I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable reaction to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of course but I'm not thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are almost blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids and overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being taught at school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora 'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a lovely honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know what it was and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness' 'pruned'(mutilated) in full flower - It was cut down to less than half flowers/buds notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in your workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null points'

Rod

"Rod" wrote in message
...
I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable reaction
to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of course but I'm not
thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they
see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are almost
blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids and
overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being taught
at school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora
'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a lovely
honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know what it was
and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness' 'pruned'(mutilated)
in full flower - It was cut down to less than half flowers/buds
notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in your
workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null points'

Rod

Not only that, but yesterday it happened I was out in my garden and heard my
neighbours say "Look at all these wasps! they will sting our child."
They weren't wasps, they were hoverflies. And they came out with a
insecticidal spray and zapped them :-(

"Rod" wrote

I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable reaction
to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of course but I'm not
thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they
see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are almost
blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids and
overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being taught at
school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora
'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a lovely
honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know what it was
and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness' 'pruned'(mutilated)
in full flower - It was cut down to less than half flowers/buds
notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in your
workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null points'


Visitors to our garden don't tend to pass comment other than about the pond
which takes up half. Probably because they aren't plant people so they only
see stuff when it's in flower when I might get a "What's that?" or "that
looks pretty". Out of flower it's just green and boring to them whereas we
look and see the next flowering.
Of neighbouring gardens I have seen one mature garden with mature fan
trained fruit trees and nice herbaceous plants reduced to ground level, only
grass was left alone. Until they burnt the trees etc., in the middle of the
lawn and then did nothing, ever.
On the other side a large bed of cyclamen under some mature trees, hundreds
if not thousands of corms, just dug under when the trees were felled.
(agreed the trees were in the wrong place and not nice)
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:19:04 -0700 (PDT), Rod
wrote:

I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable reaction to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of course but I'm not thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are almost blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids and overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being taught at school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora 'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a lovely honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know what it was and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness' 'pruned'(mutilated) in full flower - It was cut down to less than half flowers/buds notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in your workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null points'

Rod

Have you been reading too much Anne Wareham? (The Bad Tempered
Gardener, cheapest current source being Amazon). She has attracted a
lot of bad press lately because she dared to criticise the NGS and the
attitude of the average open garden visitor. Her garden (The Veddw in
Monmouthshire) is worth a visit! There you will see ground elder in
profusion, alchemilla mollis running riot, weeds poking up everywhere
and used as features.

I suspect that these days, most people's gardening habits are dictated
by the sheds and garden centres (which are also sheds). Plants are
bought in flower and probably consigned to the bin when they finish
flowering the week after purchase. The impatiens walleriana rules
(damn and blast it to hell as we need to get it out of gardens
completely for a few years to kill off the mildew). Anything that
grows more than a foot above ground doesn't live long enough to
achieve anything because it's not bedding and so gets dug up (as if it
were bedding) as soon as it stops flowering - a week after purchase.

The consumer society is "today" with no thought for "tomorrow" .

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from Swansea Bay. Dave's at that end; I'm at this end.
Bill G's in the middle. Come to think of it, where is Bill G these days?

One beautifully overcrowded garden near me was put through the shredder by the new owner. They started by sawing through a Rambling Rector rose at the base when it was in full flower - how could anyone do that? At least wait till the flowers are over, if you really want to get rid of it. Then they got rid of virtually everything else, and converted the garden to 80% lawn. Worse, *their* neighbours approve, and think it looks nice and tidy now - they complained that previously it was "literally a jungle".

Meanwhile, my son reports that one of his work colleagues said she didn't like our garden - gardens should be sitting in, with lots of pretty flowers. I think she means lawn and bedding plants and lots of nice bare soil in between, not ponds, shrubs, climbers in floriferous profusion.

It is so different when you show a gardener round - the way they jump in delight upon plants, even those not in flower.

On 19/06/2012 18:19, Rod wrote:
I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable reaction to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of course but I'm not thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are almost blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids and overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being taught at school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora 'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a lovely honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know what it was and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness' 'pruned'(mutilated) in full flower - It was cut down to less than half flowers/buds notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in your workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null points'

Rod



I think I must be very lucky, by those standards. Most of my neighbours
take an interest, and often an admiring interest :~). If I'm gardening
(pruning, working the soil or planting), there are always questions
about my plants, including the upkeep of them if something is
particularly admired.

Also, in our road, this interest extends to plant swaps, which makes
horticultural, social and financial sense. It often means that older
gardeners feel less isolated, and younger couples get help building up
their gardens whilst struggling with a mortgage. Even passing strangers
and acquaintances from the extended neighbourhood stop and chat about
gardens. I've even seen people stop and take photographs!

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

"Spider" wrote in message
...
On 19/06/2012 18:19, Rod wrote:
I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable
reaction to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of course
but I'm not thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they
see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are almost
blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids and
overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being taught
at school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora
'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a lovely
honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know what it was
and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness'
'pruned'(mutilated) in full flower - It was cut down to less than half
flowers/buds notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in your
workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null points'

Rod



I think I must be very lucky, by those standards. Most of my neighbours
take an interest, and often an admiring interest :~). If I'm gardening
(pruning, working the soil or planting), there are always questions about
my plants, including the upkeep of them if something is particularly
admired.

Also, in our road, this interest extends to plant swaps, which makes
horticultural, social and financial sense. It often means that older
gardeners feel less isolated, and younger couples get help building up
their gardens whilst struggling with a mortgage. Even passing strangers
and acquaintances from the extended neighbourhood stop and chat about
gardens. I've even seen people stop and take photographs!

You are very lucky to have that but your garden must be very beautiful)
--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

On Tuesday, 19 June 2012 18:40:28 UTC+1, Christina Websell wrote:
Not only that, but yesterday it happened I was out in my garden and heard my
neighbours say "Look at all these wasps! they will sting our child."
They weren't wasps, they were hoverflies. And they came out with a
insecticidal spray and zapped them :-(

Quite a common reaction I'm afraid. The new family next door but one seem to be heading for a garden of gravel, paving and grass (they it was who destroyed the Cedar). The lady there saw ants on the house wall and promptly plastered the walls and paths of her house and the one next-door with ant killer powder. Then she saw a slug and asked if we have them as well. Fortunately she has a 6yr old daughter who's quite the little scientist and fascinated by creepy crawlies so I'm working on her ;~) showing her and letting her handle anything I see and trying to teach something of the natural history of the things.
Ooooh! and a silver fish in the pantry.

Rod

On Thursday, 21 June 2012 13:47:44 UTC+1, Spider wrote:

I think I must be very lucky, by those standards. Most of my neighbours
take an interest, and often an admiring interest :~). If I'm gardening
(pruning, working the soil or planting), there are always questions
about my plants, including the upkeep of them if something is
particularly admired.

Also, in our road, this interest extends to plant swaps, which makes
horticultural, social and financial sense. It often means that older
gardeners feel less isolated, and younger couples get help building up
their gardens whilst struggling with a mortgage. Even passing strangers
and acquaintances from the extended neighbourhood stop and chat about
gardens. I've even seen people stop and take photographs!

--
Sadly ours isn't that kind of neighbourhood but we're working on it.

Rod

"Rod" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, 19 June 2012 18:40:28 UTC+1, Christina Websell wrote:
Not only that, but yesterday it happened I was out in my garden and heard
my
neighbours say "Look at all these wasps! they will sting our child."
They weren't wasps, they were hoverflies. And they came out with a
insecticidal spray and zapped them :-(

Quite a common reaction I'm afraid. The new family next door but one seem
to be heading for a garden of gravel, paving and grass (they it was who
destroyed the Cedar). The lady there saw ants on the house wall and
promptly plastered the walls and paths of her house and the one next-door
with ant killer powder. Then she saw a slug and asked if we have them as
well. Fortunately she has a 6yr old daughter who's quite the little
scientist and fascinated by creepy crawlies so I'm working on her ;~)
showing her and letting her handle anything I see and trying to teach
something of the natural history of the things.
Ooooh! and a silver fish in the pantry.

lol I haven't seen one of those since I was child Keep working with the
wee lassie though, she might educate her mother

--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

On 21/06/2012 17:25, Ophelia wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message
...
On 19/06/2012 18:19, Rod wrote:
I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable
reaction to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of
course but I'm not thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they
see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are
almost blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids
and overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being
taught at school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora
'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a
lovely honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know
what it was and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness'
'pruned'(mutilated) in full flower - It was cut down to less than
half flowers/buds notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in
your workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null points'

Rod



I think I must be very lucky, by those standards. Most of my
neighbours take an interest, and often an admiring interest :~). If
I'm gardening (pruning, working the soil or planting), there are
always questions about my plants, including the upkeep of them if
something is particularly admired.

Also, in our road, this interest extends to plant swaps, which makes
horticultural, social and financial sense. It often means that older
gardeners feel less isolated, and younger couples get help building up
their gardens whilst struggling with a mortgage. Even passing
strangers and acquaintances from the extended neighbourhood stop and
chat about gardens. I've even seen people stop and take photographs!

You are very lucky to have that but your garden must be very beautiful)



Thank you. It's very kind of you to say so but, like any garden, it has
its off days and problems. The joy of our little community is that I
can even talk problems through with the other gardeners. Most
satisfying :~).

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 21/06/2012 18:55, Rod wrote:
On Thursday, 21 June 2012 13:47:44 UTC+1, Spider wrote:

I think I must be very lucky, by those standards. Most of my neighbours
take an interest, and often an admiring interest :~). If I'm gardening
(pruning, working the soil or planting), there are always questions
about my plants, including the upkeep of them if something is
particularly admired.

Also, in our road, this interest extends to plant swaps, which makes
horticultural, social and financial sense. It often means that older
gardeners feel less isolated, and younger couples get help building up
their gardens whilst struggling with a mortgage. Even passing strangers
and acquaintances from the extended neighbourhood stop and chat about
gardens. I've even seen people stop and take photographs!

--
Sadly ours isn't that kind of neighbourhood but we're working on it.

Rod






I really hope you get there and, if you stick it out, you will. I
really share your sadness over the destruction of a perfectly good
garden. Houses with good gardens generally cost more because they're
more attractive to a buyer, so to throw all that work and investment
away seems pointless. Indeed, alien to a tight Yorkshire lass ;~))!

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

Ophelia wrote:
Ooooh! and a silver fish in the pantry.
lol I haven't seen one of those since I was child Keep working with the
wee lassie though, she might educate her mother

Our downstairs bathroom gets them. I don't usually kill things, but at 2nd
uni we had a bathroom that was insanely plagued with the things, and I was
a bit fascinated for a while by how they squish to almost nothing!

"Spider" wrote in message
...
On 21/06/2012 17:25, Ophelia wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message
...
On 19/06/2012 18:19, Rod wrote:
I take it as read that most folk here have a generally favourable
reaction to most plants. We all have our favourites and pets of
course but I'm not thinking about that.
Rather I'm asking how visitors to your gardens react to what they
see/smell/touch?
Sadly I and Mrs Rod are beginning to conclude that most folks are
almost blind to plants or almost scared of them turning into triffids
and overwhelming the world.
Also profoundly ignorant - where were they when biology was being
taught at school?
In the last week or 2 we've seen a perfectly innocent Cedrus deodora
'pendula' destroyed because it was shedding it's old needles, a
lovely honeysuckle destroyed in full bud - the guy didn't even know
what it was and too stupid to ask.
A mature and beautiful bush of the rose 'Ena Harkness'
'pruned'(mutilated) in full flower - It was cut down to less than
half flowers/buds notwithstanding.
In our garden a common reaction is 'nice fence' or 'can I look in
your workshop?'
The profusion of flowers, foliage and scents commonly gets 'null
points'

Rod



I think I must be very lucky, by those standards. Most of my
neighbours take an interest, and often an admiring interest :~). If
I'm gardening (pruning, working the soil or planting), there are
always questions about my plants, including the upkeep of them if
something is particularly admired.

Also, in our road, this interest extends to plant swaps, which makes
horticultural, social and financial sense. It often means that older
gardeners feel less isolated, and younger couples get help building up
their gardens whilst struggling with a mortgage. Even passing
strangers and acquaintances from the extended neighbourhood stop and
chat about gardens. I've even seen people stop and take photographs!

You are very lucky to have that but your garden must be very beautiful)



Thank you. It's very kind of you to say so but, like any garden, it has
its off days and problems. The joy of our little community is that I can
even talk problems through with the other gardeners. Most satisfying :~).

You are indeed, very lucky


--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

wrote in message
...
Ophelia wrote:
Ooooh! and a silver fish in the pantry.
lol I haven't seen one of those since I was child Keep working with
the
wee lassie though, she might educate her mother

Our downstairs bathroom gets them. I don't usually kill things, but at
2nd
uni we had a bathroom that was insanely plagued with the things, and I was
a bit fascinated for a while by how they squish to almost nothing!

They are such weird things ...

--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/