On Sunday 23rd October, a glorious day, I chatted to folk at the allotments late morning. Our project is finally taking shape. I need to come up with a list of dates when our group can meet and we decided that Fridays and Sundays 11-4 is good. We narrowed the remit down to choosing one help to research- "Adopt a Herb" as Bridgette suggested. A herb, to me means culinary plants, medicinal plants or any wild growing plants. So choose a plant/ herb you like or grow. One you find yourself weeding up the whole time perhaps or that you use as medication. As a medical herbalist I can guide your research into the plant and we will try drawing and recording our journey so there is something to present/ display in May for the festival. More to come on this. I am very keen to involve other folk too and I think that groups and random others can easily adopt a plant too and join in our spontaneous community.
The base will be the Bluebell Road South Allotment.
More info to come about the Adopt a herb concept so you can spread the word.
We will grow some herbs anyway to keep our fingers in the soil.
We will plan events for May. So far my favourite idea is to have a tea party at the Assembly House, better still a ball, with everyone dressed as their herb.
I would also like to visit some plant places/ research centres with the group.
So far we have Lavender, Evening Primrose, Cranberry, Milk thistle and I have yet to choose mine. In fact the act of choosing is quite hard.
We were swarmed whilst looking a the tree sculpture by ladybirds (Harlequins). It stopped us dwelling to much at our starting point, but we all love the Cow Tower Sculpture and I bet that there will be loads of these Harlequin ladybirds hibernating the the boxes.
Berries soon caught our eye. Lovely time of year for Berries although the roots of these sorts of plants (Berberis) are used more medicinally - very bitter taste....
Chuffed to find Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) growing in the river wall. They like it damp. flowering tops including leaves used as a digestive anti-inflammatory and can be drying (astringent).
I have now chosen this herb as the plant I want to investigate. It is all over ancient walls so loads in Norwich. This was growing the car park shingle near the Adam and Eve pub. Jane noticed the flowers and seeds were sticky- helps when you grow on walls. Its Pelitory of the Wall.
I keep seeing this weed, we didn't stop to ID it, but I took a photo to remember it. It it the one on the left.
This little Chickweed looked all alone.
Our walk spontaneously took in styles of flint wall building.
This cobble seemed out of place
The cathedral herb garden has plenty of plants and herbs, evidence of new plantings too. I wonder if we can join in and help them. Anyhow open 9-5, pop in a find a herb to adopt for our project.
I love the shiny soft red Rose hips
The Herb Robert - a Geranium- is a herb I investigated this sumer. The leaves are going red. These are another tenacious spreader and they often grow in low walls too. Pretty flower.
Strawberry leaves, similar to raspberry leaf medicinally- tonic to pelvic region. Amazing lines on leaf.
These next two (above and below) once registered in the brain can be seen everywhere.
Jane draws Cardoon
The planted Vinca is sharing it's space with some cress , possibly Thale cress. Some plants just turn up. I love exploring these spontaneous communities. Thale cress is the first plant to have it's genetic code mapped out, much of the research taking place in Norwich.
Buchus (Box) Letter W. Outside the Assembly House.
