Choose to be optimistic...

...it feels better.

A quote from the Dalai Lama

A quick look in the greenhouse recently revealed that the Lithops are now flowering. The flowers of the lithops or living stones as they are more usually known do not last long.

One of the tea plants has met with a visitor.  Possibly a moth of the Tortrix group. Several leaves have been grazed and the offending larva has now rolled itself up in one of the new leaves. We will try to identify the species which may favour Camellia plants

The ammonite shell path has progressed with the posts on the outermost ring now having been secured in the rubble.  Longer posts were required to be hammered deeper into the ground  help keep the shell shape intact once the infill has been laid.  Concrete was used for this operation.

Work on the path also continued with the eventual linking of the ammonite shape to the path to the eco-loo and into the school garden.  Initial groundwork was completed and by the end of next weekend this path should be in situ.

View from the eco-loo

The link from the ammonite shell

As autumn approaches many birds are returning to Africa for the winter months. A lot of Chiifchaffs have been noted through the garden in recent days and also one evening  a Spotted Flycatcher was observed doing what it does best- flycatching!  This brown bird has a silver breast and is very acrobatic as it flies out from a perch to catch a fly or even a butterfly.  They are returning to West Africa.

Spotted Flycatcher - a new species on the garden list!

Elsewhere the garden still provides colour and form and the butterflies are still there in good numbers.  The Comma- an unusual visitor was spotted this week. Four species of dragonflies were also seen including several pairs of Common Sympetrums.  The males have crimson red bodies- the females a more drab brown colour

Comma

Common Sympetrum -male

 

 

As the summer ends it is time to start harvesting.  The turnips and tomatoes have done well this year.

Fresh turnips

A variety of tomatoes

The soil in many of the school plots is getting tired now and needs a lot of organic matter dug into them.  We are hoping to source some cow manure at the end of the season when all the plants have been dug out.  If anybody knows of a very local source where perhaps the farmer could deliver a trailer load to us then we would be very grateful.  Please leave a message in the school office.