Planted Burncoose Cornish Coastal boarder Apr 07, 2015 Took days clearing the bank then about an hour to plant eight metres of boarder. Boarder with both collections Coastal Collection 1 Armeria maritima ‘Splendens Perfecta’ 2 Santolina chamaecyparissus 3 Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’ 4 Anthemis cupaniana 5 Agapanthus ‘Rosewarne’ 6 Argyranthemum ‘Cornish Gold’ 7 Lavandula intermedia ‘Grosso’ 8 Centranthus ruber ‘Albus’ ... Read more ➦

Magnolia Stellata Mar 31, 2015 The Magnolia Stellata is out! March 31. So about 3 weeks late

Fred likes being the highest dog in Penwith Oct 27, 2014 Fred on Carn Gulva Fred on Carn Gulva Thanks to the work of Gerald Babcock and his grazing cattle we were able to find a way through the bracken and gorse to the rocks at the top.

God is in the details Sep 29, 2014 German direction signs Look at how the left pointing signs are left justified, and the right-pointing ones are right justified. Together with the timeless DIN font this elevates highway signage to high craft. “God is in the details” Ludwig Mies van der Rohe I am grateful to Anne-Louise Quinton @AnneQuinton for pointing out this collection of signs

One room done… Sep 23, 2014 Before and after The sitting room, with the stove in, but before being re-plastered and the view now, with the shutters closed against the evening sun. Same window. Old plaster stripped off Shutters with sun coming through

Death of Andrew Coak Sep 02, 2014 Flag on Pendeen Church at half mast Flag on St John’s Church, Pendeen at half mast Sunday 31 August 2014 for the death of Andrew Coak, with whom I shared a great great grandfather William Thomas Floyd. He was a good man, who will be missed.

Natural rockery Sep 02, 2014 Pendeen Carn Quarry Rockery in the garden of a fine country house? No, the quarry at the back of Pendeen Carn in late summer sunshine. Click on picture for full size view.

Banksia ericifolia and scarifying the lawn Aug 22, 2014 Trewidden Nursery had its twice annual opening today and we got a Banksia ericifolia, a native of eastern Australia, to Banksia in the foreground plant on the north bank of the big garden. It needs a low pH or will get iron deficient so may need some iron chelate. Apparently phosphate fertilisers must be avoided, so no growmore! ... Read more ➦

Garden update Autumn 2013 Dec 14, 2013

Autumn 2013

It’s a year now since we planted the windbreak hedge on the south side of the part of the big garden nearest the house.

Garden with hedge

Click on picture for full size image

It is mostly Olearia virgata laxifolia with some Rosa rugosa and the old bay tree and olive we brought from Ipswich. The olearia has been a real success. They have grown from about 600mm when we planted them to over two metres. I cut them back to about 1.8 m a and thinned them out to lighten them a few weeks ago. I fed them well in the summer and they got a bit top heavy for our rather light soil.

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Witchfinder’s summer cruise 2005 Nov 16, 2012

[Written late summer 2005, but only just came to light again]

I can only take four weeks leave at one time in the summer but this year we wanted to Go Somewhere. This would be our third summer sailing Witchfinder General, a Sigma 362 and our first boat. Our first two summer cruises had seen us setting off from Suffolk and getting as far as Isle Of Wight along the English South Coast the first year; and Honfleur and the Cotentin peninsular along the French coast last year. Each of these trips had fitted into a fortnight and people kept telling us we had “done the hardest part”. Usually there are just the two of us, but this time we were joined by our son and his partner who have just taken up sailing but need experience to convince their insurer that they can be trusted to take their old (sorry, classic) wooden Nicholson out alone. So this year we decided to go further afield but where should we go? We thought we might get as far as Portugal, which would mean my extending my vacation to an unauthorised six or seven weeks, but would be happy with the Scillies or southern Brittany.

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