Kniphofia (((Red Hot Poker)))

Kniphofia (pronounced /nɪpˈhoʊfiə/)[1] (Tritoma, Red hot poker, Torch lily, Poker plant) is a genus of plants in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, subfamily Asphodeloideae,[2] that includes 70 or more species native to Africa. Some species have been commercially used horticulturally and are commonly known for their bright, rocket-shaped flowers.

These plants produce spikes of upright, brightly-colored, red-to-orange flowers. This gives names such as "torch" and "red hot poker" to many of them. The flowers produce copious nectar while blooming and may attract sap-suckers such as hummingbirds and New World orioles.

The Kniphofia genus is named after Johann Hieronymus Kniphof, an 18th century German physician and botanist.

HOW TO GROW

Red-hot pokers have got themselves a bad name. This may be the fault of Professor Kniphof, the German botanist in whose honour they became known as kniphofia - so unnerving to pronounce. These plants of the lily family, natives of South Africa, used to be called tritoma, which is far less of a mouthful.

Whatever their name, they have had a consistently bad press. Shirley Hibberd, the Victorian garden writer, thought pokers were vulgar and that their use required "a little extra care to avoid a violation of good taste". Resistance to the whole idea of red-hot pokers dies hard - perhaps because few have ever seen their elegant, modern forms.

Think of them as "torch lilies" - another of their names that never caught on - and use them to light up sultry August borders. Most people see the point of verticals such as verbascums and foxgloves, and kniphofias are every bit as good. Nor do they have to be red.

Beth Chatto has been a fan of kniphofias for years. She has even raised a few at her famous nursery near Colchester. 'Little Maid' is a delightful plant that should convert even the most confirmed poker-haters - its flowers start pale green, then fade to cream. The leaves are narrow and neat, and it never grows much more than 2ft tall.

Twice the height is another of Beth Chatto's creations, 'Green Jade', which she raised from seed collected in the garden of Cedric Morris, the painter. Green is a lovely colour for late summer, when everything turns dusty. I also like 'Percy's Pride', which has a touch more yellow in its green and beefier flowers than the slender spires of 'Green Jade'

Cotinus coggygria

Cotinus coggygria description: Cotinus is much prized for its dark purple foliage, which gives way to yellow through red autumn colour. Clouds of tiny purple flowers are produced in Summer, giving added impact. Ideal in the mixed border or as specimen / container shrub. 4m wide x 3m

Cotinus coggygria cultivation notes: Cotinus will tolerate most soil types, in fact better autumn colour is produced on poor soils - so avoid

feeding / mulching. Better leaf colour is produced when planted in full sun. Pruning is not required - trim to shape spring.


Plant Strengths: Attractive autumn colour; All round tough plant suitable for problem areas; Ideal for fast growing screening; Suitable for container growing; Attractive form or foliage for all year interest; Tolerates heavy clay soils.

Plant Weaknesses: Does not tolerate very dry or very wet soils.

Hayfever

Allergic rhinitis, pollenosis or hay fever is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways. It occurs when an allergen such as pollen or dust is inhaled by an individual with a sensitized immune system, and triggers antibody production. The specific antibody is immunoglobulin E (IgE) which binds to mast cells and basophils containing histamine. IgE bound to mast cells are stimulated by pollen and dust, causing the release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine (and other chemicals).[1] This causes itching, swelling, and mucus production. Symptoms vary in severity between individuals. Very sensitive individuals can experience hives or other rashes. Particulate matter in polluted air and chemicals such as chlorine and detergents, which can normally be tolerated, can greatly aggravate the condition. The first description of hay fever was by John Bostock in 1819.

ClassificationThe two categories of allergic rhinitis include:

Seasonal—occurs particularly during pollen seasons. Seasonal allergic rhinitis does not usually develop until after 6 years of age.
Perennial—occurs throughout the year. This type of allergic rhinitis is commonly seen in younger children.[2]
Allergic rhinitis may also be classified as Mild-Intermittent, Moderate-Severe intermittent, Mild-Persistent, and Moderate-Severe Persistent.

Intermittent is when the symptoms occur <4 days per week or <4 consecutive weeks. Persistent is when symptoms occur >4 days/week and >4 consecutive weeks. The symptoms are considered mild with normal sleep, no impairment of daily activities, no impairment of work or school, and if symptoms are not troublesome. Severe symptoms result in sleep disturbance, impairment of daily activities, and impairment of school or work. These symptoms may cause cough, cold or obstruction to respiratory passage while breathing.[3]

Signs and symptomsThe early phase of the reaction begins minutes after exposure causing vasodilation, increase vascular permeability, production of nasal secretions, rhinorrhea, itching, sneezing, nasal obstruction. The late phase of the reaction occurs 4–8 hours after exposure and mainly causes nasal congestion.[4]

Characteristic physical findings in individuals who have allergic rhinitis include conjunctival swelling and erythema, eyelid swelling, lower eyelid venous stasis, lateral crease on the nose, swollen nasal turbinates, and middle ear effusion.[5]

Sufferers might also find that cross-reactivity occurs.[6] For example, someone allergic to birch pollen may also find that they have an allergic reaction to the skin of apples or potatoes.[7] A clear sign of this is the occurrence of an itchy throat after eating an apple or sneezing when peeling potatoes or apples. This occurs because of similarities in the proteins of the pollen and the food.[8] There are many cross-reacting substances.

Some disorders may be associated with allergies: Comorbidities include eczema, asthma, depression and migraine.[9]

CauseAllergies are common. Heredity and environmental exposures may contribute to a predisposition to allergies. It is roughly estimated that one in three people have an active allergy at any given time and at least three in four people develop an allergic reaction at least once in their lives.

Allergic rhinitis triggered by the pollens of specific seasonal plants is

commonly known as "hay fever", because it is most prevalent during haying season. However, it is possible to suffer from hay fever throughout the year. The pollen which causes hay fever varies between individuals and from region to region; generally speaking, the tiny, hardly visible pollens of wind-pollinated plants are the predominant cause. Pollens of insect-pollinated plants are too large to remain airborne and pose no risk. Examples of plants commonly responsible for hay fever include:

Trees: such as pine, birch (Betula), alder (Alnus), cedar, hazel, hornbeam (Carpinus), horse chestnut (Aesculus), willow (Salix), poplar, plane (Platanus), linden/lime (Tilia) and olive (Olea). In northern latitudes birch is considered to be the most important allergenic tree pollen, with an estimated 15–20% of hay fever sufferers sensitive to birch pollen grains. Olive pollen is most predominant in Mediterranean regions. Hay fever in Japan is caused primarily by sugi and hinoki tree pollen.
Grasses (Family Poaceae): especially ryegrass (Lolium sp.) and timothy (Phleum pratense). An estimated 90% of hay fever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen.
Weeds: ragweed (Ambrosia), plantain (Plantago), nettle/parietaria (Urticaceae), mugwort (Artemisia), Fat hen (Chenopodium) and sorrel/dock (Rumex)
Allergy testing may reveal the specific allergens an individual is sensitive to. Skin testing is the most common method of allergy testing. This may include intradermal, scratch, patch, or other tests. Less commonly, the suspected allergen is dissolved and dropped onto the lower eyelid as a means of testing for allergies. (This test should only be done by a physician, never the patient, since it can be harmful if done improperly). In some individuals who cannot undergo skin testing (as determined by the doctor), the RAST blood test may be helpful in determining specific allergen sensitivity
ManagementThe goal of rhinitis treatment is to prevent or reduce the symptoms caused by the inflammation of affected tissues. In cases of allergic rhinitis, the most effective way to decrease allergic symptoms is to completely avoid the allergen.[10][11] Vasomotor rhinitis can be brought under a measure of control through avoidance of irritants, though many irritants, such as weather changes, are uncontrollable.

Allergic rhinitis can typically be treated much like any other allergic condition. Eliminating exposure to allergens is the most effective preventive measure, but requires consistent effort. Many people with pollen allergies reduce their exposure by remaining indoors during hay fever season, particularly in the morning and evening, when outdoor pollen levels are at their highest. Closing all the windows and doors prevents wind-borne pollen from entering the home or office. When traveling in a vehicle, closing all the windows reduces exposure. Air conditioners are reasonably effective filters, and special pollen filters can be fitted to both home and vehicle air conditioning systems.[12]

Rinsing is very often recommended as part of the healing process after sinus or nasal surgery. For this rinse, boiled or distilled water is only necessary during recovery from surgery, as the entire contents of the bottle is used.[13]

Gorse

Gorse, or furze as it is locally known, is a perennial evergreen. Gorse is common and widespread on New Forest heathland, second only in abundance to heather and its relatives, and can also be found along inclosure rides, particularly in places originally planted on heathland.

A plant of well-drained soils, Gorse has been found to be a good indicator of ground that has been disturbed in the relatively recent past by, for example, sand or gravel workings, or First or Second World War military activity.

Gorse's richly scented, bright-yellow flowers are most prominent in late winter and early spring as the heaths throw off their dull, dark, winter mantle and take-on a glorious, golden glow. Gorse flowers, though, at least in small quantities, can be seen in every month of the year, giving rise to the old saying ‘when Gorse is not in bloom, kissing is out of fashion.’ They should not, however, be confused with those of the low-growing, closely related Dwarf Gorse that appear in late-summer.

Bees are important pollinators of Gorse, and, as befits a member of the pea family, Gorse seeds are produced in dark-coloured, elongated pods that when ripe, burst noisily open on hot summer days, scattering far and wide their precious cargo.

Occasionally, Gorse bushes may be found draped in a mass of tangled red threads – these are stems of Dodder, a plant that in the New Forest parasites gorse and heather.


Gorse in close up

Large numbers of insects shelter within the confines of Gorse, including multitudes of spiders whose dew-laden webs gloriously light-up misty, early heathland mornings. Indeed, Dartford Warblers habitually navigate a way through Gorse's prickly maze of branches, searching for the spiders, and other insect prey, whilst Stonechats use the upper reaches as lofty perches from which to noisily chak territorial defiance.

Gorse is also one of the main caterpillar food-plants of the dainty, green hairstreak butterfly, which lays its superbly camouflaged, pale green, flattened sphere-shaped eggs in the tender leaf tips or flower buds.

Often growing in almost impenetrable clumps, Gorse provides ideal shelter from the weather for New Forest ponies, and despite its rigid, barbed spikes, is an important source of food for the stock, especially in late-winter when alternatives are in short supply.

In fact, incongruously bearded animals were at one time widespread in the New Forest, the outgrowths of hair evolved to combat the Gorse’s spikes, whilst in earlier times, when Gorse was deliberately sown or planted, John Evelyn (1620-1706) wrote: ‘no provender…makes horses so hardy as the young tops of these Furzes.’

New Forest keeper Gilbert Smith remembered in the early 1900s carrying back to the homestead Gorse for the family horse: ‘Another chore was to help collect young Gorse from Latchmore which was part of Betsy’s diet after being put through the chaff cutter. The young Gorse shoots were cut off by Dad and we would have little forked sticks to pick it up and put it in rows; it was far too prickly to handle. Dad would then tread the rows with his hob-nailed boots which would take off a lot of the spikes before loading it into the cart.’

Nowadays, rotational heathland burning removes the stems of old, woody Gorse bushes - they can live for 30 years, or more – and encourages regeneration of fresh, new shoots more suitable for the stock.

Gorse in days-gone-by also substantially contributed to the cottage economy in a number of other ways – it was used, for example, as a fuel for the fire and as a thatching material.

Selena's Garden

Obviously due to the Spring Heatwave the grass is very dry.

Fox Glove ((( Digitalis)))

The best-known species is the "Common Foxglove", Digitalis purpurea. This is a biennial plant which is often grown as an ornamental plant due to its vivid flowers. These range in color from various purple tints through various shades of light gray, and to purely white. The flowers can also possess various marks and spottings.

The first year of growth of the Common Foxglove produces only the stem with its long, basal leaves. During the second year of the plant's life, a long leafy stem from 50 to 200 centimeters tall grows atop the roots of healthy plants.

HabitatDigitalis thrives in acidic soils, in partial sunlight to deep shade, in a range of habitats including open woods, woodland clearings, moorland, and heath margins, sea-cliffs, rocky mountain slopes and hedgebanks.[4][6] It is commonly found on sites where the ground has been disturbed, such as recently cleared woodland, or where the vegetation has been burnt

Depending on the species, the digitalis plant may contain several deadly physiological and chemically related cardiac and steroidal glycosides. Thus, the digitalis has earned several more sinister names: Dead Man’s Bells, and Witches’ Gloves.

The entire plant is toxic (including the roots and seeds), although the leaves of the upper stem are particularly potent, with just a nibble being enough to potentially cause death. Early symptoms of ingestion include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, wild hallucinations, delirium, and severe headache. Depending on the severity of the toxicosis the victim may later suffer irregular and slow pulse, tremors, various cerebral disturbances, especially of a visual nature (unusual colour visions with

objects appearing yellowish to green, and blue halos around lights), convulsions, and deadly disturbances of the heart. For a case description, see the paper by Lacassie.[11]

There have been instances of people confusing digitalis with the relatively harmless Symphytum (comfrey) plant (which is often brewed into a tea) with fatal consequences. Other fatal accidents involve children drinking the water in a vase containing digitalis plants. Drying does not reduce the toxicity of the plant. The plant is toxic to animals including all classes of livestock and poultry, as well as felids and canids.

Digitalis poisoning can cause heart block and either bradycardia (decreased heart rate) or tachycardia (increased heart rate), depending on the dose and the condition of one's heart. It should however be noted, that electric cardioversion (to "shock" the heart) is generally not indicated in ventricular fibrillation in digitalis toxicity, as it can

increase the dysrhythmia in digitalis toxicity.[citation needed] Also, the classic drug of choice for VF (ventricular fibrillation) in emergency setting,[12] amiodarone, can worsen the dysrhythmia caused by digitalis, therefore, the second-choice drug Lidocaine is more commonly used.[citation needed]

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Natures Pond

Gothic Door