Tube Web Spider

I love looking at the wildlife in the garden...but was totally taken by surprise last night.  I was sitting quietly, reading, when I became aware of movement on the other side of the living room.  Glancing up a black spider with a relatively large abdomen was scuttling around the armchair.  It was the largest spider I have seen indoors in the UK.

There was no web, and if it was female I wouldn't want to think that I would leave her free to lay eggs, and hence be invaded with many dozens perhaps of such spiders.  Being on my own, I was aware that I ought to handle this spider carefully in case I got a bite.  For me even a small bite may lead to allergic reactions, and with no one around, I certainly did not want to put myself at risk.

I came back armed with a steel mug, and a sheet of paper, and went on the hunt.  Several minutes later I had found her/him and had it secure...but then at the last minute decided to photograph it before releasing it into the garden.  I placed it under a glass bowl where it scurried around the edge, and just would not face towards the lens.

It was camera shy for sure, and I just could not get a picture head on of the spider.  I do however feel that the closest match is  tube web spider (Segestria florentina)

Corydalis flexuosa 'Kingfisher'

Most Saturdays, when I am at home, I like to venture out to the Market in Wells.  It nearly was an exception yesterday, as it was the first cool, windy and rainy day for a long time.  However later in the morning, postponing lunch till mid afternoon, I got on my bike and sallied forth.  The feet are still in a 'delicate' state, and cycling is a good way of getting some exercise, and getting to places faster, with less energy spent, and a bonus in Wells, is that there is relatively plenty cycle parking compared to car parking.  I really think that cars should also be left at home except for very large shops, and distances further afield.

On my way home I like to go through Market Street, which is not to be confused with the Market Square in the centre.  The reason this way is particularly attractive is that most weekends Graham from Tadham Nurseries turns up with a nice differing range of plants mostly alpines.  I love to look at the plants and have a chat, and usually pick up a plant or two.

This week's pocket money wasn't spent on a cup of coffee but on this little beauty: Corydalis flexuosa 'Kingfisher'.  From reading about this cultivar, the flowering season is longish.  This summer I saw some lovely blue corydalis growing in the Bishop's Palace Gardens in rather bright and sunny conditions.

I'm not sure yet where and whether to plant it in the garden, or have it in a pot of leafy moisture retentive medium in semi shade.

In a Vase on Monday - Shadows

Shadows are getting longer, which means Autumn is upon us.  Its garden clearing time here, with annuals nearly over, some plants have cast shadows over others in the garden which has not been good.  Its time for me to take stock and decide adjustments, and preparing with hope for the garden next year.  The main hope being that the squirrels are not watching me plant my crocus bulbs over the next few days, and then coming to dig them up.

This morning first thing...the arrangement cast shadows on the wall as the low autumnal sun cast its light into the kitchen.  I love the silhouette...... the daisy shape stands out...if you want to see Daisies head over to Cathy's Blog.  

The material for today's vase has all been selected recently or this time last year...but one appearing only because some bird must have used it for a perch, and snapped it, is a stem of Perovskia 'Blue Spire'.  

During some down time over the last week, whilst we were in Wales, one of my best reads was The Sceptical Gardener by Ken Thompson, it is informative, with lots of leads for further exploration.   I've just ordered myself a new copy from Amazon.

In a Vase on Monday - Keepers

As the gardening year progresses many of us will be pondering on what has done well and planning for improvements, with more of, or less of next year for particular plants, and deciding what will definitely be keepers, at least for another season or so.  For sure I am doing this almost on a fortnightly basis with our new garden, as it has been evolving so quickly.  All the borders are now marked out, and there is not a blade of grass left in the back.  

I must be less impatient, and covet less since I have very limited room to plant all the plants that I have not only enjoyed in the past, but the ones I still am searching for or the one, and the ones I admire  in those beautiful vases posted each month.  To admire and get satisfaction from others hard work and artistry should be an end in itself sometimes.....

The best Keepers which I have been blessed with this year are new friends made since arriving on our new patch.  

As for plants, I have chosen for today for my Vase one that I have grown for the first time this year.  A couple of months ago during a visit to Alison C's garden she pulled up a plant of  Briza Maxima which had already dried to a crisp under our unusually hot summer sun.  It has made a lovely focal point in our living room during the last few weeks.  Dried plant material makes very good keepers, as does this Briza maxima.

This arrangement is from plants grown in our garden.  I planted the seed at the very end of April on a bare patch, from seed received from Cathy back in November 2015.  Those seeds were also good Keepers.  Cathy is the dedicated leader of IAVOM and each week she posts vases, with great stories, charming supporting artifacts, stories, and gardening musings.  Do go and see what she has posted.....

This little 'still life' is on the Kitchen windowsill, with some bay leaves and rosemary left over from a stem I had picked for a recipe a couple of days ago, and red chillis given to me by Jean.  I am attracted to keepers...and like my little stash such as jams and preserves, books, bars of soap to scent drawers.....and seeds.  Must go and find envelopes and start to package seeds up for next year and to share around with other gardeners,

I get such a great enjoyment from the garden, and also from reading.  I am currently reading 'The Curious Gardener' by Anna Pavord.  If you click on her name, I've put a link into Dessert Island Discs, and hope you enjoy her enthusiasm.

I started with 'September' in the book,  read to the end and then have started from January again.  At the end of each month there is a useful reminder of jobs to be done...Along the way interesting articles.  As a link to my arrangement where I have a few bay leaves saved from the pruning of our large bay one of the few shrubs retained, here is what I read only yesterday...

"...bay trees planted close to houses recall the time when gardeners believed quite literally that 'neither witch not devil, thunder nor lightning will hurt a man in the place where a bay tree is', as the seventeenth-century herbalist, Nicholas Culpepper, put it."

A gravel and stone garden and drought loving plant Hibiscus trionum

One of the last areas to have the 'no lawn' treatment has now been completed.  The section nearest the house has a layer of membrane under the stone,  and this is where I will be standing to hang out washing on our removable rotary line. Already I've been grateful that 'dropped' washing has stayed clean.  

 The area further away and  nearest the border where for now, I have some larger stones, will gradually become a free draining gravel garden in the sense that any little suitable garden plants that self seed won't necessarily to be removed, and I may well use the area to display some of the succulents during the summer period. I had salvaged these few stones from a friend's garden, as they were being taken away prior to to building.

Is this a mystery plant or will it prove to be a Callirhoe of some type?  Jean collected the seed from a 'well known' garden, and this is one of the plants that she successfully grew on.  It is growing rather well considering the very hot and dry weather, which is one of the characteristics of Callirhoe.  It does not however have the characteristic trailing habit.  It is setting seed, and as the flowers are quite distinctive with the purple centre and golden stamens, I hope to raise a few plants to bring closer to the front of the border.

The plant is doing well in a difficult position partly shaded by the evergreen Holm Oak during the early morning...I just can't keep up with removing the very slow to decay leaves, which the tree shreds in May and June.

If anyone reading this would like to help identify it and leave any comments, this would be really appreciated.  Thanks to an SOS on my gardening club facebook Amanda has come up trumps.  It is Hibiscus trionum, aka Flower of an Hour, and it took less than an hour for a response.  Thanks.

I have since read in a magazine article that this is an annual known as flower of an hour because its flowers bloom for just a few hours during the day before wilting.  I agree with its description as being a well branched plant with deeply grooved leaves that combines well with perennials.  The flowers are followed by hairy, bell-shaped seed capsules.  I shall see if they self-seed in the garden.  I have saved some of pretty seed heads, and will set some in the spring time.