Liking the Lichen

I know, I know. I’ve said that here before, but it’s a phrase that still makes me smile. Every. Single. Time.

I’m still fascinated by the lichen, and there was plenty of it at RHS Rosemoor. So that’s another reason we’ll be heading back there again. I also learnt more from the lichen covered bench, or more precisely the sign placed next to it.

The lichens on this bench were deliberately allowed to remain, and it seems I wasn’t wrong when I said there was plenty of lichen there. During a lichen survey undertaken at Rosemoor in 2005, they found a number of rare species around the garden. I’d like to claim I knew this intuitively, but I didn’t, I just liked looking at the lichen, and then I learnt more from the sign when I edited the photos. Maybe I should make more of an effort to read more of the signs at the time, or knowing me I probably won’t, I’ll just smile like a goon at the lichen…

Now onto what I learnt, from the sign.

“Lichens consist of microscopic algal cells, which photosynthesise. The fungal threads absorb moisture and provide the framework for the fungi to grow.”

So not only can I do the liking the lichen line again, I could also roll out the funghi being a fun guy quip too, but of course I won’t. Gah!

But the bench wasn’t the only place I spotted lichen. The kitchen garden also proved to be fruitful, and I was beginning to suspect it might be when I spotted these on the gate.

And then more on the fruit trees.

These really do look more wavy and individual than those on the bench. Perhaps it’s the stems, but there’s a real 3D feel to these.

So, as is becoming customary, the only question I can ask on this post is do you liken the lichen too?!

A garden robin

Another sculpture from one of the stands at this year’s Chelsea, and one that many of us could recreate for real in our own gardens, with our own friendly robin and spade. We have a couple of robins in our garden which I’m told is unusual as they’re territorial. But even so, they’re inquisitive and friendly, or just after the worms and insects where we’re working.

This sculpture is one by Rupert Till whose wire sculptures are just stunning, and something I’d be happy to incorporate into a garden. Some are quite large, on his website you’ll see a racehorse jumping a fence, which would be quite hard to accommodate in a domestic garden, but the smaller sculptures should be easier.

What do you think?

Visiting the four RHS Gardens this year

This year is my second year as a member of the RHS, and at the start of the year I wondered if I could manage to visit all four of their gardens. Some, I knew would be easier than others. Living in London, getting to Wisley in Surrey and Hyde Hall in Essex are relatively easy and are the gardens I’ve been to most.

The other two, Harlow Carr in Yorkshire and Rosemoor in Devon, I’d never been to, but with relatives in Devon I thought this was do-able. We were in Devon in March and it was on our ‘to visit’ list but our visit was cut short when the snow started to come in. We knew we’d be back later in the year, and so my plan was to sneak in a visit then. That was last weekend and even though the forecast was rain, we made it happen.

Though if we’d not made it to Harlow Carr, made possible by a tactical UK break, then maybe we’d have left it for another year. I’m glad we didn’t though as it’s nice to meet the challenges we set ourselves, even if visiting each of the RHS gardens in a year isn’t the most strenuous of challenges!

RHS Wisley

Wisley in Surrey is the RHS’ historic home and the RHS garden I’ve visited the most. The hot houses are always a favourite spot in January and February, as not only are they warm but they’re full of butterflies and exotic plants. Other usual haunts are the alpine houses and the vegetable garden, and I’m continually amazed by the Bonsai too.

IN THE GLASS HOUSE

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

SUCCULENTS

THE ALPINE HOUSE

RHS Hyde Hall

I’ve only been to this garden a few times, despite the fact that it’s only in Essex but each time it’s been full of sculptures. They’ve had some building work done and it was great to see the new visitor centre and cafe open on my last visit. And I finally got into the new vegetable garden, which opened a week after my previous visit, bad timing or what?

ON THE SCULPTURE TRAIL

EXQUISITE FLOWERS

DELIGHTFUL DAHLIAS

THE DRY GARDEN

RHS Harlow Carr

My first visit was in July during our week in Yorkshire, and as you can tell from the photos we had great weather. I realised while creating this post that I’ve not shared much from there yet, but on the plus side there’s some sunny posts to look forward to over the winter.

CONTAINERS

THE STREAMSIDE WALK

INSECTS IN THE BORDERS

JUST STUNNING

RHS Rosemoor

The final garden and the last one I visited, after an aborted attempt much earlier in the year. I’m not sure why we haven’t been before when we head down to Devon normally at least once a year. It’s a place we’ll be going to again, and while it was full of autumn colours on our visit it’ll be great to see it in a different season to see how the garden changes.

AUTUMN COLOURS

PUMPKINS

MEDLARS

THE HOBBIT HOUSE

So there’s a selection of photos from each of the four gardens, I’m not sure I’ll manage to get to them all again next year - but you never know. And then in 2020 the challenge increases as the new RHS garden in Manchester is due to open, now that I’ll be keen to see.

Have you been to any of these RHS gardens, or more than one?