that the weather improves!!!
All 5 beds (Canary Islands, Mexico, SW USA, South America & South Africa) in the cacti house are looking awesome. A couple of cacti are now flowering including the Mexican Mammillaria's. The phallic looking "Snake Trouser's Cactus" (Mammillaria matudea), also in the Mexican Bed, is set off stunningly with jet red coloured marble chips being used as a mulch. Your retinas are knocked out with the intensity of the colours in "Hot & Spikey". Local sculpture extraordinaire Will Jordan has created an awe inspiring desert mural as the backdrop on the south facing wall which sets off superlatively the varied often bizarre shapes of the cacti, succulents & bromeliads.
The World Garden sap is definitely rising as spring hopefully approaches - it's going to be the best plant filled year at Lullingstone ever!!!!
04061031AM
Monday, January 21, 2008
The Prickly Wonders of The Ecuadorean Andes
Hola World Garden Followers,
Tumultous apologies for the tardiness of my latest blog. I 've had a most corking passage of time since i last updated you on October 29th 2007!
From the 3rd - 19th December 2007 i headed for the florally rich South American country of Ecuador and in just two weeks travelled nearly 3,000 km!! My plant filled hardcore mission was to collect in seed form from the wonderful genus of Puya. Of the nearly 200 species native to the Andes of South America, some 35 different species exist in Ecuador. I collected 13 species of Puya in seed form including the tallest Puya hamata. None have been seen in cultivation in the UK, till now........ My aim is to have the first NCCPG (national collection) of Puya's in the UK located of course in the developing World Garden at Lullingstone. The 'wowsers' factor these stunners exude, will knock visitors out, what with their prickly rosettes of leaves and stunning often massive (to 20ft) phallic flower spike spewing out of the centre of these devishily prickly leaves. It'll all be too much - even a hardened, well ripened, hardcore plant nut like me will rapidly be walloped unconscious by their horticulturally endowed assets!
In Ecuador i was fortunate enough in just one day to observe the world's biggest banana plantation on the Pacific coast, whizz up to well over 4,500m in the Andes and then down to the humid edges of the Amazon. All the while in my comfortable Corsa Chevrolet 1.6 litre hire car for 41 US Dollars a day!! Ahh the hardships of modern day plant hunting!!! My eyeballs were bursting at the seams laden with turgid blood vessels, due to the rapid changes in altitude. It amazes me that in a hire car i can collect seeds from a selection of plants including Puya's that have never been cultivated before anywhere in the world. Why Not? It baffles me! The World Garden is going to be a special place with plants growing here and no-where else in worldwide cultivation!!!
I also ventured into Colombia for the first and re-assuringly, i promise, for my last time, since captivity. My senses were numbed by my day excursion with flashbacks galore. But it was something i had to do - to release myself from my albeit sporadic but hellish nightmares. And its worked, not a bad night's sleep since. It made me sick inside crossing into Colombia and a huge burden lifted leaving Colombia. I will never again see that country in the flesh but needed that day of passionately pensive thoughts to release what happened to me and Paul Winder almost 8 years ago.
Will finish bantering now but can't fail to mention 3 final things; how good the website is looking thanks to Danny; a huge thankyou must be reigned out to Harry Hay (a wonderfully passionate plantsman) for partly sponsoring my Ecuadorean Trip and lastly thanking the entire Lullingstone Team for their undying support in all areas at Lullingstone, especially in creating the awesome brand new Cactus House - which is due (a huge amount still to do!) to open on our first open day in 2008 - March 22nd.
From the plant nut - now the converted Prickly Puya Nut!!! xXx
Monday, October 29, 2007
Jack Frost Cometh !!!
Finally a horticulturally endowed update from the floriferous World Garden! Many apologies for the huge lapse in blogging. But Tom The Plant Nut hasn't been able too leave the 4 walls containing the World Garden since February!
Let's start with something special to tell you - It's my Granny's 93rd birthday today. Granny (nicknamed Crac) is my horticultural, legendary inspiration. We've just had a birthday lunch for her & she's on absolutely cracking form!
We've experienced a tumultous 2007 season here in The World Garden, albeit the wettest summer for many years - personally for me the best ever summer for plant growth and exposive flower power action! Eucalyptus globulus (The Blue Gum), where your fisherman's friend and Viks vapour come from has grown over 8 feet since first May! The Blue Gum is stately situated in the middle of my miniature Tasmania especially as its the floral emblem of this wonderful island state.
Visitors to the World Garden have been massively supportive as ever - we passed our dream goal of 20,000 visitors this year on our last open day - Sunday September 30th. Wowsers!!!
Jack Frost cometh now with minus 4c last Tuesday night, which transformed the World Garden into a wintry wonderland. This was the hardest frost in October for over 5 years at Lullingstone; A sign of things to come? - I hope not! My miniature Mexico, in the nick of time, had its plastic corrugated roof, supported by scaffolding and thick plastic sides - constructed last week. This is to keep "God's Tear's" between Nov - March off the 'hardy when dry' succulents such as the Agaves, Dasylirions, Opuntias (Prickly Pear's) and Furcraeas, which have literally doubled in size this year. These beauties will tolerate extremes of cold in the deserts where they originate but not wet at the same time. A huge thanks to Dave, Les, Jim, Sylvia & Adrian for their humongous efforts in constructinf the Mexican roof!!
As for the 50ft x 20ft polytunnel - well it's crammed full (you can barely open the sliding doors!) with over 1,500 tender plants that have had to be dug up from South Africa, Australia, South America and The Canary Islands for winter protection against 'Jack' and Arctic Winds that are surely to come!?! All the Lullingstone helpers have been amazing in cramming this tunnel often working till its pitch black to get these stunners in before the frost - Sarah, Laurence, Jo, Jo, Iris, Alan, Benus & Andrea have been marvellously faithful and hardworking! The World Garden wouldn't be able to continue without them.
What a year! Simply cant wait till we open next Easter!
More hardcore horticultural banter to follow - i promise!
Over and Out - The Plant Nut (Tom Hart Dyke).x.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The Glorious Silver Princess
Dearest Splendid World Garden Supporters,
A huge stack of horticultural apologies for my blogging absence!!!! Since my return from seed collecting in Venzezuela i've literally been stuck knee deep in the world garden, cracking on with a variety of challenging winter jobs.
Last Saturday for example with the trusted and brilliant help of my best friend Tom, Mr Adrian, Jo, Jo, Kathy, Iris & Alan we got cracking on moving 10 tonnes of york stone to create 3 mountain ranges in central africa!
However the highlight of my plant-filled life this year has been the flowering of my beloved Silver Princess (Eucalyptus caesia). I collected this cracker in Australia in 1999. It produced corking deep pink large flowers for the first time in UK history last year & is at it again in 2007 but with many more blooms. Gosh this flower flicks my horticultural switch!! SEE WEBSITE FOR PIC OF SILVER PRINCESS.
Moreover the King Protea (Protea cynaroides) is flowering in the new polytunnel (which incidentally hold over 1,000 different plant species lifted from the world garden last autumn thus escaping from Mr Jack Frost). A bonus too this mild winter is that there's hardly an frost damage in the world garden - wowsers its been a mild one!!! In fact only one night of below -7c so far that lightly chilled in particular my South African delights!! The gusty winds have been more of a problem - i lost my biggest Eucalyptus (58.5ft) a few thursday's back! I've wiped the tears from my cheeks now coz i'll re-plant this year in the knowledge that my recently wind felled beauty was only 7 years old from seed!
Oh by the way please watch out for the BBC 2 tele series starting on March 5th which captures the ongoing developments of the world garden & the colouful characters here at my family home - Lullingstone Castle.
Lots of horticultural hugs to you all & may 2007 bring you many gardening, floral delights,
As ever lots of hugs from your horticulturally endowed plant nut,
Tom Hart DykexXx.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Venezuela Horticulturally Rocks
Massive Horticultural Greetings from Venezuela South America,
Today is my last day in Venezuela & i can´t wait to be home for Crimbo to see friends & family.
I´ve had an absolutely horticultural blast since my last update. Climbing Pico Bolivar (5007 m - Venezuela´s highest peak) was fab. My heart literally burst out of my chest searching for depleted amounts of oxygen especially at the summit, some 16,000ft above sea level !!! Snow eating was a regular occurence albeit slightly gritty!!! Seed collecting has been apace with about 20 different provenances of seed collected - some of which i´m sure will be able to withstand our British climate in The World Garden. The miniature Venezuela will be bursting forth with horticultural action in 2007!!!!!
To observe the adaptation of plants such as the Frallejones to high altitude frosts (which occur every night of the year above 4,000m!!!) is spectacular - with soft furry leaves (used here for bedding for humans!!!) to conteract the cold winds & old dead leaves wrapping the stem up to act as a protective jacket, is simply stunning.
The high UV radiation at high altitudes burns through even the most stubborn sunblock especially on the neck as i´ve found out!! In short i´ve had a corking time with good seed collections for the World Garden, photographic materials for my talks & i´ve kept a video diary for the BBC´s Video Nation, thanks to Hamish.
It´s six years today exactly since i left Caracas from Colombia on a British Airways flight bound for Gatwick after my kidnap ordeal. Tommorow i leave for Heathrow from Caracas once again but this time i´ve had a trouble free trip in South America. Everyone here has been superb and the whole trip including Australia has been a horticultural blast.
Happy Crimbo to you all & a Happy Chlorophyll Packed 2007,
Tom reporting from Merida in the Venezuelean Andes,
Over and Out.
THDxxx.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Chlorphyll packed salutations from the fiesta packed land of Venezuela
Hi World Garden Followers,
I´m Blogging you from the Andes of Venezuela. It´s really surreal, evenly slightly scary to be back in South America for the first time since my kidnapping in Colombia 6 years ago. I was literally shaking as the American Airlines plane approached the city of Caracas coming from Australia via USA. However things are going along just dandy as i´ve been frantically seed collecting around the highest Andean peaks in the environs of the city of Merida in SW Venezuela. The mission statement here is: To find the first plant from Venezuela that can be grown outside in the UK. Therefore i´m trekking around the highest peaks (still a couple have snow covering their most highest points!) where frost, cold exposing winds & frosts are experienced. This Sierra Nevada region is the coldest place in Venezuela.
Seed collecting is apace with good collections of endemic Lupins, Salvia´s & Orthrosanthus already under my horticultural belt! The trick is of course going to cold high altitude areas but these regions must ideally also have cold valley´s where cold air sinks & the cold intensifies as i flows to the bottom of the valley, usually around a lagoon. I´m regularly attaining altitudes of over 4,000m each day from the city of Merida (c. 2,000m) and have not experienced altitude sickness yet.
Thinking about the World Garden a lot especially Crac (my Gran), Mum, Dad back at Lullingstone and of course Jim, Sylvia & Ben who are being absolute angel´s helping out in the World Garden in my absence. Can´t wait to be back from Crimbo.
Tommorrow i´m going to be climbing the highest peak in Venezuela - Pico Bolivar (5007m!!!), it takes 3 days from the city of Merida. An ice Axe & crampons are required as the climb reaches it climax!!!! I´m absolutely determined to find a hardy plant for the World Garden - for visitors to the World Garden to check out,
Adios & thanks for reading,
Tom Hart Dyke - Aka The Plant Nut.x.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Greetings from the land of the gum nut
Greetings Lullingstone Castle Website Viewers from Tom Hart Dyke the plant nut!
I'm now in the city of Brisbane in NE Australia. Since leaving The World Garden almost 2 weeks ago i've been in the state of Queensland in NE Australia collecting exotic plants native to this region.
I've got some real whoppers including a superb Cycad from the Atherton Tablelands called Cycas media. I've acely also managed to pick up the notoriously painful stinging tree (Dendrocnide moroides) - when stung the pain can last for up to 6 months. Don't worry World Garden visitors it'll be placed behind a miniature plastic cage with a health warning attached - it's just so ornamental & educational. Both of these plants & the rest of my collection will be displayed from spring 2007 in the minature NE Queensland in the World Garden. Although none are fully hardy they're all massively horticulturally endowed. Some haven't yet been grown in the UK!
Off to Venezuela tomorrow till 23rd December - when i'll return to Lullingstone for Crimbo. In Venezuela i'll be collecting seed of potentially hardy woody plants in the Andes region of Pico Bolivar - Venezuela's highest peak. The mission statement is too find the first plant from Venezuela that'll prove hardy in "tropical" NW Kent!
I'll be dishing out another horticultural update when i'm in Venezuela,
with warmest wishes to you all and please keep reading my blog,
Tom Hart Dyke - Aka The Plant Nut.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Welcome to My Blog!
On the last Saturday in September (30th) Adrian and I had what can only be described as a ‘moving experience’ when we brought back to Lullingstone the biggest plant ever to be donated to the World Garden—the mighty ~Chusan Palm.
Adrian and I motored down to Bogna Regis early on the Saturday morning. Arriving at the home of Derek Holdaway we found the most amazing Chusan Palm which at 19 feet looked suspiciously like a toilet loofer - a huge furry stem with leaves coming out of the end. It was then that we realised we had one hairy beast to move!
‘ First off we removed the lower leaves to reduce the shock of the move. We had to dig it out of the ground – it took 5 ½ hours. The Chusan had been planted 25 years ago next to a fence so we had to dig under the fence and sever the roots (severely).
During the dig we hit what I thought was a soggy root—I bent down and pulled at it and it came away in my hand. That’s when Derek told us that it was probably the cat, and I’d found its tail! It appears that two cats had been buried at the foot of the Palm 15 years ago. We cut through one of the bags by accident and a skull rolled out—it was like a scene from Hamlet; ’ alas Poor Yorick I knew him’. Adrian was a little bit ill in the border. Derek was brilliant, he performed a quick ceremony and the cats were reburied and we got on with digging up the Palm which Derek estimated was at least 60 years old and had originated from seed from a palm centre in Richmond.
‘Adrian and I spent from 9.00am until 2.30pm pulling the Palm from the ground, loosening the root ball, man handling it, angling it around the back garden so that the root ball was facing the right way. We then got the car, tied one end of the rope to the back of the car and the other end to the root ball. Using the car as a winch, we pulled the tree down the alley way to the main road. By this time we had amassed quite a crowd in the street including a guy with a video camera, and an ice cream van which had stopped to watch the epic move.
The delicate manoeuvre of getting the Palm on top of the car had Adrian and I holding our breath. In the end we totally broke the roof rack with the weight of the tree.
A kindly neighbour, who’d been watching the tree move, gave us a pink duvet cover to wrap the leaves and we used a blanket to protect the root ball before getting ready to travel the 2 hour journey home. But before we could get in the car Adrian stopped me and pointed at the roof: ‘Tom, Tom—we have a big problem’ he said. I wondered what on earth was wrong; ‘are we ok for stability,’ I asked ’yes, that’s no problem—it’s the aerial Tom—we need Kiss FM’.
It was a funny moment capped only by the look a policeman gave us as he drove past on the M23. I can only wonder what he thought we were doing with a 21 foot tree on the roof of an old Astra.
After planting the Palm by torch light in the garden we asked a plant dealer to estimate it’s worth— when he told me that a 21 foot, 60 year old Chusan with beautiful foliage and furry bark would set me back £4000 I nearly fell over! The Chusan is the biggest donation I’ve received in every sense of the word – it’s almost the tallest thing in the garden.
Thank you Derek for the tree and thank you Adrian for helping —you’re both amazing!
|
