20111215

I saw something green on supposedly herbaceous plant, Eryngium. I went over to have a closer look….

Something is growing on the seed head…

They are the seed from the very plant, germinating in situ!!! That is wrong but fascinating. Did it think it fell onto the ground? Did it think it was spring? Here in Devon, quite often the seed heads become unable to disperse seed because it is very wet in autumn. One of my colleagues told me that she has seen Alliums do the same thing, but I have never seen either do anything like this.

So I cut two of these heads off and inserted into gritty compost as it was, to see what happens. Hopefully we will have a few more Eryngium next year.

This is a picture from some days ago. I probably saw about five rainbows in a week last week.

20111212

Really strong wind and rain is forecasted overnight. Hope the house will survive through…

Work has been delightful (I really enjoy having no visitors even though I shouldn’t, for more flexibility in work such as leaving a huge pile of prunings in front of the main gate is acceptable!) and progress is seen by beds becoming empty. Still more leaves to be cleared, winter pruning can be done now onwards and still a few more beds with herbaceous plants in them.

I’ve been collecting mushrooms to eat these days.

It is called honey mushroom when you eat it and it is called honey fungus when you hate it. It is a fruiting body of fungus called honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) and the name makes us gardeners jump as this could infect and kill trees.

Anyway, here is pasta with honey mushroom and basil pesto. (The mushroom is very mild but with nice texture)

I have (but currently missing and I am seriously considering buying another copy) a book called Food for Free. It is a fantastic tiny book that lists all the wild things you can collect and eat.

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/Titles/30667/food-for-free-richard-mabey-9780007183036

I was feeding doves today and found that one of them laid eggs on the floor, in spite of all very good nesting areas up towards the roof!

So these are the eggs.

And here is the omelette I made….

(No I didn’t.)