Resonating with asparagus in Oslo…..
Just before the start of my first course for MAJOBO on Tuesday, I decided to change my first picture to something of local relevance! This is Oslo’s oldest asparagus bed, perhaps as old as 100 years as explained in the following article!
In another one of these resonant moments, who should be amongst the 20 participants than the owner of this very garden, Lars Mjøset :) He walked in just after I took this picture!
Hablitzia tamnoides in Oslo
Hablitzia tamnoides/stjernemelde/Caucasian Spinach in the botanical gardens in Oslo 3rd July 2015!
Hablitzia running rampant
Having breakfast this morning, I noticed this Hablitzia (Caucasian Spinach) flowering shoot peeping in the window at me, as if to say “Look what I’m doing”…
This plant has seeded itself from my original plant seen in the background in the second picture and is busily climbing up and smothering a grape (Vitis coignetiae)!
Midnight in Malvik
Red sky in the morning or night, shepherd’s confused!
Meconopsis punicea
The most striking plant in the Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden on Monday was undoubtedly Meconopsis punicea, a plant that doesn’t like temperatures over 20C and a very minor edible – Meconopsis seed are oil rich! Here’s a short video clip….
Allium victorialis diversity
Brynhild Mørkved has over the years collected forms of Allium victorialis from over it’s range – the Alps, Caucasus, Japan and the Kola peninsula in North West Russia. The main reason has been to try and determine where the naturalised populations in the Lofoten Islands originate as this isn’t a native plant in Norway. I tell the story of the Lofoten victory onions in full in my book Around the World in 80 plants http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?page_id=30
Tonight’s veggies; 24th June 2015
Allium nutans xsenescens, Stellaria media, Oregano (yellow leaved), Bay leaf, Campanula latifolia, Red streaked mustard greens, Asparagus, Malva moschata, Day lily buds, Crambe maritima, Rumex patientia, Rumex acetosa (non flowering), Atriplex hortensis (two cultivars)
Wine sorrel about to flower
At last, 6 years after planting my wine sorrel (see the book) is about to flower… seeds may soon be available for this beauty!
The Horned Dandelion
North America’s most widespread Taraxacum is the horned dandelion or pissenlit tuberculébracts (Taraxacum ceratophorum). Here are its horns:
