Stuart Bourne 🌷🌱

But it’s not. It’s written as if it’s an endorsement, with a picture that they don’t have permission to print or the copyright right to use. The first rules of any election leaflet is to ask permission and double check you have all the copyrights.

A group of five succulents in a green pot. They are on a plant stand on a shady patio. Clockwise from top: Kalanchoe "Aurora borealis", Pachyphytum "Pink Moonstone", Sedum "Coppertone Stonecrop", Pachyveria "Glauca", Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

A colorful group of succulents peacefully coexisting in a pot. 🌱

#succulents #gardening #plantsky

Details in alt text.

Finally made it to the allotment! #growyourown #gardenersworld

Some more hellebore ‘heaven’ in the garden currently. #gardening #gardeninglife

Clump of snowdrops, in grass, in weak late-winter sunshine.

#BloomScrolling I'm still obsessed 😍 by the clumps of snowdrops in the garden...

#allotment!
Autumn King carrots harvested today, only dry day this week.
Planted September, stood the Winter. Horray!

Excited to see the White Broom (Cytisus multiflorus) just about starting to flower today in the garden.

🌱 #Gardening #UKGardening #FlowerFeed #BloomScrolling

Five of the best February-flowering bulbs Discover five bulbs that flower in February, bringing welcome colour to the late-winter garden.

Brighten up the late-winter garden with these stunning bulbs, flowering just when you need it most: https://bit.ly/4c79S6F

As someone who’s created a few election leaflets, I know there is very strict rules about permissions to use quotes. If they don’t pull it, you can speak to the electoral commission

Just a quick note to @greenparty.org.uk and @greenpartyhan.bsky.social - I was not consulted on being quoted on your leaflets and I have not endorsed your campaign (or any campaign in this seat). I think this note, like the bar chart next to it, is misleading and out of context.

Project aiming to return elk to UK moves forward Work to assess the feasibility of bringing the species back to the UK is under way.

The reintroduction of beavers to London has been a huge success.

The prospect of elk returning to Britain shows what’s possible when we give nature the space and support it needs.

To brighten up the day

#flowers #nature #gardening #roseflower #roselover

In the foreground is a sloping hillside of white snowdrops, overlooking a river that separates it from another expanse of grass on which sit the impressive ruins of an abbey under a blue sky, surrounded by wintry woodland.

Is there a more magical scene than Fountains Abbey viewed from a hillside of snowdrops?

These delicate blooms leave us hopeful that spring is on its way.

RHS Members’ Seed Scheme 2026 / RHS Gardening Join the RHS Members’ Seed Scheme 2026 to celebrate 120 years of growing. Visit RHS Gardens to select exclusive seeds harvested from their collections.

One of the best benefits of RHS membership is you can choose seeds collected from RHS gardens 💚 growing perennials & shrubs from seed is 100% #sustainable & v satisfying 😊 This year the online system is down but you can still collect or email your choice www.rhs.org.uk/membership/r... #gardening 🌱

Small patch of open crocus flowers

Amongst the grey and cold of winter, the odd bright day here and there brings forth hope for an early spring in the garden.

#gardening #spring

Daphne Spring Beauty really performing by our front door #inmygardennow

A grassy field dotted with clusters of white snowdrops and yellow crocuses, under a partly cloudy sky. Trees with bare branches are visible in the background.

A beautiful display of yellow crocuses and white snowdrops are bursting through in Hyde Park 💛

Spring is not far away 🔜

This is so sad, he was such a legend and the voice of snooker

Another amazing plant for winter scent is Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). Just what I needed today after yesterday’s rain.

🌱 #Gardening #UKGardening #FlowerFeed #BloomScrolling

Zero net migration would shrink UK economy by 3.6%, says thinktank Jump of £37bn in budget deficit by 2040 would force government to increase taxes, NIESR predicts The UK economy would be 3.6% smaller by 2040 if net migration fell to zero, forcing the government to raise taxes to combat a much bigger budget deficit, a thinktank has predicted. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said falling birthrates in the UK and a sharp decrease in net migration last year had led it to consider what would happen if this trend continued to the end of the decade. Continue reading...

Zero net migration would shrink UK economy by 3.6%, says thinktank

The Nepenthes maxima x alata that I got last summer is growing really well and making bigger and bigger pitchers, despite the short winter days. Just an all-round good hybrid.

Based on its vigor, I suspect the “alata” parent was actually the species now called N. graciliflora. 🌴 🌱

A small, but dense clutch of purple crocuses

Crocus
#Winter #flowers #bloomscrolling

Photo of a dozen or so tiny, bronze coloured slime mold sporangia that look kinda like tiny cups on short stalks…the cups have covers. The slime mold is on a green, leafy lichen.

Slime mold, Craterium minutum on lichen, Parmelia sulcata. NWT, Canada.
#lichen #fungi #fungifriends
The slime mold sporangia are only about 2 to 3mm high.

🌱 I always wanted to grow a gardenia so last year, I did. What a fussy plant. It did smell nice, however.

A correction for the ages (from The Guardian's review of 'Melania'):

Breaking: the head of DOGE in Kent has resigned.

My impression of Matthew was that he was a decent man leading a fundamentally ill-conceived project.

A mixture of soft brown dried grasses in the foreground, fringing a fountain on the lake, and in the distance the famous Blue Bridge that has featured in many films.

Winter walk in St. James's Park, London.

🚨 NEW: Ofsted judges Kent County Council's support for care leavers as "POOR."

Care leavers are young adults (18+) who grew up in care. Like any parent, the council has a duty to support them as they start adult life.

Instead, KCC is failing them—and the Leader’s response is dishonest. 🧵

Dave Allan (@davealllan) I've only one more apple tree to winter prune. My pruning technique depends on a tree's location and rootstock, but I'm lazy and stick to moderately vigorous rootstock to make harvesting easy. I've re...

My latest post on Substack.
substack.com/@davealllan/...

🌱 #UKGardening