Sculptures that sum up January for me

These sculptures made me smile when I saw them at RHS Rosemoor in the autumn, but they also have a touch of January about them, so let’s have a light-hearted look at how they sum up January for me.

This one has clearly reached at least the 44th of the month, and realises that there’s still at least half the month left…

And there’s a mascara mishap or two happening. And it still amuses me how the plant is growing around the sculpture, adding a modesty covering that couldn’t have been better placed.

Further along our jaunt around the garden this small sculpture caught my eye. I’ve said before I’d happily hibernate in January, though with slightly more clothes on that this statue, and hopefully without the ornithological audience.

Clearly time has moved on for the sculpture below, and it’s obviously the 91st of January, which calls for a celebration…

….The only thing though about the end of January, is the start of February - and well, that’s not usually exactly full of Spring.

Roll on March, I say - and when January gets to me (as it often does) then I’ll remember to dig out this post, as it’d have to be pretty bad for these not to make me smile.

Mr McGregor's garden

As we wandered around the vegetable garden, quite unexpectedly we stumbled across Mr McGregor’s garden. Not quite sure what it was, it was great to discover it was The Mr McGregor from the Beatrix Potter stories. Well, probably not his actual garden, but that’s a mere technicality.

In case you’re not up to speed, Mr McGregor was intent on keeping hungry rabbis out of his vegetable garden, sometimes catching them for a pie, and appeared in two episodes of the animation of her books in 1992. And from the looks of things, he’s having some success.

Perhaps it’s the sign that’s helping?

It’s a garden with everything though - there’s a shed, slightly ramshackle, but it’s a shed. There’s rhubarb pots, and even a cold frame.

It was a magical little space, that was jam packed full of vegetables. And not a rabbit in sight…

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?!