Category Archives: extreme gardening

Laws of physics, a Pontypool garden and an ancient Nisyros fortress

Posted on November 15, 2011 by BarryH

With the continuing mild weather, reckoned to be at least 5oC higher than the expected temperatures at this stage in November, I’ve been slaving away in the garden.  I have put off the decorating yet again and have been renovating … Continue reading →

Posted in extreme gardening, Greece 2011, Pontypool, Reflections | Leave a comment

Autumn: a time to get ready for Winter

Posted on October 24, 2011 by BarryH

Things are changing.  Days are getting shorter and colder.  When the sun shines it’s still just about pleasant enough to sit out for an hour around noon but certainly not beyond mid afternoon.  Still clinging on to going out in … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, extreme gardening | 1 Comment

Not-so-Grey Britain: Unreal, VERY pleasant ….. but I did get caught out.

Posted on October 3, 2011 by BarryH

What’s gone wrong with the weather?!?!  It’s fabulous!!!!  Cloudless blue sky.  Temperatures in the mid 20s.  From Tuesday afternoon, through the weekend and it’s still cloudless sky on Monday – 3 October!!!!.  It’s only a couple of degrees cooler than … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, extreme gardening, Grey Britain | Leave a comment

Time running away; the need to prioritise

Posted on May 30, 2011 by BarryH

Once again I regret the absence of the Blog for many days now.  To use a cliché, time has been running away from me.  Strange concept that, given that we think of time is a kind of measuring rod, something … Continue reading →

Posted in extreme gardening, Grey Britain, Spring | Leave a comment

It’s good when a plan comes together: poetry and wild gardens

Posted on May 17, 2011 by BarryH

A couple of things are starting to come together. I have finally sorted everything out for publishing the book of Enfys’s poems.  Completed the artwork and taken it to the printers.  I collected the proofs on Friday and gave the … Continue reading →

Posted in extreme gardening, Reflections, Spring | Leave a comment

Unearthing art, philosophy of decision-making, deadline-brain

Posted on May 9, 2011 by BarryH

I’m back home again now, my house-sitting duties having come to an end. The garden usually springs into life during April, growth accelerating towards the end of the month and into May.  This year the change in the 10 days … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, extreme gardening, Reflections, Spring | Leave a comment

The Lawn: a pretentious British middleclass anachronism

Posted on April 11, 2011 by BarryH

I like to inject a little culture into the blog every now and again so I’ll begin with a poem: Spring is sprung The grass is ris I wonder where the birdies is ……. That’s enough, you know the one. … Continue reading →

Posted in extreme gardening, Grumpy Old Men, Reflections, Spring | Leave a comment

Garden devastation and uncertain future

Posted on March 14, 2011 by BarryH

Another stint in the North is over.  Back home again to try to get to grips with the wreckage in the garden left by my absence last summer and the unusually cold winter.  By now it’s emerging which plants have … Continue reading →

Posted in extreme gardening, Grey Britain | Leave a comment

Banff and a Rocky Mountain Winter

Posted on January 2, 2011 by BarryH

Saturday and a day off skiing.  Early morning cloud and mist cleared to crystal blue sky.  So I took my camera for a walk.  Twice. Towards the end of the morning I walked through ‘Downtown’, still buzzing with New Year … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, extreme gardening, Winter | 1 Comment

Acceleration, speed, time

Posted on November 25, 2010 by BarryH

I learned soon after I began paragliding that the body feels acceleration but not speed.  Fly into a good thermal and there is a sudden upsurge as your body goes up and your stomach seems to lags behind.  An intake … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, extreme gardening, Reflections, Winter | 1 Comment