Hallo
- To: M*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Hallo
- From: R*@aol.com
- Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 05:32:02 EDT
As a net novice may I take advantage of my ignorance of Netiquette to share
with you the attached view of my small Mediterranean "style" garden in
Sydenham in South East London. No doubt members will instruct me on the
disadvantages of jamming bandwidths with unwanted JPG's.
I am told by a neighbour that South East London is one of the warmest spots
in England. He grows Brugmansia outside so he should know. I have
overwintered Oleander and a small olive tree outside and have a 10 year old
Eriobotrya which only occasionally shows frost damage to the tips of its new
leaves. I did not to take a risk with Plumbago or Bougainvillea but as our
climate here really does seem to changing for the better, maybe next Winter I
will leave them out in a sheltered spot perhaps a warm window sill. The
garden is full of aromatic herbs, Lavander, Rosemary, Myrtle, Hissop ,Thyme,
Cotton Lavender, Basil some in large terracotta pots others in the ground.
It was a builders yard with a good crop of concrete , one small sad patch of
grass and a large venerable but neglected and very woody rose bush which
still (now in a large pot , savagely pruned and destined for the small garden
in front of the house) produces large , beautiful and as yet unnamed pink
roses. I also have Rosa Primula with aromatic foliage which fills the garden
with the smell of incense when it rains. The garden is planted for scent
with Cypress , Cistus ,resin scented Geraniums, and Pinks and is at its
"smelly" best in the warm summer evenings and in the mornings after fine mist
or rain. I can sit in the Evening after a hard day and an hour spent in
London's rush hour traffic and be reminded of tranquil evenings spent in
Greece, Spain and Turkey. I have yet to find a way of removing the sound of
the wailing of police car and ambulance sirens which on occasion make
Sydenham sound more like New York , but I'm working on it, a conservatory
perhaps !!
I received my membership pack this morning and will now spend some happy
hours browsing issues 15 & 16 of "The Mediterranean Garden".
Thank you
Reg Wickings
13 Homecroft Road
London SE26 5QN
