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At last warmer, brighter weather arrived, albeit temporary. The butterflies certainly enjoyed it and were very active for a few days. When the snowy weather was with us I ordered some extra pupae to bulk up numbers to make sure the butterflies were visible in the Tropical Zone. Stratford Butterfly Farm...
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We had our first Malay Lacewing (pictured below) emerge this week, with its beautiful fluted wing edge, and many others followed along with plenty of Tree Nymphs (the balck and white butterfly pictured lower down the page), Blue Morphos and Giant Orange Tips. The snowy weather has been a challenge as...
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John Steinbeck said: “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” Surely after all the wintery weather we have had of late, it must be time for a sweet summer ahead. But actually I quite like some bits of winter, the excess of layers, of hats, hoods, scarfs, mittens...
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The first weekend of the event went really well with many of the pupae we stuck last week emerging. They have continued to hatch out all week and we have been regularly releasing them into the Tropical Zone of the Glasshouse. I had about 50 newly emerged butterflies to release this morning alone. Each...
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A frosty view from the propagation glasshouse at Wisley. The sun breaks through finally on a frosty morning, the moment all morning my fingers and toes have been waiting for. Suddenly the stained glass windowed leaves of the poinsettia shine, eager to be off to their new home, poster children for Christmas...
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Willow is a common thing, so common often we do not know it when we see it. It makes up a green periphery, growing in unkempt lands, on verges, swamplands, the back of beyo nd where it blends in to the landscape quietly as if it had nothing to say. In the aptly titled book Willows (1972) Warren-Wren...
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Known as Sleeping beauty here at Wisley, our Tabebuia impetiginosa , ‘Pink Trumpet Tree’ or Pau d’Arco has produced an amazing canopy of flower this year, far more than in previous years. This has been achieved by simulating its Central/South American natural habitat and allowing our potted specimen...
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Camellias are one of the perfect garden plants in many people's opinion. They flower at Wisley from November (e.g. C . sasanqua hybrids) through to May, offering colour and in some cases fragrance too. And even when not showing off their flambouyant blooms, their evergreen leaves provide a glossy...
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... or the greys, in this weather. It is winter, after all, but this is an exciting time of year. Some of the most amazing plants do their thing in January and February - and they're anything but dull, unlike the skies! This week, if it's raining, then apart from visiting the incredible Butterflies...
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The other day, in between our snowy weeks, we managed to find a few days when the soil on Weather Hill at Wisley was in a workable state. We took delivery of some bare root roses, and off we went - the rose planting began on our exciting Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden. Jim Gardiner, Director of Horticulture...
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