Seaburngirl's Profile

Botany, especially of our British natives and gardening is a passion. Graduated in Botany and Zoology back in the late 70's and got my first garden in the early 80's. I grow plants to sell [50:50]for a local charity and to 'fund' the purchase of unusual plants for my very shady garden. 1/5 of an acre with only a small part in full sun. Lots of trees in neighbouring gardens allows for woodland planting. British natives figure highly. I am a member of the RHS and the HPS.

When my mum died my eldest brother 'allowed' me to raid her, now his garden for plants as a memorium to her. We both planted lupins in her memory as dad hated them and wouldnt allow her to have them.

I no longer grow gooseberries, blackcurrants but still have rhubarb in a arge container. The fruit cage is now a veg cage for onions, leeks parsnips and carrots. Beans are grown in tubs on the back path, toms, cucumbers & peppers in the green house.

Favouite plants vary depending on month/season. snowdrops, snowflake, lily of the valley, nigel miss jekyl, clematis montana elizabeth, clematis 'victoria', anenome blanda, blue form. fritilaria melagris, & F. imperialis, old fashioned lilac, tiger lilies and martagon lilies. colchicums , schizostlus? coccinea. Really the list just keeps growing but when i see the above they make me smile.

both front and back gardens have moss or should that be lawns in the middle with flower beds around the edges. slowly getting rid of the straight lines and every spring i steal a little bit more of the grass.

when I joined in 2009 I was very envious of all you retired gardeners, I had too many years to go to even think about it. well September 2016 I retired 2 years early from a successful 35yr teaching career. I have 8 drs , 9 dentists, lots of nurses, environmentalists and conservationists to my credit. I am still doing environmental /ecological research for the local wildlife trust and RSPB.
The eldest girl graduated uni in july 2014 and relocated to Leeds via Shropshire and York. The youngest girl went to uni to study wildlife conservation sept 2016. Sept 2018 she was in Bridgend Wales working for 1 yr internship at a nature reserve as a volunteer warden. She is back at uni to finish her degree academic year 2019/2020.
Both girls love wildlife the eldest just starting to be interested in gardening, the youngest slowly getting to grips with botany [the principles of anatomy and physiology] as she realises the delicate balance between flora and fauna. Her photography has come on in leaps and bounds too.

Plan to do lots in the garden but don't seem to have enough time at the moment.
I dont have a favourite genus of plants but tend to be 'luke warm' about daisy type flowers, having said that i have several good asters, and leucanthemums that do a stirling job.

My hero, other than family, is Sir David Attenborough, whom I have met .