Tamarisk – Tamarix tetrandra UK Garden Highlight

May brings out this early flowering Tamarisk – Tamarix tetrandra uk – in cascades of feathery pink blooms that brings beauty to any suitable garden. As a native of hotter and drier climates where arid land, including salty coastal areas prevail, it doesn’t seem like a plant suited for the UK. However, being so versatile it can grow well in a sunny, well drained spot, with natural defences against the heat, wind and salinity.

It is one of the many flowering shrubs that require pruning just after flowing as the following years flowers develop throughout the growing season. The shrub grows to it’s full potential of 2-4 meters over a couple of decades depending on how ideal the conditions are.

Biodiversity being lost at an Alarming Rate

Biodiversity expresses the richness of life on earth in all its complexity and order. It encompasses all types of life from the very basics to the most complex organisms. So how do we decide if biodiversity is healthy or in decline?

It seems one way to measure this is to check out your car number plate. We can do this using, The National citizen science survey of ‘bug splats’ on vehicle number plates to monitor flying insect abundance.

Anecdotally, I have noticed a decline in the gardens and woodlands around me. However, when there are lots of bugs in the air there seems to be a lot of just one sort at any one time. I suppose this will happen but doesn’t bode well for the future. Infestations, swarms and outright Biblical plagues may be to come.

Whatever, we need biodiversity and monitoring is essential to understanding where human behaviour is affecting it. Positively or negatively.
Cosmos – Garden Stars That Shine

The Daisy family, Asteraceae, is the second biggest and provides some of the best loved flowing plants we have. Cosmos are well ordered flowers with fine featherlike leaves that stand tall. The name Cosmos comes from the Greek for ‘ordered world’.

They are well ordered and keep their form, even when massed together, giving a super colourful display in any border. Colours range from chocolate, through orange, magenta, pink and white. All with a yellow centre with radial petals, like little solar systems or galaxies in perfect synchronisation. A very apt name, Cosmos.
Calendula – Pot Marigold a Tenacious Sunny Bloom

Coming across a brightly coloured flower, standing out in a harsh stoney environment does bring a smile. This Calendula or Pot marigold, is a member of the Asteraceae family and has the typical daisy flower head. Native of southern Europe it now cultivated for gardens across the world and has uses other than its obvious ornamental value.

It has uses in the kitchen as parts are edible, such as the petals can be used in salads. It has uses in medicine as an anti-inflammatory and has skin healing properties. Compounds from Calendula can be found in cosmetics too, but can cause an allergic reaction.
Mayflower for May Day

May 1st opens with the flower that is often referred to as ‘May Blossom’ or simply, ‘May’. Found extensively in Europe the Common Hawthorn or Crataegus monogyna is part of the Rose family, Rosaceae.

Whilst the Hawthorn can grow into a tree of some 30+ feet, it is often used in hedges and trimmed annually to keep its size and shape. However, when allowed to grow into a row of trees, you get the wall of white blossom that looks so impressive. Hawthorne is good for the ecology providing for birds and insects alike.
Not a Common Lilac – Syringa pubescens

There are lots of plants that are referred to as ‘Lilac’, but not all are the same family. This particular Lilac is from Korea and China, the Syringa pubescens. Flowering at the same time a the common Lilac, it can be seen in gardens of Europe more and more. In my own garden I have had one many years, but as a shady garden it survives but prefers full sun.

These delicate tubular flowers can be anything from white to dark magenta and change as the flower develops. A much smaller, slower growing shrub than the Common Lilac.
Populus alba Tree – Alternative Name White Poplar

In a local water meadow the White Poplar, populous alba, has come back to life. The air is heavy with fluffy white ‘cotton’ that covers the ground nearby. This is the seed dispersal method of a lot of similar trees in the Willow family, Salicaceae. Once pollinated they blow off in the breeze to find space to grow.

The White Poplar is not native to the UK but has been naturalised over most of the UK. It loves water and can grow in the salty winds of coastal areas, too. The leaves are silvery underneath and darker green on the top. Unlike the long slender leaves of it cousin willows, these leaves broader and crenate at the edges.

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