I discovered another strange plant today curling its way through the leylandii
hedge. It looked quite exotic with distinctive five-lobed
leaves, clinging tendrils and large
buds.
I consulted Google and quickly
identified it as White Bryony.
A pretty
name but unfortunately it is a powerful laxative and highly toxic; the plant
will have to be removed.
 |
| White Bryony |
According to Pliny (Roman author and naturalist),
pounding the root together with a plump fig will remove wrinkles but
only if a walk of a quarter of a mile is taken immediately after application.
I’m not sure if you are supposed to eat it or apply topically but personally I think I’ll
give the combination of a strong laxative and figs a miss.
 |
| the dark area is new grass |
Elsewhere in the garden the grass seed we threw over the filled in ‘pit of
doom’ has germinated and turned into – grass!
We have planted a clematis and a climbing rose at either end of the shed
and in time they will cover the bare brick and look quite pretty.
Do you not trust yourself not to go out and eat a leaf?
ReplyDeleteI trust me (I think!) but I don't trust Rick.
DeleteHmmmm... I think I'll stick with the wrinkles.
ReplyDeleteBringing a garden to life is quite exciting isn't it? My bungalow had been lived in for forty years by the folk who had it built, but they were not the slightest bit interested in gardening. I love planning it although I am too unsteady on my feet to do the work. Wish I didn't have mares tail weed to cope with though.
ReplyDeleteThe garden here is very well stocked but it had all become very overgrown and unkept. The worse thing here is ivy - it's everywhere.
DeleteIt's really better to stay with the wrinkles.
ReplyDeleteI'll just eat more to stretch out the creases!
DeleteWow, good thing you looked that up! It would probably be the one plant Rick would have to sample!
ReplyDeleteHe does try to eat long grass sometimes so it's better to be safe than sorry.
DeletePliny was obviously a comedian; unless he wrote that on April 1st.
ReplyDeletePliny (the Elder) wrote quite a lot of twaddle, as many prolific writers and thinkers do.
DeleteOdd that that is your second toxic plant in this garden so far. When you identified your previous toxic plant (with the sort of bells on it, I have now forgotten what it is called) I recognised it from my own garden. I googled it and decided to dig out. We have young grandchildren and I didn't want to worry about it.
ReplyDeleteWolf's Bane - the other poisonous plant. I wonder about the previous occupants, apparently he worked in Intelligence and was fluent in Russian.
DeleteYou should have commanded Paul to paint a mural on that wall. Perhaps a field of sunflowers or faraway hills.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I'm thinking a Banksy!
DeleteUnfortunately, Gordon Banks died earlier this year.
Delete