WHAT IS A HUMMINGBIRD MOTH?

January 16, 2013, 3:56 am

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If you have never come across a hummingbird hawk moth before then your first time may come as a bit of a shock, a pleasant one of course. The reason why is this, the hummingbird hawk moth is responsible for the largest number of mistaken identity cases of any animal within the British Isles. Unsurprisingly this would be the actual hummingbird.

An actual hummingbird

Unlike the majority of moths you would come cross, this one is already unusual by being active during daylight hours. However it’s most unusual feature – and the reason behind it miss-identification - is the way it flies.

It beats its wings so fast that they are no more than a blur, and like a true humming bird they are able to hover whilst feeding for nectar with a long uncoiled proboscis. To complete the illusion, the speed of their beating wings is such that they emit the trade mark hum from which the hummingbird gets it name.

Compared to our native moths it’s much more colourful too. Its wings are coloured green or reddish brown, while its dark body is punctuated with dots and stripes of yellow and white

So how it has such an exotic species managed to find its way to our emerald shores. Abundant and resident in all Mediterranean countries, the Humming bird moth migratory habits are well documented with many thousands moving northwards in Europe during the spring. There is also evidence of a return migration in the autumn. Although they are known to successfully breed in this country, they are generally unable to survive our winters. This means that we are always reliant on new colonies coming up from southern France.

How to attract the hummingbird hawk moth

A Hummingbird moth

Abundant and resident in all Mediterranean countries, the Hummingbird Hawk moth makes an annual migratory journey moving northwards in Europe during the spring. With a bit of luck - and a suitably warm head wind - they reach the south eastern shores of Great Britain during the summer where they lay their eggs and make the most of our seasonal, nectar-rich native plants.

Unfortunately with modern farming techniques and ever increasing, suburban paradise, native plants are in short supply and this can be a severe problem when it comes to the supplying energy rich needs of this stunning and hard-working creature.

To increase your chances of attacting the hummingbird moth to your garden, there are a number of plants that you can add to your borders that can help to encourage them. Of particular importance is the Galiumverum, more commonly known as Lady's Bedstraw or Yellow Bedstraw. This is the plant that the adults prefer to lay their eggs on, although they have also been known to hatch on Centranthus, Stellaria and Epilobium.

Another Hummingbird moth

The hummingbird hawk moth is known to have a remarkably good memory with individual moths returning to the same flowerbeds every day at about the same time. If gardens can supply a continuation of nectar-rich, flowering plants throughout the summer and autumn periods your chances of seeing the hummingbird hawk moths - along with a season full of return visits - is greatly increased.

The key to attracting and retaining subsequent visits is this succession of suitable plants that will provide energy rich pollen and nectar for the whole season. With the continual loss of habitat combined with the over use of systemic insecticides - which kill off both pest insects as well as beneficial pollinating insects - it is down to us to provide the natural resources that modern farming and gardening practices have taken away.

SUMMER

Agastache . This member of the lamium family, this fragrant plant produces upright spikes of tubular, two-lipped flowers develop at the stem tips in summer. The flowers are usually white, pink, mauve, or purple, with the bracts that back the flowers being of the same or a slightly contrasting colour.

Buddleia davidii. This family of easy-to-grow cultivated plants are commonly known as butterfly bush for their highly attractive nature towards members of the butterfly species - amongst others. This shrub is both hardy and deciduous and flower profusely in July on new season’s wood. They are lime tolerant and will do well in a good loamy soil in full sun.

Foxgloves. This native European woodland plant is now readily available in many cultivated forms. It is a popular biennial for shaded places, perennial if the flower stems are cut back promptly to prevent self-seeding. They are happy in most good soils but will require a healthy dose of well-rotted farm manure to get the most out of them. With some of the new varieties looking absolute spectacular in flower, they are a must for the ornamental garden; just make sure that they are watered well in dry weather.

Honeysuckle. This native European climber is an old favourite when it come to pollinating insects, and their rings of curved, almost tubular shaped individual flowers are ideal for long-tongued flying insects like the hummingbird hawk moth. Plant so the roots are in shade but the stems and flowers can grow out into the sun.

Syringa. This group of hardy, deciduous shrubs and small trees are still very popular for their early summer flowers. There are a number of very suitable species as well as cultivated varieties, all of which will do well in any fertile soil, in full sun or partial shade.

LATE SUMMER – EARLY AUTUMN

Delphiniums. This is one of the classic flowers of the traditional summer garden but keep away from the double flowering types are these produce little nectar and are unsuitable for pollinating insects. Their tall upright spikes laden with intensely-coloured flowers are a feature of herbaceous borders, where they are best grown near the back to add height and drama. Although the flowering season can be relatively short, delphiniums can often be coaxed into producing a few later flowers if the flower spikes are cut down as soon as the blooms are over.

Escallonia. This family of plants originate from South America. For best flowering, choose evergreen varieties which will come into bloom from July until August. They grow well in any ordinary, well-drained soil in an open and sunny position.

Monarda species. So popular are plants from this family with bees that its common name is known as Bee Balm, but they are just as popular with other beneficial insects. This native of North America has very distinctive flower-heads with each one consists of a large number of curving tubular flowers growing out from a central point. As the flowers mature they create a shaggy and characteristic dome of petals. The plant has a long flowering season, from early summer to early autumn, and blooms almost continuously if dead-headed periodically. It prefers free-draining yet moist oil in full sun although it can tolerate semi shade.

Sedum spectabile. A native of china, this evergreen is a stalwart of late summer nectar with its flowers reliably appearing from September to October. Suitable for any ordinary, well-drained garden soil this hardy succulent species is ideal for dry borders in full sun.

Also consider plants such as the single flowered petunias, red valerian, jasmine, lilac, , and phlox, Nicotiana, native Primula and viola varieties, herbacous and bedding Verbena, Echium, and Stachys.

Of course there are other plants the hummingbird hawk moth is interested in which has nothing to do with their flower or how much nectar they produce and these are the plants that they lay their eggs on which become a nutritious meal for their caterpillars when they hatch. Of particular importance is the Galium verum, more commonly known as Lady's Bedstraw or Yellow Bedstraw. This is the plant that the adults prefer to lay their eggs on, although they have also been known to hatch on Centranthus, Stellaria and Epilobium.

For more information click onto:

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All about Polar Bears
All About Wolves
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Discovered - Moth New to Science Found in UK
How to Feed Butterflies

Food Plants For Butterflies

Food Plants For Caterpillars

How do Elephants Communicate and Talk to Each Other?

How do Lizards Run on Water?

How to Attract Bumblebees to the Suburban Garden

How to Attract the Hummingbird Hawk Moth
How to Feed Hummingbirds

How to Grow Native Wild Primroses and Polyanthus from Seed

How to Make a Butterfly Garden

How to Make a Wildlife Pond
Hummingbird Facts
Komodo Dragon Facts
Komodo Dragon Habitat

Light Pollution and the Decline of Native Insects

Plants for Autumn Colour
Portuguese Man of War Stings

The Decline of Butterfly and Caterpillar Habitat
The Coyote
The Differences Between Crocodiles and Alligators
The Differences Between Horses and Zebras?
The Duck-Billed Platypus
The Giraffe
The Hippopotamus
The Hummingbird
The Jaguar
The Jesus Christ Lizard
Tigers
The Koala
The Komodo Dragon
The Portuguese Man of War
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The Wolf
The Hummingbird Moth
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What is 'Slash and Burn' Farming and How does it Affect the Rainforests?
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Where can you find Gorillas?
Where to find Hummingbirds?
Where do Wolves Live?

Which Plants can Attract Bats into the Garden?
Wolf Conservation
Wolf Facts
Images care of http://suziesden.com/?m=20100813 and http://suziesden.com/?m=20100813 and http://www.wallcoo.net/flower/cosmos/[wallcoo_com]_cosmos_flower_picture_ez151.html

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THE TERROR BIRD

January 16, 2013, 8:20 am

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The name 'terror bird' is commonly used to describe any specimen within the Phorusrhacid family. Put simply terror birds were a family of large carnivorous flightless birds that were the largest species of apex predators found in South America during the Cenozoic period 62–2 million years ago.

The Red-legged Seriema

Living off of a diet of small mammals and any carcasses they could find, terror birds were able to get big.

In fact, depending on the species an adult could stand anywhere between 3 and 10 ft tall. With a skull of up to 35 inches long, the largest terror birds would have been able to swallow dog-size prey in a single gulp!

Today, their closest modern-day relatives are believed to be the seriemas which will reach a height of no more than 3 ft.

The bird's most striking feature was its massive beak which ended with a sharp, curving hook, shaped like an eagle's beak.

Whether the flightless birds used their beaks to impale or bludgeon their prey is unknown, but a single hit from their massive skull would have killed anything immediately.

Titanis walleri, one of the larger species of terror bird, is known from bones found in Texas and Florida in North America.

It was once believed that T. walleri only became extinct around the time of the arrival of humans in North America 50,000 years ago, but subsequent datings of Titanis fossils have failed to provide evidence for their survival more recently than 1.8 million years ago.

Terror birds may have even made their way into Africa, with the genus Lavocatavis recently discovered in Algeria, although its status as a true Phorusrhacid is questionable.

Terror bird

Kelenken guillermoi from Middle Miocene some 15 million years ago, discovered in Patagonia in 2006, represents the largest bird skull yet found.

The fossil has been described as being a 28 inch, nearly intact skull. The beak is roughly 18 inches long and curves in a hook shape that resembles an eagle's beak.

Most species described as phorusrhacid birds were smaller, 2–3 ft tall, but the new fossil belongs to a bird that probably stood about 10 ft tall.

Scientists theorize that the large terror birds were extremely nimble and quick runners able to reach speeds of approximately 30 mph.

For more information click onto:
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Fall in Bee Populations Linked to Decline in Plant Biodiversity
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Feeding Wild Birds
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Food Plants For Caterpillars
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How to Feed Hummingbirds
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How to Make a Wildlife Pond
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Jellyfish Swarms - The Latest Man-Made disaster?
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Light Pollution - The Hidden Threat
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Nectar Rich Plants for Attracting Long-Tongued Bumble Bees
Non- Native Invasive Species - The Chinese Mitten Crab
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Seed Bearing Plants for Attracting Wild Finches
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Tigers
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The Decline of Insect Eating Birds
The Eagle Owl
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The Plight of English Woodlands
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What do Golden Eagles Eat?
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Why Should we Protect the Rainforest?
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Based on an article from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae
Images care of http://leesbird.com/birds-world/or/cariamiformes/ and http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0818/Ten-foot-tall-prehistoric-terror-bird-had-a-fearsome-bite

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HOW TO PRUNE RASPBERRIES

January 17, 2013, 2:47 am

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Knowing when to prune raspberries may seem complicated but it is actually very simple! All you need is a good pair of secateurs, some gardening gloves to protect against thorns, and to be able to recognise whether your raspberries are autumn fruiting or summer fruiting.

Autumn fruiting raspberries

Autumn fruiting raspberries will fruit between August and October and are ideal for growing in containers on the patio as they don't need supporting. They are also great for beginner gardeners as the pruning is very simple.

One of the most reliable varieties is 'Autumn Bliss' , although for something more unusual try growing yellow raspberries such as 'Allgold'.

Summer fruiting raspberries

Summer fruiting raspberries will fruit between June and early August depending on specific varieties. For the earliest raspberries 'Glen Moy' is a good variety and for delicious flavour you can't beat 'Glen Fyne'.

Pruning raspberries

Autumn fruiting raspberries are the simplest to prune. In late winter - so you are probably looking at February - prune all the canes to ground level before growth commences. The plants will then fruit on new growth.

Summer fruiting raspberries produce fruit on one year old canes. During the autumn, cut all canes down to soil level that produced fruit during the summer.

To help with pruning summer raspberries, it may be worth marking the fruiting canes during the summer so you can distinguish between these and the new season's canes - the new season's canes will be lush and green.

Aim to tie in 6-8 of the strongest new canes and remove the rest. The new canes should be spaced out about 4 inches apart on their support to allow each cane as much light and air as possible.

For more information click onto:
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How to Protect Fruit from Birds
How to Collect and Prepare Strawberry Seed for Propagation
How to Plant and Grow Blackcurrants
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Where does Chocolate come from?
Why is Fresh Fruit so Good for You?
Based on an article from http://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-raspberries
Images care of http://blog.plantpassion.co.uk/2011/07/pruning-summer-fruiting-raspberries.html

↧

WHAT IS VITAMIN A?

January 17, 2013, 8:36 am

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In foods of animal origin, the major form of vitamin A is an ester, primarily retinyl palmitate, which is converted to an alcohol - known as retinol - in the small intestine. This retinol form functions as a storage form of the vitamin, and can be converted to and from its visually active aldehyde form, retinal.

The associated acid - retinoic acid, a metabolite which can be irreversibly synthesized from vitamin A, has only partial vitamin A activity, and does not function in the retina or some essential parts of the reproductive system.

All forms of vitamin A have a beta-ionone ring to which an isoprenoid chain is attached, called a 'retinyl group'. This structure is essential for vitamin activity.

The orange pigment of carrots - beta-carotene - can be represented as two connected retinyl groups, which are used in the body to contribute to vitamin A levels.

Alpha-carotene and gamma-carotene also have a single retinyl group which give them some vitamin activity. None of the other carotenes have vitamin activity. The carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin possesses an ionone group and has vitamin activity in humans.

Vitamin A comes from two main types of foods:

Retinol - a yellow, fat-soluble substance. It is the form of vitamin A absorbed when eating animal food sources. Sources include cod liver oil, butter, margarine, liver, eggs, cheese and milk.

Carotenes - such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, gamma-carotene, and xanthophyl beta- cryptoxanthin.

Carotene is an orange photosynthetic pigment crucial for plant photosynthesis. The orange colours of carrots, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe melons come from its carotene content. Lower carotene concentrations are what give the yellowish colouration to butter and milk-fat. Some omnivores have yellow-coloured body fat, such as chickens and humans.

Good food sources of vitamin A include Apricots, Butter, Broccoli leaf, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cheddar cheese, Cod liver oil, Collard greens, Eggs, Fortified cereals, Kale, Liver, Mangos, Milk, Papayas, Peaches, Peas, Pumpkin, Spinach, and Sweet potatoes.

What is vitamin A deficiency?

Vitamin A deficiency is common in poor countries and extremely rare in developed nations. Sufferers of night blindness - people who cannot see well in dim light - are more likely to have a vitamin A deficiency.

Night blindness is one of the most common signs of vitamin a deficiency. According to the World Health Organization, night blindness among pregnant women in developing nations is worryingly high. Pregnant women with vitamin A deficiency are more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth, and may have problems with lactation.

People with vitamin A deficiency can also develop xerophthalmia - dry eyes, and even complete blindness.

Between 250,000 and 500,000 malnourished children worldwide lose their eyesight each year because they do not have enough vitamin A. Half of them die within twelve months of becoming blind. A child with not enough vitamin A has a higher risk of dying from some infectious diseases, such as measles.

Low vitamin A levels make children more susceptible to diarrhoea slow bone development, and respiratory infections. Approximately one third of all children globally are thought to be affected by vitamin A deficiency - 670,000 of whom die within their first five years of life.

It is possible to have too much vitamin A, which can lead to anorexia, irritability, abdominal pain, weakness, drowsiness, headaches, hair loss, irritability, dry skin, insomnia, weight loss, bone fractures, diarrhoea and anaemia However, intake would have to be extremely high.

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Based on an article from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219492.php and http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Vitamin-A.aspx
Images care of http://metrobestmom.blogspot.co.uk/2012_05_01_archive.html and http://www.ifood.tv/blog/top-10-vitamin-a-rich-foods-for-children and http://www.united-academics.org/magazine/5083/a-natural-remedy-for-aging-eyes-vitamin-d/ and http://www.autoinsurancequotes.org/2012/09/8-safety-tips-for-aging-drivers/

↧

WHAT IS VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY?

January 20, 2013, 1:44 am

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What is vitamin A deficiency?

Vitamin A deficiency is common in poor countries and extremely rare in developed nations. Sufferers of night blindness - people who cannot see well in dim light - are more likely to have a vitamin A deficiency.

Night blindness is one of the most common signs of vitamin a deficiency. According to the World Health Organization, night blindness among pregnant women in developing nations is worryingly high.

Furthermore, pregnant women with vitamin A deficiency are more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth, and may have problems with lactation.

People with vitamin A deficiency can also develop xerophthalmia - dry eyes, and even complete blindness.

Between 250,000 and 500,000 malnourished children worldwide lose their eyesight each year because they do not have enough vitamin A. Half of them die within twelve months of becoming blind. A child with not enough vitamin A has a higher risk of dying from some infectious diseases, such as measles.

Low vitamin A levels make children more susceptible to diarrhoea slow bone development, and respiratory infections. Approximately one third of all children globally are thought to be affected by vitamin A deficiency - 670,000 of whom die within their first five years of life.

It is possible to have too much vitamin A, which can lead to anorexia, irritability, abdominal pain, weakness, drowsiness, headaches, hair loss, irritability, dry skin, insomnia, weight loss, bone fractures, diarrhoea and anaemia However, intake would have to be extremely high.

What is Vitamin A

Put simply, vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is also known as retinol because it produces pigments in the eye's retina. The eye needs a specific metabolite - retinal - a light-absorbing substance that is crucial for low-light vision.

Vitamin A is also important for healthy teeth, skeletal tissue, soft tissue, the skin, and mucous membranes.

It also functions in a very different role, as an irreversibly oxidized form retinoic acid, which is an important hormone-like growth factor for epithelial and other cells.

In foods of animal origin, the major form of vitamin A is an ester, primarily retinyl palmitate, which is converted to an alcohol - known as retinol - in the small intestine. This retinol form functions as a storage form of the vitamin, and can be converted to and from its visually active aldehyde form, retinal.

The associated acid - retinoic acid, a metabolite which can be irreversibly synthesized from vitamin A, has only partial vitamin A activity, and does not function in the retina or some essential parts of the reproductive system.

All forms of vitamin A have a beta-ionone ring to which an isoprenoid chain is attached, called a 'retinyl group'. This structure is essential for vitamin activity.

The orange pigment of carrots - beta-carotene - can be represented as two connected retinyl groups, which are used in the body to contribute to vitamin A levels.

Alpha-carotene and gamma-carotene also have a single retinyl group which give them some vitamin activity. None of the other carotenes have vitamin activity. The carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin possesses an ionone group and has vitamin activity in humans.

Vitamin A comes from two main types of foods:

Retinol - a yellow, fat-soluble substance. It is the form of vitamin A absorbed when eating animal food sources. Sources include cod liver oil, butter, margarine, liver, eggs, cheese and milk.

Carotenes - such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, gamma-carotene, and xanthophyl beta- cryptoxanthin.

Carotene is an orange photosynthetic pigment crucial for plant photosynthesis. The orange colours of carrots, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe melons come from its carotene content. Lower carotene concentrations are what give the yellowish colouration to butter and milk-fat. Some omnivores have yellow-coloured body fat, such as chickens and humans.

Good food sources of vitamin A include Apricots, Butter, Broccoli leaf, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cheddar cheese, Cod liver oil, Collard greens, Eggs, Fortified cereals, Kale, Liver, Mangos, Milk, Papayas, Peaches, Peas, Pumpkin, Spinach, and Sweet potatoes.

For related articles click onto:
How to Harden Off Seedlings

How to Break Dormancy in Seeds
How to Grow From Seed
How to Use Comfrey as an Organic Fertilizer
What is Crop Rotation?

↧

CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE

March 15, 2013, 6:42 am

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If you are familiar with London landmarks then you will be familiar with Cleopatra's needle. Sat amongst the sites of London on the Thames Embankment it can easily be missed. While it doesn't have the visual attraction of Tower Bridge for example, the history of Cleopatra's Needle to this country is enough to look at this unique (almost) monument in a completely different light.

What is Cleopatra's Needle?

Cleopatra's Needle is the popular name for each of three Ancient Egyptian obelisks re-erected in London, Paris, and New York City during the nineteenth century. The London and New York ones are a pair, while the Paris one comes from a different original site, Luxor, where its twin remains.

Although the needles are genuine Ancient Egyptian obelisks, they are somewhat misnamed as they have no particular connection with Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt, and were already over a thousand years old in her lifetime. The London "needle" is one such example, as it was originally made during the reign of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Thutmose III but was falsely named "Cleopatra's needle".

The Paris "needle" was the first to be moved and re-erected and the first to acquire the nickname.

On erection of the London obelisk in 1878 a time capsule was concealed in the front part of the pedestal, it contained:

A set of 12 photographs of the best looking English women of the day, a box of hairpins, a box of cigars, several tobacco pipes, a set of imperial weights, a baby's bottle, some children's toys, a shilling razor, a hydraulic jack and some samples of the cable used in erection, a 3' bronze model of the monument, a complete set of British coins, a rupee, a portrait of Queen Victoria, a written history of the strange tale of the transport of the monument, plans on vellum, a translation of the inscriptions, copies of the bible in several languages, a copy of Whitaker's Almanack, a Bradshaw Railway Guide, a map of London and copies of 10 daily newspapers.

Cleopatra's Needle is flanked by two Egyptian sphinxes cast from bronze that bear hieroglyphic inscriptions that say netjer nefer men-kheper-re di ankh - the good god, Thuthmosis III given life. The two sphinxes are not Egyption as they were cast in bronze at the Ecclestone Iron Works in Pimlico in 1881.

Strangely, these Sphinxes appear to be looking at the Needle rather than guarding it. This is because of the Sphinxes' improper or backwards installation. Around the obelisks the Embankment has other Egyptian flourishes, such as buxom winged sphinxes on the armrests of benches. On 4 September 1917, during World War I, a bomb from a German air raid landed near the needle. In commemoration of this event, the damage remains unrepaired to this day and is clearly visible in the form of shrapnel holes and gouges on the right-hand sphinx.

How Cleopatra's came to London

Cleopatra’s Needle was presented to the British Government in 1820, although there had been plans to bring it back as early as 1801 as a memorial to the victories of Nelson and Abercromby over the French in Egypt. However, it was 1877 when the obelisk finally arrived in this country.

As it weighed over 200 tons it was encased in an iron cylinder which was then rolled by means of levers and chains down a track into the sea. It was fitted with a deck house, mast, rudder and steering gear and was manned by a crew of Maltese sailors. This ‘craft’ was named Cleopatra and was to be towed to Great Britain by the steamship Olga. They sailed on 21 September 1877. Captain Henry Carter (who had supervised her construction) commanded the Cleopatra and Captain Booth was in command of the Olga.

The two vessels could only make 7 knots and disaster struck in the Bay of Biscay when the tow ropes had to be cut in a violent storm on 14 October 1877. The Cleopatra began wildly rolling, and became untenable. The Olga sent out a rescue boat with six volunteers, but the boat capsized and all six crew were lost - named today on a bronze plaque attached to the foot of the needle's mounting stone.

Cleopatras Needle in transport casing

Eventually Captain Carter and his crew were rescued and the Cleopatra drifted away in the storm.

It was assumed she was lost but she was later sighted by the Fitzmaurice and towed in to Ferrol Harbour. From there, she was towed back to England by the paddle tug Anglia arriving at Gravesend on 21 Janaury 1878.

The obelisk was eventually erected on the Thames Embankment while the Cleopatra was broken up immediately after the obelisk had been removed on 6 July 1878.

For related articles click onto:
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ATHENS: The Parthenon
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Cleopatra's Needle
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LONDON: The London Eye
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MOROCCO: Marrakech
MOROCCO: The Jemaa el-Fnaa
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Rembrandts House
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Rome: Gladiator School
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Based on an article from http://www.rmg.co.uk/explore/sea-and-ships/facts/faqs/general/how-was-cleopatra-s-needle-transported-to-london and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra's_Needle
Images care of http://thames.me.uk/s00110.htm and http://vichist.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/threading-cleopatras-needle.html and http://openplac.es/trips/cleopatra-s-needle-in-london-greater-london-wc2n-6-gb and http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cleopatra's_Needle_(London)_sphinx_2.jpg

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THE GIANT AMAZON WATER LILY

March 16, 2013, 4:03 am

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The giant Amazon water lily is one of those rare plants that captures the imagination of children and grown ups alike. Famous for having leaves so large and sturdy that you could place a child or even a petite woman upon one without the risk of sinking, the giant Amazon water lily is truly one of the stars of most botanical gardens - so long as they have the facilities to grow one.

A little known fact about the structure of the underside of the enormous lily pads is that they were the inspiration for the structure of largest Victorian glasshouse in existence - the famous Palm House built by architect Decimus Burton and iron-maker Richard Turner between 1844 and 1848.

The water lily house at Kew is as square glazed structure which encloses a circular pond spanning 36 feet. It was completed in 1852 specifically to showcase the giant Amazon water lily. At this time, the Water lily House was at the time the widest single-span glasshouse in the world. Disappointingly, the giant Amazon water lily but the plant never thrived there.

History

The giant Amazon water lily was originally discovered in Guiana by the Victorian explorer Sir Robert Schomburgk in 1837, although a German called Poeppig had earlier seen and described it while rafting down the Amazon.

This led to a good deal of confusion over naming of this aquatic giant. According to the arcane but rigid rules of botanical nomenclature it should correctly be called Victoria amazonica but throughout the reign of Queen Victoria it was known as Victoria regia (literally Queen Victoria) and only assumed its botanically correct name after the old Queen died and it was safe to change the labels.

Once the first seeds were brought back to England there was a race amongst the landed gentry to be the first to cultivate the plant and present a flower to the Queen, victory going to the Duke of Devonshire whose head gardener at Chatsworth, Joseph Paxton, built a suitably large glasshouse to accommodate the monster plant ... with no expense spared.

Description

The enormous circular leaves of the giant Amazon water lily, which grow to over 2.5 m across, have upturned rims and are anchored by long stalks arising from an underground stem buried in the mud of the river bottom. The leaves first appear as spiny heads but expand rapidly up to half a square metre per day. The upper surface has a rather quilted appearance and a waxy layer that repels water.

The purplish red under-surface has a network of ribs clad in abundant sharp spines, possibly a defence against herbivorous fishes and manatees. Air trapped in the spaces between the ribs enables the leaves to float. They are so buoyant that they can easily support the weight of a small child, and a mature leaf can support 45 kg if the load is evenly distributed. In a single season, each plant produces some 40 to 50 leaves, which cover the water surface and exclude light, thus restricting the growth of most other plants.

Check out the film clip below to view the timelapse opening of giant waterlily at Kew Gardens

For further reading click onto:
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Rome: Julius Caesar
Rome: The Pantheon
Species Tulip - Tulipa turkestanica
The Giant Amazon Water Lily
Tulip
Tulip History and Popular Varieties
Top Tips for Tulip Care
Tulip Diseases
How To Propagate Tulips
What is a Bulb?
What is the Tulip Breaking Virus?
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Images care of http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Victoria-amazonica.htm and http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/garden-attractions-A-Z/waterlily-house.htm and http://ephsfoleybiomes.pbworks.com/w/page/9552155/Ponds%20and%20Lakes%20-%202 and http://thegreenape.blogspot.co.uk/2009_07_01_archive.html

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HOW TO GET RID OF LAWN WEEDS

March 17, 2013, 3:02 am

≫ Next: WHAT IS A FLAMINGO?

≪ Previous: THE GIANT AMAZON WATER LILY

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Given the right conditions, weeds will grow anywhere. They are by nature opportunistic and will quickly invade where suitable conditions arise. Unfortunately, this also includes any thin or weak areas in your lawn.

When it comes down to providing the ideal weed conditions in your lawn, it will normally come about through simple neglect or incorrect lawn management. However, there may also be some underlying reasons that favour certain weeds such as a wet lawn, dry lawn, favourable pH, or lack of nutrition.

Irrespective of the reason why there are weeds in your lawn, there are only two effective methods of controlling them, either culturally or by the use of selective herbicides (weed killers), and fertilisers.

Cultural weed control

If you decide not to confront the possible underlying factors that can cause weeds to grow in your lawn, then your other choice is to pay out - year on year - for moss killers, chemical fertilisers and weed killers. While this chemical combination will only produce a short term effect, when applied correctly it will actually work.

So before reaching for the wallet, you may want to consider removing the weeds by hand - especially if there are only a few weeds that have made it through. Use a daisy grubber or slim width trowel to remove perennial weeds along with their tap roots - this method is ideal for the more pernicious weeds such as plantains, daisies, dandelions and thistles.

Furthermore, sticking to a good lawn maintenance program will also help to keep your lawn in optimum condition making it more difficult for weeds to get a foothold.

In severe case of weed infestation – and where the quality of the lawn is such that is unlikely to be restored to any sort of quality – you may need to consider removing the existing lawn altogether and starting again from seed or turf (just make sure the weed problem is properly solved before you start)!

Chemical control

In some cases the weed problems you can get in lawns will be too severe and widespread to make hand weeding a practical option.

If this is the case then a selective weed killer may be your only viable option to control the weeds.

The most important question to ask is when should lawn weed killers be applied? Why, because in order to work effectively the active ingredient in the weed killer needs to be able to work its way down to the root of the plant so that it can be killed outright.

This will only happen if the plants metabolism is actively functioning! Apply when the weeds are not growing and you could well have wasted your time and money!

Generally speaking, the ideal time for weed control us usually between April and September when both the grass and the weeds are growing vigorously. However, avoid applying weed killer during the height of summer as your lawn will effectively be dormant while it copes with the stresses of heat and probable lack off water. In addition, applying any horticultural chemicals during this period can result in a chemical scorch to your lawn.

TIP. For optimum results consider applying a nitrogen feed to the lawn about a week or so before you intend using a chemical weed killer. This will encourage a burst of strong growth which can dramatically help in the uptake of the weed killer chemical.. In fact many off-the-shelf weed killers can be purchased with a chemical fertiliser already as part of the mix – these are generally know as lawn ‘Weed and Feeds’

Whatever you do, DO NOT USE A GENERAL PURPOSE WEED KILLER ON YOUR LAWN. While it will effectively kill off your weeds, it will effectively kill off the grass in your lawn too. You must use a specific broad leaved plant weed killer so that your grass remains unaffected and the best way to be sure is to buy a lawn weed killer that is specially formulated to do the job.

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Photo care of http://www.gardeningsite.com/ and http://www.lovethegarden.com/ and http://hometipster.com/tips-to-recognize-different-types-of-lawn-weeds/ and http://environmentalgeography.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/lawn-people-35/ and http://www.lawncare.org/common-lawn-weeds/

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WHAT IS A FLAMINGO?

March 19, 2013, 2:36 pm

≫ Next: HOW TO PREPARE A LAWN FOR SEEDING

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Flamingos are a type of wading bird in the genus Phoenicopterus - from Greek meaning 'purple wing'. Six flamingo species are recognized by most sources, four species in the Americas and two in the Old World.

Flamingos are very social birds that live in colonies that can number in the thousands. These large colonies are believed to serve three purposes for the flamingos: predator avoidance, maximizing food intake, and exploiting scarce suitable nesting sites.

The most basic and stable social unit of flamingos are pair bonds which are made up of one male and one female. The bond between them tends to be strong; however, in larger colonies (where there are more mates to choose from), mate changes will occur.

In pair bonds, both the male and the female contribute to building the nest for their egg and defending it. Before breeding, flamingo colonies split into breeding groups of around 15–50 birds. Both males and females in these groups perform synchronized ritual displays. These displays serve to both stimulate synchronous nesting and establish pair formation for birds that do not already have mates. A flamingo group stands together and display to each other by raising their necks, followed by calling with head-flagging and then wing flapping. The displays do not seem to be directed towards an individual but instead appear to occur randomly.

What turns flamingoes pink?

Its is obvious isn't it? Flamingoes eat shrimp. The shrimp are pink and so the pink goes into the feathers of the flamingo making the flamingo pink? Well unfortunately not as the truth is a little more complicated that that - as I shall explain.

It is true that flamingoes Flamingos filter-feed on brine shrimp and blue-green algae, but it's not the the colour of the food that makes the flamingo pink, but the chemicals inside. The brine shrimp has the same issue as the flamingoes as they are not naturally pink either.

The pink comes from the natural plant pigment astaxanthine. This is a pink pigment produced by plants and algae and it is the very same astaxanthine pigment that give Flamingos their pink colour.

This is how it works. When the brine shrimps eat algae the astaxanthine contained in them is incorporated into their chitin shell. When the Flamingos eat the shrimps the flamingos then they in turn incorporate the pigment into their feathers.

Incidentally this is also why the meat or muscle of an adult wild salmon is pink. Farmed salmon raised on meal lacking the pigment have white appearing muscle. This is also why when you cook shrimp or lobster or crab they turn bright pink to red in colour. Shrimps and lobsters don't look pink at first due to proteins in the shell obscuring the pigment. When the protein is denatured (cooked) it reveals the wonderful pink-red colour.

What do Flamingoes eat?

When you think if flamingoes you automatically think of pink. But the trouble with flamingoes is that their natural feather colour is actually grey, a colour from which which gradually turns to pink as they get older.

This is backed up by observing flamingos kept in captivity - not fed on their native foodstuffs - who end up losing their pink colour.

We know that Flamingos filter-feed on brine shrimp and blue-green algae.

In fact, their beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they eat, and are uniquely used upside-down. Furthermore, the filtering of food items is assisted by hairy structures called lamellae which line the mandibles, and the large rough-surfaced tongue. So, with that in mind, what is it that causes the flamingo to turn pink?

Where to find flamingoes?

In an attempt to see wild flamingos, it is essential to visit the proper habitats that support these wading birds.

Flamingos are quite adaptable, and they can be found in a range of wet habitats from freshwater to saltwater, including mudflats, lakes, coastal lagoons, open marshes and relatively shallow salt lakes.

In many areas, flamingos can subsist in brackish water that does not offer enough food for other birds, and in those regions, large flocks are more common as flamingos gather in great numbers to take advantage of abundant food and little competition.

Where to see wild flamingos

Even with only a few flamingo species, it is possible for everyone to see these birds if they know where to look.

In the Caribbean:
The American flamingo is native in the Caribbean, occurring on many islands. They are relatively easy to see in the Bahamas, Aruba and Cuba, as well as along the coasts of other Caribbean islands and the adjacent coasts of Central and South America. Regular wild vagrants travel as far north as Florida and are often sighted in Everglades National Park.

In South America:
The Andean, puna, Chilean and American flamingos are all residents in South America, and depending on the species they can be found in a variety of habitats from coastal marshes to mountain plateaus. Laguna Colorada in Bolivia is a popular spot to see flamingos, and wild populations are common in Argentina, northeastern Chile and throughout Ecuador and Venezuela.

In Africa:
Both lesser and greater flamingos are found in large numbers in Africa. The most common breeding grounds are throughout the Great Rift Valley, including Lake Natron in Tanzania, Lake Bogoria National Park in Kenya and Lake Nakuru, also in Kenya.

In the Middle East:
After the breeding season, greater and lesser flamingos regularly migrate to the Middle East, including areas of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. To a lesser extent, they can also be found in Iran and Kazakhstan, though their populations appear to be decreasing in those areas.

Near the Mediterranean:
Greater flamingos are regularly sighted along the southern Mediterranean Sea, spreading especially from Tunisia to Egypt in fairly large numbers. Rare vagrant sightings are often recorded much further north, but it is not certain if those birds are wild or escapees from captivity.

Flamingo facts

1. The Old World flamingos were considered by the Ancient Egyptians to be the living representation of the god Ra.

2. In Ancient Rome, flamingo tongues were considered a delicacy.

3. The flamingo is the national bird for the Bahamas. 4. Andean miners killed flamingos for their fat, as they believed it to be a cure for tuberculosis.

5. The first flamingo hatched in a European zoo was a Chilean Flamingo at Zoo Basel in Switzerland in 1958. Since then, over 389 flamingos grew up in Basel and were distributed to other zoos around the globe.

6. While flamingos are considered wading birds, they are most closely related to grebes genetically.

7. Flamingos are strong but rare swimmers and powerful fliers, even though they're most often seen just wading.

8. When flying in a flock, the top speed of a flamingo can be as high as 35 miles per hour.

9. Flamingos hold their bills upside down while feeding, often for several hours a day, so they can filter out their food while skimming the water.

10. A flamingo chick's bill is small and straight, but will develop the distinct 'break' curve after a few months.

11. Flamingos are monogamous birds that lay only a single egg each year. If that egg is lost or damaged, they do not typically lay a replacement.

12. Parent flamingos feed their chicks exclusively crop milk for 5-12 days after hatching. This high fat, high protein substance is not like mammalian milk, but is excellent nutrition for growing chicks.

13. Flamingo chicks are born grey or white and take up to three years to reach their mature pink, orange or red plumage.

14. The pink, orange or red colour of a flamingo's feathers is caused by carotenoid pigments in their food, and a flamingo's diet includes shrimp, plankton, algae and crustaceans.

15. The greater flamingo is the largest flamingo species and can measure up to five feet tall, but only weighs a maximum of eight pounds. The lesser flamingo is the smallest and can reach three feet tall.

16. A adult flamingo's legs can be 30-50 inches long, which is longer than their entire body.

17. The backward bending "knee" of a flamingo's leg is actually the bird's ankle. The actual knee is very close to the body and is not visible through the bird's plumage.

18. Flamingos are gregarious birds that do not do well in very small flocks. While a typical flock is only several dozen birds, flocks of up to a million or more have been recorded.

19. A flock of flamingos is called a stand or a flamboyance.

20. Flamingos have a wild lifespan of 20-30 years, but in captivity have been recorded as living up to 50 years or longer.

21. The Andean flamingo is the most threatened of all flamingo species, and estimates show there to be only 30,000 of the birds left in the wild.

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Why are Tropical Rainforests so Important?
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Based on an article from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamingo and http://birding.about.com/od/Bird-Trivia/a/20-Fun-Facts-About-Flamingos.htm
Images care of http://www.travelmamas.com/wordpress/best-of-san-diego-zoo-with-kids/ and http://true-wildlife.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/flamingo.html and http://miami.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2011/07/18/zoo-miami-welcomes-caribbean-flamingo-chick/ and http://photocompetition.upclive.com/seo/photo/510729/flying_flamingo/vliegen_flamingo_mexico_water.html

↧

HOW TO PREPARE A LAWN FOR SEEDING

March 20, 2013, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: HOW TO GROW PEONIES

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CLICK HERE FOR THE 'GARDEN OF EADEN SEED SHOP

If you want to grow a successful, quality lawn from seed then the first thing you will need to know is that it is ALL about the preparation! In fact the decisions you make before you even start to work on your new lawn can have a crucial effect on the end result.

PREPARING THE SITE

The proposed area for your new lawn will need to be well drained. If the area suffers from damp or even periodic water logging, it may be necessary to lay either a soak away or drainage pipes under the soil. If drainage problems are not dealt with at this initial stage then you are only opening the door for plenty of work later on.

A lawn will grow best on well drained medium loam. If this sounds like your soil then your preparation can be minimal, but if the soil is clay or sandy, you'll need to do more work.

With heavy clay soils, you should add sharp sand, and any well-rotted organic compost as this will improve drainage under the lawn.

With sandy soils, you should just add well-rotted organic compost as this will help to improve moisture retention under the lawn.

The top soil will need to be prepared to give a fine, workable tilth to a depth of 4 to 5 inches. If you are adding organic matter, you should aim for a minimum depth of 6 inches. If the area of the lawn is fairly small, it can be prepared by hand using a spade. For larger areas it is well worth using a rotavator.

When starting to prepare the soil, it needs to be not too dry and not too wet. Start by digging or rotavating the whole area to the required depth, breaking down any large clumps of soil and remove any stones or rubbish you come across.

TIP.When digging, work backwards so you don't tread down the soil you've just broken up.

Having turned over the whole area and broken down the soil, add only half the sharp sand or organic compost that you need, and dig over or rotarvate the whole area again. Once completed, add the other half of the material waiting to be dug in, and go over the whole area once last time.

Rake over the area to level it while removing any vegetation, stones or rubbish which may appear. Now leave the area to settle for a week.

If a lot of weed or vegetation appear in the first week, consider using a non-residual herbicide to kill them off. Carefully follow the instructions and leave the soil for the recommended period before proceeding.

Rake over the area again and remove any more vegetation, stones or rubbish which may appear.

Tread down the entire area. Start in one corner, then walk slowly across the soil placing one foot in front of the other. When you reach the other end, turn around and repeat until the whole area has been trod down (if the area is large, you may need more than one person!). The first time you do this, you'll probably find some humps and dips, remove these by giving the surface a light racking and repeat the treading down.

SOWING THE GRASS SEED

To give your newly seeded lawn the best chance of creating a quality lawn, the best time to achieve this is to sow the lawn in the spring or autumn - depending on the weather conditions and temperature.

Sow the lawn on a wind free day, but just before you start sowing, give the area one last rake over Divide the quantity of seeds into two, (it is better to sow two lighter sowings rather than one heavy one). If the area to be sown is large, you can divide the seeds further. This will reduce the chances of covering three quarters of the area and finding that all the seed has gone!

Sow one covering of seeds while walking in one direction, and the second sowing while walking at right-angles to the first covering.

Lightly rake the seed into the top of the soil, you won't cover all the seed but try to cover about half. Once finished the area should not be walked on so you may wish to cordon off the area until the new lawn is in place.

AFTER CARE

Grass seed should germinate within 7 to 21 days depending upon the weather. If a dry period occurs then you may wish to water during this germination stage, use a gentle watering technique (a garden sprinkler or hose with a fine spray attachment pointed skywards) to keep the top of the soil moist.

TIP.Too much water applied in the early days can float the individual seeds into concentrations.

If possible, protect the area from birds and domestic pets. Chicken wire is ideal but probably impractical except for small areas. On larger areas, tin foil attached to string stretched across the area may help.

When the grass is about 1 inch high, gently roll the area with a light garden roller. Alternatively, if you have a cylinder mower, set the blades as high as possible and use this instead. If you have just a small patch of lawn, you may be able to get away with treading the area in the same way as was done before the grass seed was sown.

Avoid mowing the grass until it is about 3 inches high. After this first cut, lightly mow the lawn with the cutter set to about 2 inches. If you are not using a cylinder mower, you will still need to lightly roll - or tread - the area after the lawn has been cut.

Further reduce the cutting height of your mower with each subsequent mowing - and still roll after each mowing - but don't cut lower than 1 inch during the first season.

NOTE.Keep playing children and pets off the lawn for the first season, the first year grass seedlings are plants and need time to become established.

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Article based on the writings of http://www.gardeningdata.co.uk/
Photos care of http://www.thedailygreen.com/ and http://minnesotaraingardens.net/ and http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/ and http://cluedupdads.blogspot.com/ and http://www.easydigging.com/Tool/how_to_use.html

↧

HOW TO GROW PEONIES

March 21, 2013, 5:09 am

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The Peony family is comprised of 33 species of hardy herbaceous and shrubby perennials. They are grown for their opulent flowers and attractive foliage and are suitable for growing in herbaceous, mixed or shrub borders. Peonies also make for surprisingly good cut flowers!

The shrubby species are best planted in a position shaded from early morning sun as they can be easily damaged after a night frost.

The herbaceous perennials can take several years to become established and do not like any kind of root disturbance.

Left to their own devices, and with their roots left untouched - they can last up to 50 years!

Peony leaves are comprised of several leaflets of irregular size and shape, which may show themselves as lobed or unlobed.

The large showy flowers range from globular to globe-shaped - often opening out flat when fully mature.

The seed pods of many species open up wide in the autumn to reveal glossy, blue/black seeds.

How to grow Peonies

You can grow peonies in any moist, but well drained garden soil in sun or half shade. As mentioned before, plant in a position shaded from early morning sun as they can be easily damaged after night frosts.

Before planting, dig the ground at least one spit deep and add a decent amount of well rotted farm manure.

Peony's can be planted between September and March but not during the harsh winter period. Set the crowns of herbaceous perennials no more than 1 inch deep - any deeper and they may fail to flower! The union of stock and scion of shrubby peonies should be three inches below the surface.

Hoe bonemeal in at a rate of 4 oz per square yard in to the top 4 inches of soil after planting, taking care not to damage the roots.

Mulch annually with well rotted manure in April if the soil is light and sandy or chalky. Water freely in dry weather. Avoid disturbing the roots unless absolutely necessary.

Dead head the old flower as they fade and cut down the foliage of the herbaceous perennials in October.

The taller growing peony varieties such as Paeonia lactiflora may need the support of some twiggy sticks in exposed conditions.

TOP TIP. To prevent those flowers being used as cut flowers from dropping their petals, cut the blooms as they begin to open and lay them flat in a cool, dry place indoors for 24 hours. Then trim 1/2 inch from the stems and place deeply in water.

With regards to pruning, none is required save for cutting out any dead wood from shrubby species in March or April.

For further reading click onto:
BATH: Roman Baths
How to Grow Bulbs
How to Over-Winter Rare and Species Tulips
Hot Spa
How to Grow Bougainvillea?
How to Grow Daffodils
How to Grow Tulips?
Lost Tulips of The Dutch Golden Age - Semper Augustus and Viceroy
Old Dutch Tulips - Tulipa acuminata
Old Dutch Tulips - Tulip 'Absalom'
Old Dutch Tulips - Tulip Duc van Thol 'Rose'
Old Dutch Tulips - Tulip Duc van Thol 'Scarlet'
Old Dutch Tulips - Tulip 'Lac van Rijn'
Rembrandt Museum
Roman England: The Kings Bath
Rome: Julius Caesar
Rome: The Pantheon
Species Tulip - Tulipa turkestanica
Tulip
Tulip History and Popular Varieties
Top Tips for Tulip Care
Tulip Diseases
How To Propagate Tulips
What is a Bulb?
What is the Tulip Breaking Virus?
What is a Yucca?
Based on an article from The Readers Digest ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF GARDEN PLANTS ISBN 0276 00086 2
Images care of http://www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/blogarticle.php?id=21 and http://allthedirtongardening.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/peonies-queen-of-garden-flowers.htmlhttp://allthedirtongardening.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/peonies-queen-of-garden-flowers.html and http://www.zone10.com/how-to-plant-and-grow-peonies.html

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HOW TO GROW PEPPERS

March 21, 2013, 11:30 am

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Want to buy pepper seeds? Click here to view seed shop.

Go back 20 years years and all you would find in supermarkets from the pepper family would be a couple of colours of sweet peppers and maybe a pack of hot chillies. Beyond that - and if your were hard enough - you would have a couple Jalapeno peppers on your kebab once the pubs shut.

Nowadays, there are pepper varieties coming out of your ears. Dried, pickled, fresh and in varieties you have never heard of. Peppers have never been so popular! But few people know just how easy they are to grow from seed.

Growing peppers from seed

This fantastic, spicy South American food crop has never been more popular and by growing your own from seed you can really create those truly authentic dishes inspired by traditional Mexican dishes and regional cuisines now found throughout the United States. They are best grown in a greenhouse but if you start them off indoors early enough they can also be grown outdoors in the ground without protection. Just make sure that they are in a bright sunny position.

Sow indoors around the end of January for if you want them to establish quickly for outdoor planting or sow any time up to the end of March for greenhouse growing.

To begin with, sow your pepper seeds - adequately spaced - into either plugs or a seed tray containing John Innes ‘seed’ compost. Top them off with another 1/2 inch of compost then gently water them in. It's important that the seeds remain moist until they germinate and as such will require adequate ventilation to prevent fungal rots. If ventilation is poor you may need to spray your newly germinating seedlings with a liquid fungicide once a week to protect them.

Once germinated – this will be normally between 7 and 24 days - pepper seedlings will require plenty of light, in fact for optimal growth they will need between 12 to 16 hours of light a day. If the weather isn't yet suitable for planting outside then they will need to be placed onto a south-facing windowsill but remember to turn them daily to keep them from acquiring a permanent lean.

Once the seedlings have produced four leaves they will be ready to prick out into individual pots, but you need to be careful so as not to damage the fragile root system.

The safest way is to gently hold onto one of the sturdier leaves while using either a pencil or slim dibber to lift the roots as intact and undisturbed as possible. When re-potting, use either a standard multi-purpose compost or John Innes ‘No.1’ or ‘No.2’ potting compost.

When plants reach about 20 cm tall give them some support by staking with a small cane or pea stick and securing with garden twine. When they get to about 30 cm pinch out growing tips in order to increase branching.

Growing peppers outside

At the end of May - once the threat of frosts is over - the pepper plants can go outside. You can pot them into their final container - a 5-litre pot will do, or plant directly outside into open ground.

In northern European climates, you can do better still by growing them in the ground under the protection of a poly tunnel.

Make sure you choose a location that is in full sunlight and - if you have it - mix in some mushroom compost or other organic compost to help keep the soil fertile and moist.. As the plants grow, swap the small stakes for a larger cane.

In hot weather you may need to water twice a day. These plants are incredibly thirsty and dry compost will quickly lead to a check in growth. This applies particularly to plants grown in a greenhouse, where it can get very hot even in late summer.

The first flowers will appear when the plants are quite small. When this happens feed weekly with a liquid feed high in potash, such as tomato fertiliser.

When to harvest peppers

↧

THE LOUVRE

March 22, 2013, 9:14 am

≫ Next: WHAT ARE THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS PLANTS?

≪ Previous: HOW TO GROW PEPPERS

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW 'GARDEN OF EADEN' WEBSITE AND SEED SHOP

The Musee du Louvre is on of Paris's historic monuments and is undoubtedly one of the world's most impressive museums. It contains a staggeringly impressive 35,000 priceless objects from prehistory to the 19th century which are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square metres. With more than 8 million visitors each year, the Louvre is also the world's most visited museum

A brief history of the Louvre

Originally built as a fortress by King Phillippe-August in 1190, it was King Charles V (1364-80) who first made the Louvre his home.

In fact you can still see remnants of the fortress as they are visible in the basement of the museum

In the 16th century, François I replaced the existing building with a Renaissance-style palace and founded the royal art collection with 12 paintings from Italy.

During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum, to display the nation's masterpieces.

It opened on 10 August 1793 with an exhibition of 537 paintings, the majority of the works being royal and confiscated church property.

The young Napoleon

1.Of course you will want to witness the Mona Lisa, despite the crowds and poor presentation.

To see the Mona Lisa, head straight for the 13th-15th century Italian paintings section (on the first floor).

Arguably the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci's portrait is thought to be of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

It was painted in oil on a poplar panel, and is believed to have been completed between 1503 and 1506.

It was acquired by King Francis I of France and is now the property of the French Republic, on permanent display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

2. Venus de Milo – The positioning of the Venus de Milo is dramatically lit at the end of a hallway and enhances the beauty of this magnificent statue.

It dates from the end of the second century BC and was discovered on the Greek island of Milos in 1820.

It is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created sometime between 130 and 100 BC, it is believed to depict Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty (Venus to the Romans).

Here’s a fact, the statue used to be on the seal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

The Winged Victory of Samothrace

3. The Winged Victory of Samothrace. This Hellenistic treasure is approximately 2000 years old, massive and beautiful.

It conveys a sense of action and triumph as well as portraying artful flowing drapery through its features which the Greeks considered ideal beauty.

Also known as the Nike of Samothrace, it was discovered in 1863, and estimated to have been created around 190 BC.

It was created to not only honour the goddess, Nike, but to honour a sea battle at Rhodes.

Modern excavations suggest that the Victory occupied a niche in an open-air theater and also suggest it accompanied an altar that was within view of the ship monument of Demetrius I Poliorcetes (337–283 BC).

Rendered in white Parian marble, the figure originally formed part of the Samothrace temple complex dedicated to the Great gods, Megaloi Theoi. It stood on a rostral pedestal of gray marble from Lartos representing the prow of a ship, and represents the goddess as she descends from the skies to the triumphant fleet. Before she lost her arms, which have never been recovered, Nike's right arm was raised, cupped round her mouth to deliver the shout of Victory.

The work is notable for its convincing rendering of a pose where violent motion and sudden stillness meet, for its graceful balance and for the rendering of the figure's draped garments, compellingly depicted as if rippling in a strong sea breeze.

4. The Raft of Medusa. This 1818–1819 by the French Romantic painter and lithographer Théodore Géricault is simply astounding. Rather than a classic Greek theme as you might expect, this is the aftermath of the shipwreck of the French Vessel Meduse’ where 146 people struggled to survive on a raft.

Only 15 were rescued, the others were eaten, committed suicide, were killed or died of the elements. The painting depicts the moment when rescue appears imminent.

The event became an international scandal, in part because its cause was widely attributed to the incompetence of the French captain perceived to be acting under the authority of the recently restored French monarchy.

In reality, King Louis XVIII had no say in the captain's appointment, since monarchs were not directly involved in appointments made to vessels like a naval frigate. The appointment of the vicomte de Chaumareys as captain of the Méduse would have been a routine naval appointment, made within the Ministry of the Navy.

5. The Virgin of the Rocks -sometimes the Madonna of the Rocks - is the name used for two paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, of the same subject, and of a composition which is identical except for several significant details.

The version generally considered the earlier of the two hangs in the Musée du Louvre in Paris and the other in the National Gallery, London. The paintings are both nearly 2 metres high and are painted in oils. Both were painted on wooden panel; that in the Louvre has been transferred to canvas.

Both paintings show the Madonna and Christ Child with the infant John the Baptist and an angel, in a rocky setting which gives the paintings their usual name. The significant compositional differences are in the gaze and right hand of the angel. There are many minor ways in which the works differ, including the colours, the lighting, the flora, and the way in which sfumato has been used. Although the date of an associated commission is documented, the complete histories of the two paintings are unknown, and lead to speculation about which of the two is earlier.

6. The Horses of Marly made by Nicolas Coustou for Louis XIV at Marly-le-Roi were re-set triumphantly in Paris at the time of the French Revolution, flanking the entrance to the Champs-Elysées.

In the 1640s, bronze replicas were to flank the entrance to the Louvre: moulds were taken for the purpose, but the project foundered. Paolo Triscornia carved what seem to have been the first full-scale replicas of the groups for the entrance of the Manège (the riding school of the royal guards) in St. Petersburg.

Marly's sculptures are copied from the colossal pair of marble "Horse Tamers" - often identified as Castor and Pollux - have stood since Antiquity near the site of the Baths of Constantine on the Quirinal Hill, Rome.

They were too large to be buried or to be moved very far, though Napoleon's agents wanted to include them among the classical booty removed from Rome after the Treaty of Tolentino, 1797

Even these are fourth-century Roman copies of Greek originals. They gave to the Quirinal its medieval name Monte Cavallo, which lingered into the nineteenth century.

Where is the Louvre?

The address for the Louvre is as follows:
4 Place du Louvre
Paris
Post code 75001
FRANCE

It is located on the right back of the river Seine. There are various ways to get to the Louvre, so consider the following:

By Métro:

Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre station.
Bus: the following bus lines stop in front of the Pyramid: 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95, and the Paris Open Tour bus.

By Car:

An underground parking garage is available for those coming by car. The entrance is located on avenue du Général Lemonnier. It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

By Batobus:

Get off at the Louvre stop, quai François Mitterrand.

From Orly Airport:

Take the RER C train, direction Champs de Mars-Tour Eiffel, and get off at Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame. Walk to the place Saint-Michel and take bus no. 27, direction Saint-Lazare. Get off at the Louvre, in front of the Pyramid.

From Charles de Gaulle Airport:

Take the RER B train, direction Massy-Palaiseau, and change at Châtelet-les-Halles to line 14, direction Saint-Lazare. Get off at Pyramides station and walk to the Louvre from there (3 minutes). Alternatively, take Métro line 1 at Châtelet-les-Halles, and get off at Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre.

Controversy at the Louvre

The Louvre is still involved in controversies that surround cultural property seized under Napoleon I, as well as during World War II by the Nazis. After Nazi occupation, 61,233 articles on more than 150,000 seized artworks returned to France and were assigned to the Office des Biens Privés.

In 1949, it entrusted 2130 remaining unclaimed pieces (including 1001 paintings) to the Direction des Musées de France in order to keep them under appropriate conditions of conservation until their restitution and meanwhile classified them as MNRs - Musees Nationaux Recuperation or, in English, the National Museums of Recovered Artwork.

Some 10% to 35% of the pieces are believed to come from Jewish spoliations and until the identification of their rightful owners, which declined at the end of the 1960s, they are registered indefinitely on separate inventories from the museum's collections.

They were exhibited in 1946 and shown all together to the public during four years (1950–1954) in order to allow rightful claimants to identify their properties. they were then stored or displayed, according to their interest, in several French museums including the Louvre.

From 1951 to 1965, about 37 pieces were restituted. However, according to the French government, the Louvre is in charge of 678 pieces of still unclaimed artworks by their rightful owners.

Napoleon's campaigns acquired Italian pieces by treaties, as war reparations, and Northern European pieces as spoils as well as some antiquities excavated in Egypt, though the vast majority of the latter were seized as war reparations by the British army and are now part of collections of the British Museum.

For related articles click onto:
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ATHENS: The Parthenon
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SPAIN: Valencia
The Eiffel Tower
VALENCIA: The Lonja de la Seda
VALENCIA: The Turia River
What is the Louvre?
What to do in Valencia
Based on an article from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_du_Louvre and http://www.vagobond.com/10-things-to-see-in-the-louvre-cultural-travel/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_of_the_Rocks and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_Tamers and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_Victory_of_Samothrace
Images care of http://www.parisdigest.com/museums/museedulouvre.htm and http://www.visitingdc.com/paris/louvre-museum-picture.asp and http://www.flickr.com/photos/31866135@N07/3238962707/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosebennet/5211859620/ and http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-the-raft-of-the-medusa-theodore-gericault.html and http://www.skinit.com/skins/fine_art/fine_art_da_vinci/BRGDAV05 and http://makloox.zoohaven.com/art_horse/index02.html and http://landarchs.com/louvre-pyramid/ and

http://www.paris4travel.com/musee-de-la-mode-et-du-textile/map-of-the-louvre/

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WHAT ARE THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS PLANTS?

March 26, 2013, 11:39 am

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CLICK HERE FOR THE 'GARDEN OF EADEN' SEED SHOP

By featured author CHRIS SWEENEY

Over millions of years, plants have developed some crafty ways to fend off hungry animals. Deadly neurotoxins, thorns capable of puncturing car tires, and powerful digestive enzymes are just a few. Following the recent discovery of Nepenthes attenboroughii, a giant pitcher plant large enough to digest rodents, Chris tracked down poison-plant aficionado Amy Stewart to discuss some of the world's deadliest plants.

1. Most likely to eat a rat Giant Pitcher Plant:
Nepenthes attenboroughii

Discovered more than 5000 feet above sea level on Mount Victoria in the Philippines, the giant, carnivorous pitcher plant secretes a nectar-like substance to lure unsuspecting prey into a pool of enzymes and acid.

A series of sticky, downward ribs makes it nearly impossible for trapped prey to escape. The plant's 30-centimetre diameter is large enough to trap unlucky rodents, but insects are its most common meal. Pitcher plants, of which there are about 600 different species, tend to grow in nitrogen-deficient environments, and therefore get their nutrients from decaying victims.

2. Most likely to be in your garden now Castor Bean Plant:
Ricinus communis

Castor-bean plants can be purchased at just about any garden center, despite containing the deadly poison ricin.

Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants and poisonous plant expert, has an affinity for the plant and grows several in her poison garden.

Concerned gardeners can simply pluck the seeds off the plant, Stewart says, which is where the ricin is stored. Though the process to extract enough ricin and process it into a weapon is complex, Las Vegas authorities have discovered the toxin in a hotel room in February 2008, and the KGB used it to permanently silence opposition.

3. Most violently toxic plant in North America Western Water Hemlock: Cicuta douglasii

Deemed the most "violently toxic plant that grows in North America" by the USDA, the water hemlock contains the toxin cicutoxin.

This wreaks havoc on the central nervous system, causing grand mal seizures. These can include loss of consciousness, violent muscle contraction and eventually death, if ingested.

Water hemlock is different from poison hemlock, Socrates' notorious killer, in that it contains coniine alkaloids that kill by paralysing the respiratory system. Both are members of the carrot family.

4. The plant that killed a president's mother White snakeroot: Eupatorium rugosum

Drinking milk from a cow that decided to chow down on white snakeroot could lead to deadly milk sickness, as was the case with Abraham Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks.

Every part of this perennial plant contains tremetol, an unsaturated alcohol that can cause muscle tremors in livestock before killing them. "People were trying desperately throughout the 19th century to figure out what was poisoning their animals," Stewart says.

It wasn't understood until the turn of the century, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture pinpointed the cause and quickly got the word out. Now, white snakeroot still grows wild, but more control in the agricultural industry has helped to prevent cows from eating it.

5. The best plant to murder a dinner guest with Monkshood:
Aconitum napellus

Stewart was once asked what the best plant would be to murder a dinner guest with--after much deliberation she landed on monkshood. "You could just chop up the roots and make a stew," she says. "You don't need a chemistry plant to do it."

The vibrant purple plant, commonly found in backyard gardens, is loaded with the poisonous alkaloid aconite, which tends to cause asphyxiation.

While Stewart is certainly joking about cooking up a batch of monkshood stew, she urges anyone who has the plant in their garden to wear gloves when handling it.

6. Most gruesome killer Common Bladderwort:
Utricularia macrorhiza

This aquatic meat eater relies on several submerged bladders to capture prey such as tadpoles and small crustaceans.

An unsuspecting passer by will brush against an external bristle-trigger, causing the bladders to spring open and capture it.

Once inside, the victim dies of suffocation or starvation and then decays into a liquid that is sucked up by cells on the walls of the bladder.

7. Most animal-like Venus flytrap:
Dionaea muscipula

With the ability to clamp shut in a half-second, the Venus flytrap's reaction time seems fit for the animal kingdom. Insects need to touch two of the flytrap's hairs consecutively in order for the plant to react, but the precise mechanism that shuts the trap remains unclear.

The Botanical Society of America notes that early theories suggested that a sudden change in the water pressure of cells triggered the response, but this theory has since been abandoned.

It now seems that when the plant is touched, the electrical potential of the leaf is altered, triggering a host of cellular-level events.

8. The most likely plant to turn a person into a zombie Angel Trumpet:
Brugmansia

The droopy, gorgeous angel trumpet, native to regions of South America, packs a powerful punch of toxins, containing atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine.

As documented in the 2007 VBS.tv documentary "Colombian Devil's Breath," criminals in Colombia have extracted scopolamine from the plant and used it as a potent drug that leaves victims unaware of what they are doing but entirely conscious.

Scopolamine can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes, allowing criminals to simply blow the powder in a person's face. The documentary is filled with scopolamine-related horror stories, including one account of a man moving all of his possessions out of his apartment (and into the hands of his robbers) without remembering any of it.

9. The most enticing poison Oleander:
Nerium oleander

This extremely common evergreen shrub is one of the most poisonous plants in the world. "If I were a parent and covering every electrical outlet in the home to protect the kids, I would really have to ask myself why I had an oleander plant growing,"

Stewart says. The leaves, flowers and fruit contain cardiac glycosides, which have therapeutic applications but are likely to send someone into cardiac arrest should he eat part of the plant.

Stewart points out that there is a woman in California currently on death row for trying to poison her husband with the plant, and two young boys were found dead after ingesting oleander a few years back. "People tend to be blasé, because the flowers are bright and pretty, sort of candy-coloured. But it is a very poisonous plant that will stop your heart."

10. Best home-security system Mala Mujer:
Cnidoscolus angustidens

Stewart describes this garden plant as more painful than poisonous. Mala mujer, which translates to "bad woman," can be found in parts of the southwest and Mexico and is covered with nasty thorns, which could be turned into makeshift barb-wire if needed. The real danger, however, comes from the caustic, milky sap that can leak from the plant.

The sap, a common feature among many plants in the Euphorbia genus, can cause painful skin irritations and unsightly discolouration. "I've had several people tell me they had euphorbia saps in their eyes," Stewart says. "And they had pretty surprisingly long-term eye damage."

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Why do Onions make you Cry?
Why do Leaves Change their Colour in the Autumn Fall
Why do Trees drop their Leaves in Autumn Fall
Why is the Sea Salty?
Why is the Sky Blue?

Based on an article from http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/lawn-garden/4331026
Images care of http://robotics.benedettelli.com/eatingPlant.htm and http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/07/flowering-plants-threat and http://www.satvikshop.com/blog/herbs-knowledge-base/castor and http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/48036 and http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/v230/eupatorium-rugosum-chocolate.aspx and http://www.about-garden.com/a/en/3890-aconitum-napellus-monkshood/ and http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/utricularia_macrorhiza.shtml and http://sites.psu.edu/reshmajblog/2012/09/20/randumb-fact-2-dont-tease-the-jaws-of-a-venus-flytrap-each-jaw-can-only-close-a-few-times-before-the-plant-dies/ and http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brugmansia_candida_flowers.jpg and http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nerium_oleander_cultivars_in_Sedovo_1.jpg and http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/08/14/mala-mujer/

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WHAT IS CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE?

March 26, 2013, 11:46 am

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Although the needles are genuine Ancient Egyptian obelisks, they are somewhat misnamed as they have no particular connection with Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt.

Furthermore, they were already over a thousand years old in her lifetime.

The London "needle" is one such example, as it was originally made during the reign of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Thutmose III but was falsely named "Cleopatra's needle".

The Paris "needle" was the first to be moved and re-erected and the first to acquire the nickname.

On erection of the London obelisk in 1878 a time capsule was concealed in the front part of the pedestal, it contained:

A set of 12 photographs of the best looking English women of the day, a box of hairpins, a box of cigars, several tobacco pipes, a set of imperial weights, a baby's bottle, some children's toys, a shilling razor, a hydraulic jack and some samples of the cable used in erection, a 3' bronze model of the monument, a complete set of British coins, a rupee, a portrait of Queen Victoria, a written history of the strange tale of the transport of the monument, plans on vellum, a translation of the inscriptions, copies of the bible in several languages, a copy of Whitaker's Almanack, a Bradshaw Railway Guide, a map of London and copies of 10 daily newspapers.

The two sphinxes are not Egyption as they were cast in bronze at the Ecclestone Iron Works in Pimlico in 1881.

Strangely, these Sphinxes appear to be looking at the Needle rather than guarding it.

This is because of the Sphinxes' improper or backwards installation. Around the obelisks the Embankment has other Egyptian flourishes, such as buxom winged sphinxes on the armrests of benches.

On 4 September 1917, during World War I, a bomb from a German air raid landed near the needle.

In commemoration of this event, the damage remains unrepaired to this day and is clearly visible in the form of shrapnel holes and gouges on the right-hand sphinx.

How Cleopatra's came to London

Cleopatra’s Needle was presented to the British Government in 1820, although there had been plans to bring it back as early as 1801 as a memorial to the victories of Nelson and Abercromby over the French in Egypt. However, it was 1877 when the obelisk finally arrived in this country.

As it weighed over 200 tons it was encased in an iron cylinder which was then rolled by means of levers and chains down a track into the sea. It was fitted with a deck house, mast, rudder and steering gear and was manned by a crew of Maltese sailors. This ‘craft’ was named Cleopatra and was to be towed to Great Britain by the steamship Olga. They sailed on 21 September 1877. Captain Henry Carter (who had supervised her construction) commanded the Cleopatra and Captain Booth was in command of the Olga.

The two vessels could only make 7 knots and disaster struck in the Bay of Biscay when the tow ropes had to be cut in a violent storm on 14 October 1877. The Cleopatra began wildly rolling, and became untenable. The Olga sent out a rescue boat with six volunteers, but the boat capsized and all six crew were lost - named today on a bronze plaque attached to the foot of the needle's mounting stone.

Cleopatras Needle in transport casing

Eventually Captain Carter and his crew were rescued and the Cleopatra drifted away in the storm.

It was assumed she was lost but she was later sighted by the Fitzmaurice and towed in to Ferrol Harbour. From there, she was towed back to England by the paddle tug Anglia arriving at Gravesend on 21 Janaury 1878.

The obelisk was eventually erected on the Thames Embankment while the Cleopatra was broken up immediately after the obelisk had been removed on 6 July 1878.

For related articles click onto:
ATHENS: The Arch of Hadrian
ATHENS: The Caryatids
ATHENS: The Caryatids
ATHENS: The Parthenon
ATHENS: The Temple of Zeus
ATHENS: Tower of the Winds
Cleopatra's Needle
FRANCE: The Versailles Gardens
ITALIAN HISTORY: Who was Christopher Columbus?
LONDON: Big Ben
LONDON: Buckingham Palace
LONDON: Cleopatra's Needle
LONDON: The Houses of Parliament
LONDON: The London Eye
MARRAKECH: Marjorelle Gardens
MOROCCO: Marrakech
MOROCCO: The Jemaa el-Fnaa
PARIS: The Eiffel Tower
PARIS: The Louvre
Rembrandts House
Roman England: The Kings Bath
Rome: Gladiator
Rome: The Coliseum
Rome: Gladiator Graveyard Discovered!
Rome: Gladiator School
Rome: How to get to Villa Adriana from Rome
Rome: How to get to Villa D'Este from Rome
Rome: How to make Roman Bread - panis
Rome: Julius Caesar
Rome: Opening Times for Villa D'Este
ROME: The Pantheon
Rome: Photographs of and around the Colosseum at Night
ROME: The Colosseum
Rome: The Pantheon
Rome: The Roman Colosseum
Rome: The Pyramid of Rome
Rome: Villa Adriana - Tivoli
ROME: Villa d'Este
Rome: What did Gladiators Eat?
Rome: What did the Romans Eat?
Rome: Who were the Ancient Gladiators?
SPAIN: Valencia
The Eiffel Tower
VALENCIA: The Turia River
VALENCIA: The Turia River
What is the Louvre?
What to do in Valencia
Based on an article from http://www.rmg.co.uk/explore/sea-and-ships/facts/faqs/general/how-was-cleopatra-s-needle-transported-to-london and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra's_Needle
Images care of http://thames.me.uk/s00110.htm and http://vichist.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/threading-cleopatras-needle.html and http://openplac.es/trips/cleopatra-s-needle-in-london-greater-london-wc2n-6-gb and http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cleopatra's_Needle_(London)_sphinx_2.jpg

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HOW TO PREPARE GROUND FOR SOWING A LAWN

March 27, 2013, 4:51 am

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HOW TO PREPARE GROUND FOR TURFING

March 27, 2013, 5:26 am

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If you want to grow a successful, quality lawn from turf then the first thing you will need to know is that it is ALL about the preparation! In fact the decisions you make before you even start to work on your new lawn can have a crucial effect on the end result.

PREPARING THE SITE

Having turned over the whole area and broken down the soil, add only half the sharp sand or organic compost that you need, and dig over or rotavate the whole area again. Once completed, add the other half of the material waiting to be dug in, and go over the whole area once last time.

Rake over the area to level it while removing any vegetation, stones or rubbish which may appear. Now leave the area to settle for a week.

If a lot of weed or vegetation appear in the first week, consider using a non-residual herbicide to kill them off. Carefully follow the instructions and leave the soil for the recommended period before proceeding.

Rake over the area again and remove any more vegetation, stones or rubbish which may appear.

Tread down the entire area. Start in one corner, then walk slowly across the soil placing one foot in front of the other. When you reach the other end, turn around and repeat until the whole area has been trod down (if the area is large, you may need more than one person!). The first time you do this, you'll probably find some humps and dips, remove these by giving the surface a light racking and repeat the treading down.

Once completed - or at least once you have had enough working on it - the ground is now ready for turfing.

For related articles click onto:
How to Control Weeds in the Lawn
How to get rid of Lawn Weeds
How to Get Rid of Moss in Lawns?
How to Grow Banana Trees from Seed
How to Grow a Lawn from Seed
How to Grow the Sago Palm from Seed
How to Grow Palm Trees from Seed
How to Improve Drainage in Lawns
How to Kill Moss in Lawns
How to Lay Turf
How to Prepare Ground for Turfing
How to Prepare a Lawn for Seeding
What Causes Moss in Lawns?
Article based on the writings of http://www.gardeningdata.co.uk/
Photos care of http://www.thedailygreen.com/ and http://minnesotaraingardens.net/ and http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/ and http://cluedupdads.blogspot.com/ and http://www.easydigging.com/Tool/how_to_use.html

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HOW TO LAY TURF

March 27, 2013, 7:41 am

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Even before you consider laying a lawn, the ground will need to be suitably prepared so before you continue with this article, I will refer you to the following article:

HOW TO PREPARE GROUND FOR TURFING

Before you begin, you will need to mark out the area you want to turfed. Use a garden line for straight edges, and a length of hose or a suitable spray marker paint for curves and circles. Alternatively you can mark your edges by scratching out a shallow drill with a sturdy stick and fill this boundary line with sand.

A typical turf will be approximately 1ft x 3ft, but they can be found in larger sections.

They will be rolled up when they are delivered to you - hopefully not too wet - so make sure you have a sturdy pair of gloves available to move them to your desired location.

Depending on the amount of turf purchased, a decent wheel barrow at this point can be a god send!

You should lay your turf as soon as possible after delivery as turf can deteriorate quickly - especially in hot weather.

When should you lay turf?

The best time of year to lay turf is October to November, but turfing can continue up until February provided that the soil is neither frozen or waterlogged. You can turf in March or April, but this will mean regular watering when the weather is dry - be aware of hose pipe bans.

Turfing technique

1. Start with a single row along the side of the prepared lawn base which is either your longest stretch or the row nearest to your stack of turves.

If you can, use a long straight plank as an edging guide. Inspect each turf for before placing into position removing any 'rosette' weeds. If the turf is full of weeds then reject it.

2. When laying each turf, make sure the turf tools are closely butted together. gently push the turf into a joint - being careful not to stretch or compress it, and try to avoid having any gaps. Gently press the turf down into the soil but do not beat them down.

3. Check the level of the turf with a boards and spirit level after tamping down. If there are any bumps or hollows never the beat the turf down with the back of a spade. You should lift the turf and add or remove soil as necessary.

4. The final piece of turf at the end of the row should be a full-size or half-size turf. Fill the gap behind with a piece cut to fit.NOTE: Never use a small piece of turf at the end of a run. It will shrink or shift position-get knocked or move for any number of other reasons and ruin the look of your freshly laid lawn.

For related articles click onto:
How to Control Weeds in the Lawn
How to get rid of Lawn Weeds
How to Get Rid of Moss in Lawns?
How to Grow Banana Trees from Seed
How to Grow a Lawn from Seed
How to Grow the Sago Palm from Seed
How to Grow Palm Trees from Seed
How to Improve Drainage in Lawns
How to Kill Moss in Lawns
How to Prepare Ground for Turfing
How to Prepare a Lawn for Seeding
How to Lay Turf
What Causes Moss in Lawns?
Images care of http://www.exeterturf.co.uk/index.php?page=Turf-Laying

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ADD VALUE AND STYLE TO YOUR BACKYARD WITH A SHED

March 27, 2013, 11:58 am

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Written by guest author Danielle McAnn

The little old shed is the place of hobbies, of storage, of workshops. It is like a home just outside of your home. The definition of the shed is so varied that a shed can look like anything really.

A shed is a stylish addition to your back yard, giving everything you do in your backyard a purpose and a centre to revolve around. Having a shed will revolutionise what you do in your backyard, because it makes everything ordered and accessible. Who doesn't need more storage space.

I don't care what anyone else says, the key to a clean, tidy and ordered home is having the right amount of storage space.

I recently built a shed based on one I saw at National Sheds, and now I don't know how I ever did without one. Basic shed designs are really varied, so I spent a while looking around.

Having a shed will also add value to your property, especially if the shed is well-built, good quality and aesthetically pleasing.

Again, the scope for what a shed can look like and do is infinite, so if you want to make your shed multi-storied and windowed with an electricity and hot water connection and sound-proofed walls there's nothing stopping you. If you just want it to be a solid steel box structure with a door and some hooks on the walls, that's OK too. Just build your dream shed, whatever it is, because that way you will enjoy using it, which is after all the whole idea.

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WHERE IS THE LOUVRE?

March 27, 2013, 12:06 pm

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A brief history of the Louvre

The young Napoleon

Shortly after, Napoleon renovated the Louvre as a museum and had it renamed the Musée Napoléon.

By 1874, the Louvre Palace had achieved its present form of an almost rectangular structure.

In 1983, French President François Mitterrand proposed, as one of his Grands Projets to renovate the building allowing displays throughout the building.

Architect I. M. Pei was awarded the project and proposed a glass pyramid to stand over a new entrance in the main court, the Cour Napoléon.

The pyramid and its underground lobby were inaugurated on 15 October 1988. The second phase of the Grand Louvre plan, La Pyramide Inversée (The Inverted Pyramid), was completed in 1993.

For related articles click onto:
ATHENS: The Arch of Hadrian
ATHENS: The Caryatids
ATHENS: The Parthenon
ATHENS: The Temple of Zeus
ATHENS: Tower of the Winds
Cleopatra's Needle
FRANCE: The Versailles Gardens
ITALIAN HISTORY: Who was Christopher Columbus?
MARRAKECH: Marjorelle Gardens
MOROCCO: Marrakech
MOROCCO: The Jemaa el-Fnaa
PARIS: The Eiffel Tower
PARIS: The Louvre
Rembrandts House
Roman England: The Kings Bath
Rome: Gladiator
Rome: The Coliseum
Rome: Gladiator Graveyard Discovered!
Rome: Gladiator School
Rome: How to get to Villa Adriana from Rome
Rome: How to get to Villa D'Este from Rome
Rome: How to make Roman Bread - panis
Rome: Julius Caesar
Rome: Opening Times for Villa D'Este
ROME: The Pantheon
Rome: Photographs of and around the Colosseum at Night
ROME: The Colosseum
Rome: The Pantheon
Rome: The Roman Colosseum
Rome: The Pyramid of Rome
Rome: Villa Adriana - Tivoli
ROME: Villa d'Este
Rome: What did Gladiators Eat?
Rome: What did the Romans Eat?
Rome: Who were the Ancient Gladiators?
SPAIN: Valencia
The Eiffel Tower
VALENCIA: The Lonja de la Seda
VALENCIA: The Turia River
What is the Louvre?
What to do in Valencia
Based on an article from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_du_Louvre and http://www.vagobond.com/10-things-to-see-in-the-louvre-cultural-travel/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_of_the_Rocks and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_Tamers and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_Victory_of_Samothrace
Images care of http://www.parisdigest.com/museums/museedulouvre.htm and http://www.visitingdc.com/paris/louvre-museum-picture.asp and http://www.flickr.com/photos/31866135@N07/3238962707/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosebennet/5211859620/ and http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-the-raft-of-the-medusa-theodore-gericault.html and http://www.skinit.com/skins/fine_art/fine_art_da_vinci/BRGDAV05 and http://makloox.zoohaven.com/art_horse/index02.html and http://landarchs.com/louvre-pyramid/ and

http://www.paris4travel.com/musee-de-la-mode-et-du-textile/map-of-the-louvre/

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