John Jackson

Garsons farm maize crop ploughed in and now attracting many hundreds of birds. At least 100 Canada geese, Egyptian geese with wood pigeons, stock doves, magpies, crows and jackdaws feeding on the fallen maize cobs. Amazing.

My sister Sarah Hunt, her beautiful Cabinet of Curiosities, the result of a life time of obsession with little, beautiful, strange and unusual things. Lovely

This is how new species might be formed from fertile hybrids, some believe.

In Spain I believe the expression is as follows ‘You can’t educate pork’.
The truth of reality is often hard to bare. The same attitudes are common among the hunting lobby in the UK.

There is another thought, the reproductive urge is so strong people cannot resist it’s power to overcome any doubts they may have. UK birth rate is dropping but families above the average, are they rising? What are the stats, I don’t know?

But people go on reproducing, in spite of what we know is happening. Is it that they prefer not to think about the consequences or just don’t care. The last proposition is that they don’t know what is going on in the world. Then of course there are the climate change deniers. Lots to consider eh?

Well done, I couldn’t put it better.

What has happened is that American culture and mores have had a powerful influence on the way we think and behave. Of course millions of both us and Americans behave in ways considered normal by most of us. I do so agree with you on every level.

With more research I have discovered that while this is a popular garden plant in the arid landscape of Texas actually it comes from similar dry habitats in parts of South America.

Pair of swallows over Squires Ditton near Surbiton. Overflying now, often sits on wire nearby the Buddhist temple.

Sunset off the A3 in Kingston, Surrey this evening.

I am afraid it has been badly affected by the lack of rain. Basically a fern and tree garden with a greenhouse full of plants that I can keep alive. It is warm in the greenhouse where the Taro grow huge with the fish in the tank below. I am lucky to have such a wonderful place to grow them.

Once as scarce as hen’s teeth. Climate change enabling many such species to gain a foothold in the UK, formally such a presence would have been impossible. So many to record, a quick look at the literature will confirm what i say. The reverse is also true with relict northern species declining.

A very clean Jersey Tiger in the gardens at Pembroke Lodge.

Butter and eggs, Lotus corniculatus and Taro Alocasia in my greenhouse in Kingston. Roots from Asian shops in our are planted in a water trough in my carp tank setup. This keeps the water clean for the fish, huge plants removing the nutrients for their growth.

My O.T. sister told me to turn over and use your hands placed forward on the ground in front of you then push up from there. I am old 84, and often sit on the floor in charity shops checking out the old books that may be worth the effort. It works every time.

A savage looking Bromeliad on the corner of Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park. Dykia spines will rip you to pieces, a species from Texas I believe. A very large one in the corner of the dry section of the Wisely glass house.

At least 3 plus Jersey Tigers today in a cool corner of Waitrose car park Surbiton today Saturday.

Shades of Edward Lear, very nice indeed.

A bromeliad, norolegia species. Close ups for you, one of my favourite greenhouse plants. Hoya carnosa a south eastern aisian climber. Ferns are an important part of my plant collection too. A nice Helix from my garden as well on a hart’s tongue fern.

This is for Carol Klein thank you, great interview on Desert Island Disks. Thoughtful and touching areas of great concern to me. Skylarks at Hampton Court did it for me too.

What a picture Linnea borealis is as rare as hens teeth in the UK, what a view, wonderful to behold.

Mt Etna broom in Esher car park in flower, lovely.

Marbled white and reed bunting present today. Chessington Garden center water reclamation reed bed.

Figwort family!

Barbara Hiles is the correct name of Nick Baganals wife.

This is Nick Bagenals fruit book. Barbara Hyles a member of the Bloomsbury group was his wife. As a family we knew him well. A wonderful character of the Wye College horticultural Dept.

Penstaman serullatus is an American prairie species I believe.

Boxhill from the river Mole up from the weir. Lovely green on the scarp a consequence of the recent rain so looking beautiful through the gaps, my favourites.

Why am I excited?
Swallows and martins at Denbies.
Buzzards over Dorking with thrushes and blackbirds singing in the trees round the garden center there.
Swifts chasing each other over Tolworth.
Each special birds.