Cloudy today with the possibility of an odd shower or two, so I'm not doing any washing today, the rest of the week looks lovely and sunny so I shall get the laundry basket emptied and all the washing out on the line this week. We'll go to a garden centre sometime during the week to see what veg plants they have in and get any seeds we need. Although the next 10 days or so are set to be sunny and warm, the nights are still quite chilly, so if we do get any veg plants they won't be going outside just yet. Which means husband has to clear away his tools and general clutter in his part of the utility room (there's very little clutter in my half!) to create space for the little plants to go.
So, caravan pics.
Aconites and anemones looking very pretty.
What Betty did inside and out most of the weekend! It's a dog's life......
Husband relaying some of the stepping stones laid by the previous owner.
View from our van over the lower part of the park....look at that sky!
Huge summer home…lovely…so happy for you…
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky your van is so close to home, it's a lovely part of the country. I'm loving having the open doors and letting in the warmer air, our cats like Betty always find a sunny spot to sleep in.
ReplyDeleteThe plant looks similar to tetregonia or New Zealand Spinach but I don't know whether it would grow where you are (I've grown it but I live in Australia).
ReplyDeleteI want to be Betty, finding a nice comfy, warm spot and sleeping!
ReplyDeleteI think the plant could be Good King Henry or Fat Hen. Had a look in my wildflower book then google.
http://www.manorfarmherbs.co.uk/herbinfo/good_king_henry
If it is, it's a culinary and medicinal herb. xx
Just seen Sue's comment. She knows more about it than me! I know you wouldn't go eating anything you couldn't identify anyway. Make sure Betty doesn't go near it. You could probably smother it with black plastic if you don't want to try digging it all up. xx
DeleteMy identifer says cuckoo pint
ReplyDeleteSyl ia
Oh my goodness please dont eat it!! It's Lords and Ladies.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.foragingcoursecompany.co.uk/foraging-guide-lords-and-ladies.
Lords and Ladies - Arum maculatum
Poisnous/irritant plant - novice identification
Other common names: Cuckoo Pint, Jack in the Pulpit, Stallions and Mares, Bulls and Cows, Wake Robin, Toad's Meat, Adder's Meat, Adder's Victuals, Buckrams, Startchwort, Portland Startch, Kings and Queens, Cobbler's Thumb, Kitty-Come-Down-The-Lane-Jump-Up-And-Kiss-Me, Cuckoopintell, Snakeshead, Adder's Root, Arum Lily, Wild Arum, Soldiers Diddies, Priest's Pintle, Bobbins, Adam and Eve, Naked Boys, Naked Girls, Sonsie-Give-Us-Your-Hand, Friar's Cowl, Cheese and Toast, Devils and Angels
Scientific name meaning: The origin of "Arum" is much debated, but it is likely to have origins in the Arabic word "Ar", meaning fire. Maculatum is from the Latin "Maculatus", which means to make or be spotted or speckled. The species name is in reference the spots often found on the leaves
Season Late Winter to Autumn
Habitat - where will I find it? As a shade lover, Lords and Ladies is found in woodland, shady gardens, and hedgerows. It is native to Europe and North Africa
Description - what does it look like? Lords and Ladies begins to appear in late Winter to early Spring as clumps of arrow-shaped leaves. The leaves have rounded tails and often have black/grey spots.
In late Spring, flowers appear in the form of a spadix - a specialised hood-like leaf surrounding a spike of small flowers.
The leaves die back during summer leaving a spike of green berries turning to bright orange-red.
Possible lookalikes Care must be taken not to confuse the edible Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) with Lords and Ladies. The tails on both plants leaves can be used to differentiate the two, with Common Sorrel having very spiked tails, compared to Lords and Ladies' more rounded tails.
Lords and Ladies also grows in the same area as, and often among, Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum). It is therefore wise to ensure no rogue leaves of Lords and Ladies have ended up in a Wild Garlic harvest. Apart from Wild Garlic's smell, it has parallel leaf veins, while Lords and Ladies has pinnate branched leaf veins.
Italian Arum (Arum italicum) looks remarkably similar, except its leaves have a white veining or marbling to them. It often hybridises with Lords and Ladies. Both plants contain the same irritants
Poisonous parts All parts of the plant contain Calcium Oxalate crystals. These penetrate the skin causing immense pain and irritation. It s particularly painful on the mucus membranes - for example eyes, inner nose, and inside the mouth.
In severe cases, it could be possible for ingested Lords and Ladies to cause death through asphyxiation. However, the pain caused by eating Lords and Ladies would be enough to prevent most people from consuming a life-threatening quantity.
Despite this, the leaves have been eaten after thorough cooking. The roots have also been consumed as a starch-rich tuber again after thorough cooking and repeated water changes. The Foraging Course Company strongly advises against consumption of Arum maculatum
The caravan site looks lovely and green and peaceful
The caravan park looks lovely in the sunshine.
ReplyDeleteSue's description of your plant says it all, I would remove as much of it as you can from your flower beds, but there's no harm in leaving a bit under the trees, as long as Betty keeps away from the berries when they appear.
It all looks lovely. If there is life after death, I want to be a dog. Betty is a clever girl. X
ReplyDeleteLooks a lovely spot and just like a dog to find somewhere comfy for a quick nap.. yes that plant looks like cuckoo pint and like Sue said poisonous.
ReplyDeleteBetty reminds me of Bails dog who loves that sun to sleep.
ReplyDeleteYou fenced garden is ideal. Looks so good. I have also bought some bunting for jubilee. I thought I would get it now as these things are hard to find just before the event.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a nice quiet, well kept site, just what you want for a home away from home. Betty seems to like it there, she looks very settled.
ReplyDeleteThe van looks perfect. You have both done such a lovely job rejuvenating it. Good luck with the weed removal.
ReplyDeleteThe LeafSnap app is free and has been sooo helpful in identifying plants when we moved here last March. Fabulous site - and great photos. That sky is amazing.
ReplyDeleteArum lily. Very poisonous
ReplyDeleteThank you for the identification of the Arum Lily - for 5 years I have been watering and carefully nurturing a row of these plants in a shady border; tomorrow it will be sturdy gloves on and those darn Arums will be consigned to the brown garden refuse bin!!!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks lovely, your piece of heaven!
ReplyDeleteYes, those Lords and Ladies are quite a pain. Why or why did I ask my MIL whether I could have some from her garden??? I liked the veining in the leaves and the striking berries. How green I was!