12 Days Discovering the United Kingdom

As we began the decline into Edinburgh airport, the green hills of Scotland came into view and I got a bit choked up. Traveling overseas to Grandma Kinsel’s homeland was a bucket list trip for me. I had many thoughts in my travel weary mind. What would we find in our 10 days? Would I find the family connection and magic to the old world that I thought I craved? I especially wanted to see plants in their winter dress and natural landscapes – though I also enjoy the culture, history, and architecture too. We all were excited and ready to begin an adventure of our lifetime. 

Edinburgh, Scotland for two nights (January 3 & 4)
Our travel group included my husband Mark, sister Lynn, mom Doris, and 19 other travelers from OLLI at Bradley University. Eleven of us began early January 2nd with long tiring flights from Chicago to DC to Frankfort. We arrived about noon on January 3rd in Edinburgh. Our travel manager – Lorraine Robertson – met us at the hotel and walked us to the Fiesta Pub (below) where we met up with our other two travel groups and our coach driver Ryan. 

We stayed at the Mercure Haymarket hotel. After checking into our rooms and freshening up, our entire group of 23 had our welcome dinner at The Bothy restaurant (below). I had ale, pea soup, mushroom risotto, and cranachan for dessert. They brought the traditional Scottish dish Haggis to each table. 

Wednesday (January 4th) we explored Edinburgh in two groups. Mom stayed on the bus, while Lynn, Mark, and I joined our guide – Alan- on a walking tour. Looking the traditional Scot in his kilt, he walked us to the castle from the Haymarket area. We walked through an old graveyard (below) with connections to Harry Potter (See blog on my crocheted Harry’s adventures). 

We went into the St. Giles Cathedral (below) on the Royal Mile between Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle. The cathedral is where Queen Elizabeth II was laid in state for viewing last year after her death.

Our guide left us at the castle after telling us about the various castle buildings (below) and cannons. There we met up with mom and went to see the Scottish crown jewels and the destiny stone in the tower. After tea and scones in the castle café, we watched the 1:00 p.m. shooting of the castle canon. It was raining harder, so Mom, Lynn, and I stood next to the building where we saw the soldier march out (though mom missed him both time). Mark went on around to see him shoot the canon. When it went off the entire crowd jumped. It was so funny, and we wish we had videotaped that. 

For our free afternoon, Lorraine helped us book a tour of Mary King’s Close, which is an underground tour of ancient buildings in old town. It was a very good tour, and we are so glad we did it. The portion on the black plague was especially interesting and gave it more meaning for me. At the end we purchased the group picture of us in the Close. 

The rest of our free time was spent exploring and shopping. We had a very nice meal at Greyfriar Bobby’s bar on candlemakers row. Mom, Mark, and I had traditional English fish and chips (below). That night we went to The Jolly Botanist bar in a historic looking brick building with 77 types of gin on its menu. 

York, England for one night (January 5) – via Bamburgh and Durham
Thursday, we began at Bamburgh Castle, one of Britain’s largest inhabited castles (below). With its many cannons and three-meter-thick walls, it has stood guard over a beautiful coastline for over 3,000 years. Though still inhabited by the Armstrong family, we were able to see many of the rooms in the castle. There were a lot of ferns and English Ivy growing there, as well as yellow blooming gorse bush (See blog on plants I saw in the UK). 

At our second stop in Durham, we walked to a square with statues (below), then up a hill to the Cathedral and Castle. There was a graduation that day so we couldn’t go into the buildings. It was raining so we ducked into a small tearoom for bagels, quiche, scones, and tea. 

Our final stop was at the York Holiday Inn Piccadilly. Our dinner that evening was at the Chopping Block for a farm-to-table dinner. I had an excellent vegetarian dish and chocolate mousse. 

Friday morning, Lorraine led us on a walking tour of York through the Shambles to the Minster. Shambles Street is a narrow street with buildings that lean in towards each other, originally used to hang meat outside. Today it is mostly shops and eateries. The Minster (below) was quite massive and impressive with lots of ornate gargoyles and such on the outside. It is undergoing a major renovation since the limestone is deteriorating. 

Mom left Lynn, Mark, and me so she could tour the Minster while we walked some of the ancient Roman wall (below) around the city. It was a long, winding, often narrow, medieval stone wall with occasional out coves. 

Below were beautiful yards and impressive trees in their winter dress (below). We exited the wall at one of the narrow stair gates and went into a small, local coffee shop. It was fun talking to the local people there. 

Chester, England for two nights (January 6 & 7) with side trip to Wales
We got to the Chester Queens Hotel Best Western Friday afternoon. Before dinner a lady from Wales gave us a presentation on love spoons. It was very interesting. My Grandma Kinsel was born in Abertillary, Wales and immigrated to Central Illinois when she was 10 with her coal mining family. She never talked much about the old country, so we were fascinated by the Wales portion of our trip. Welsh love spoons are ornately hand carved wooden spoons that are often given as gifts to loved ones. Mom bought one with two symbols of Wales: daffodil and harp. Our speaker also brought a small model of a small woman in Welsh clothing (below). Our group supper that night was good. I had a brie and beet tart, veggie soup, and an apple-crumble-custard. 

Saturday morning, a tour guide – Liz – led on a tour around Chester, England. The old town is surrounded by a Roman wall with four gates. We drove all around while it rained, then got off to walk the town. Liz explained all about the various places we passed, including the cobblestone roads and unique Rows, which are 700-year-old two-tiered covered shopping galleries (below). After Liz’s tour we went into St. Peter’s church for tea. It was nice to sit down to a good cup of tea. As expected, the tea in England is exceptional, just like Grandma Kinsel made. 

From there we drove south to Wales where we enjoyed more tea. We explored the small, quaint town of Llangollen, Wales with its raging Dee River (below). This is where we felt closest to our ancestors. 

After shopping we had afternoon tea in the Pontcysyllte Chapel Tea Room (below). As is custom, our afternoon tea included little sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, sweet pastries and cakes served on a three-tiered tea tray. 

On our way back to Chester we took a scenic route through horseshoe pass. Running from Llandegia to Llangollen, this short road climbs to 1,368 feet and is considered one of the most spectacular motorcycle riding routes in the UK. (We must come back and do that!). This was my favorite part of the entire trip. I loved the rolling hills of gorse and bracken fern, slate piles, and majestic views. We stopped at the top and got out for pictures (below). I felt at home there as I soaked in the natural green beauty all around me. 

Stratford-Upon-Avon for one night (January 8)
Sunday was all about Shakespeare in Stratford-Upon-Avon. From the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre we walked along the Avon River to the church where Shakespeare is buried. Along the Avon where swans were swimming, there were rowers on long race boats, people walking, and lots of nice plants, including a large London plane tree (sycamore) and many types of hollies. We had tea and soup at Anne Hathaway’s Tea House (below). 

Our afternoon tour was in Shakespeare’s schoolhouse (below). Originally built as a Guildhall in 1420, it has the original beams. It was later expanded to house a school, which still operates today. We sat in the very room where William Shakespeare sat in the 1570s and saw the room’s original standup desk. The master sat at the front, and we sat on rows of benches facing each other while he told us about their style of teaching. We also tried writing with a quill pen and saw student carvings in an ancient table. 

We stayed in the Holiday Inn Indigo hotel across the street from the school. It too was old. We enjoyed Guinness beer in its quaint and cozy bar that had a cute fireplace (below) and lots of taxidermy. 

Our group supper that night was on aboard a boat on the Avon River (below). We all – even Lynn – enjoyed our food. I had soup, gnocchi, and biscuits with cheese for dessert. Mom, Mark, Lynn, and I sat by ourselves and got to laughing during supper. The “you had to be there” moment made it a fun and memorable night! Lorraine told mom she saw her from across the boat and thought “Doris is going to die laughing.” 

London for 3 nights (January 9, 10, & 11) via Oxford
We stopped in Oxford on our way to London where we briefly explored the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology.  From there, our guide Stewart took us on a walking tour of the University. I enjoyed the plants there including large wisteria, trees, and natural areas. The architecture was very elaborate and unique (below). After the tour we went to the Randolph Hotel to the Alice restaurant for tea and a snack. 

We made it to London about 4 pm. After checking into the H10 London Waterloo hotel, the four of us went next door to the Flowers of the Forest local pub for a drink. We ended our first evening in London in the 8th floor hotel bar (below is view from bar) with drinks and burgers. Most of the OLLI group ended up there too. It was another fun night. 

Tuesday, we toured London. It rained all morning, so we rode the coach most of the time. It was somewhat hard to see but we had an excellent guide – Brit. She walked us to Buckingham Palace. The British shows we’ve watched came to life there through the pouring rain (below).  Though wet, we marveled at the amazing buildings, grounds, parks, and a horse guard procession riding past us. 

After lunch at the Traitors Gate pub, we joined a tour of the Tower of London led by Beefeater Guard Beefy409 (as he’s known on Facebook-below). Beefeaters have been guarding the Tower of London since Tudor times. He was an fun and animated tour guide. We saw the English crown jewels (though one crown was removed to prepare for the coronation of King Charles III on May 6th). Although it has a grim history of torture and execution, Henry VIII’s wife Anne Boleyn was one of only 22 executed inside the tower. 

From the tower we went directly to our farewell dinner at the Roast Restaurant (below), situated above Borough Market in the historic Floral Hall. After dinner we saw a play in London’s West End theater district. The Play That Goes Wrong is in its ninth year at the Duchess Theatre and was very funny! 

We began our final free day in London with a taxi ride to Buckingham Palace. It was a whole different experience to see it up close in bright sunshine. We walked up to the gates (below) and saw the sentry guards change position. 

We really enjoyed walking through the royal St. James Park (below), with lots of waterfowl along the lake, including large pelicans. A flock of green parrots filled one tree above a French couple feeding them. They landed on mom and Mark’s shoulders. 

From there we walked to Trafalgar square, Piccadilly circus, China town, and along the Thames River. We shopped for final souvenirs, had coffee in an Italian café, and lunch in an Italian Pizzeria. As we approached Westminster bridge, Big Ben began to chime. Mark all of the sudden said, “I’m in London.” The Westminster chimes of Big Ben are iconic (below). 

It was quite cold and starting to mist rain, so after crossing the bridge we went to the walkway below next to the river. There we found a mile long COVID memorial wall (below). It was an emotional walk as the red and pink hearts filled with names of those who lost their lives to COVID. A lady touched mom on the shoulder and said “Bless you” as Lynn inscribed the name of our family member on an open heart. 

Our final stop was the Garden Museum in the deconsecrated church of St Mary-at-Lambeth. Lynn, Mark, and I climbed the medieval tower’s 131 steps in a narrow spiral staircase to the top where we had fantastic views across the Thames to Westminster (below). 

I was thrilled to see displays on pioneer female horticulturist Beatrix Jekyll, old garden tools (below), and a first lawnmower. A special exhibit featured Lucian Freud’s (son of Sigmond Freud) paintings of plants and gardens. 

Home (January 12)
Our trip home was easier than the trip over. Heathrow airport was easy to navigate and our direct nine-hour flight to Chicago was on time and comfortable. At O’Hare we easily passed through customs before boarding a Peoria Charter bus back to Bradley University. We were home about 7 pm, tired and happy. 

What an amazing trip! We saw and experienced more than we ever imaged. I found the family connection and magic in the old world that I craved. We plan to return and spend more time exploring this amazing and beautiful country. 

                                             

Other blogs about this trip:

• Harry Potter’s UK Adventure
  
• Plant Encounters While Traveling in the United Kingdom

Gardening Blues

The color blue is sometimes difficult to use in the garden. This is partly because there are very few true-blue flowers in nature and partly because some of the most striking blue-flowered plants are challenging to grow in Central Illinois. Still adding a touch of blue to the garden continues to gain in popularity.

Colors invoke emotion. Cool colors of blue, green, and violet are peaceful and make an area seem cooler and larger. Blue is the color of distance and can help create the illusion of depth in a small garden. Soft purples and blues can make your garden feel larger because those plants seem farther away.

On the other hand, warm colors of orange, red and yellow grab your attention creating a focal point in the garden. They also make large areas appear smaller. Brighter colors function well as accents. 

In a small garden, color can be used in gradation to create the illusion of space. A great way to achieve this is to have, for instance, bold blue flowers at one end that fade into a lighter blue at the other end of the garden. The garden will always appear larger from the bolder end of the color scale so make sure this is where you spend most of your time in your garden.

Some blue flowers can be challenging to grow in Illinois, but their beauty is worth the extra effort. For example, some varieties of Hydrangea macrophyla produce a beautiful blue flower in acid soil, thus needing routine acid fertilizer applications. Delphiniums and lupines have a particularly vibrant violet-blue color. Although we can get them to produce flowers in Illinois, they prefer cooler temperatures than our summers typically provide. Similarly, blue poppies provide an outstanding icy-blue flower but are very hard to grow in our climate. 

Salvia and Coreopsis

Easier options include clematis, bell flowers (Campanula), bluestar (Amsonia), morning glories, lavender, salvia, and asters. Of these, the morning glory comes in the truest blue color. Morning glory blooms only last a one day and open in the mornings, so be sure to catch them in the garden over your morning coffee. 

Blue Obelisks at Rotary Gardens in Wisconsin

Color doesn't have to be limited to flowers. Add interest to your yard with garden art or containers. A bold blue ceramic pot, for example, can make just as much impact as the blooms it holds. Blue bottles used as bottle trees, as edging, or as carefully placed garden art are also very popular. Add blue focal points to the garden using a blue garden bench or gazing ball. 

Be creative, but don’t overdo it. Too much blue creates mental chaos and could leave garden visitors “feeling blue.” 

Originally Published in Canton Daily Ledger on 6-19-2018

Bed Edging Adds Neat, Clean Look to the Landscape

Landscape edging plays an important role in pulling the landscape together. Edging’s function is to form a clean, neat line between planting areas and turf or groundcovers. When installed properly, it should blend in with the landscape, minimize hand trimming, and help contain mulches within the bed areas.

Hand edging along junipers

Beds can be edged by hand, but it is hard work and must be touched up once or twice a year. Rhonda says that she particularly likes the look of a hand-edged bed. An edging area 4-inches deep and wide can easily contain bluegrass, which spread by underground stems.

Start by using a sharp spade to cut an edge, and then remove the soil and grass to form a small cliff. You can leave it hand-edged like this or fill the space with something solid like steel, wood, brick, stone, or plastic. 

The material used for edging should be long lasting, strong, and compliment the rest of your landscape. Here are some pointers about each type.

Installing steel bed edging

Metal edging, including steel and aluminum, is the longest lasting. Steel edgings have been around for more than 30 years but are relatively expensive, difficult to install properly, and has problems with frost heaving in the winter. The best places to use steel edging are where a great deal of side-strength is required, such as driveway work. Aluminum edging is easier to work with, but the silver color appears unnatural many landscapes. 

Brick, stone, and concrete make useful and decorative edging. Be sure the brick or pavers are well fired so they are waterproof. Stone should be at least 3 inches think and at least 4 inches wide to stop the grass. A sand or concrete base, containing reinforcing rods, provides added durability and strength. The newer continuous concrete edging, poured by special machines, is becoming popular and resists cracking due to the addition of polyolefin fibers.

Wood edging provides a beautiful natural look. Landscape timbers, ties, and treated 2x4s are readily available. These stay in place well and create a nice mowing edge. Rebars and toe nailed corners provide added reinforcement. Avoid using old railroad ties coated with materials that are toxic to plants. 

The most common edging used by homeowners is plastic since it is inexpensive and easy to install. Unfortunately, plastic edging has poor durability and an artificial appearance. Of all the materials used as edging, plastic is probably the hardest to install for a lasting stable edging material. Many of you have probably experienced the frustration of plastic edging that simply will not stay in the ground. Experts generally agree that round-top edgings are better since they do not sink as easily as flat types. If the flat plastic types are used, nail (using galvanized nails) a 1 x 1” strip of treated wood along the bottom of each strip where possible, to help stabilize the plastic. Most frost heaving can be stopped by using grooved or lip-style edging, steel anchoring stakes, and proper installation procedures.

Consider putting in a new edge on your landscape beds this fall. 

Originally Published in University of Illinois Extension Fall 2013 News Packet

Wedding Flowers

On June 1 (2015) my husband Mark and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. My Grandma Simmons told me June brides are extra special. I don’t know if that is true, but I sure did feel special that day. Certainly, June is a beautiful month for a wedding. Flowers are a part of all weddings and the bridal bouquet is key. 

Rhonda Simmons Ferree wedding party in 1985

Bridal bouquets are made of many different types of flowers and can be real, silk, or a combination of both. Prices depend on many factors such as flower type and season. Not all flowers are available year-round. For example, one of my favorite flowers is the Lily-of-the-Valley. It is not usually available for June weddings, so one of my University of Illinois professors attempted to force some for me. Unfortunately, it did not work properly so I included silk ones in my bouquet. 

Choice and often expensive bridal flowers include eucharis lilies, hybrid and phalaenopsis orchids, camellias, rubrum lilies, lily of the valley, freesia, ivy, and stephanotis. Many of these flowers are fragile, but if prepared properly will last very well in bouquets. Lily-of-the-Valley is wired and taped using a #30-gauge wire wrapped in light green floral tape. Wire and tape help florists control the design of the flower, but in a good bouquet these mechanics will not show. My floral design instructor told us repeatedly to never show our mechanics!

Moderate priced bouquet flowers include roses, hyacinths, fugi mums, ranunculus, gardenias, tuberoses, and stock. Roses are included in most bridal bouquets because it is the flower of love. Inexpensive flowers in a bouquet might include mums, asters, carnations, daisies, and snapdragons. 

Greenery is important in a bouquet too (it hides mechanics). Greenery used in the florist industry includes leatherleaf, sprengeri fern, ivy, salal, and more.

The shape and length of the bridal bouquet varies as well. The bride may choose a round colonial or add a cascade to that. There are also clusters, crescents, and basquettes. Clutch bouquets show the individual flower stems, while the others have all stems wrapped in tape and ribbon. Ribbons add whimsical beauty and sometimes color. 

Flowers can and are used everywhere at a wedding. They are on the altar, candelabras, pews, kneeling benches, cakes, tables, as corsages, and so much more. The flowers normally used include the bride’s bouquet, attendants’ bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, and floral decorations in the church plus reception decorations. There is no limit to the places where flowers can be used. Palms, ferns, potted plants, candles, ribbons, aisle runners, and baskets are used as well.

If you are planning a wedding in the future, remember the flowers and that anything is possible. Flowers are available in all types and price ranges. Consult your florist for a consultation. A professional florist will help make your day extra special – with flowers!

Originally Published in Canton Ledger Column on 5-30-15

Hawaiian Ti Plant

One plant used widely in floats at this year’s Rose Parade (2003) was the Hawaiian Ti plant. It had many uses in the parade floats and makes a beautiful houseplant too. 

One of my favorite New Year activities is watching the Rose Parade. This year’s parade was spectacular as usual. I watched it on Home and Garden TV, because they gave excellent plant descriptions. At one point, the hosts highlighted the Hawaiian Ti plant – Cordyline terminalis. This plant is also called good-luck plant and dracaena palm, although it is technically not a dracaena. 

Cordyline was used on many floats this year, but I especially liked its use on the Automobile Club of Southern California’s “A Big Adventure,” starring Stuart Little. For those who haven’t seen the Stuart Little 2 movie, in it the little mouse flies an airplane through New York City. On the float Stuart Little's plane was decorated in yellow strawflower and carnation petals with accents of red Ti leaves. Stuart’s jacket was made of maroon Ti leaves. 

The Ti plant is one that brings back visions of visits to my Grandma’s house. Grandma Simmons always had two Hawaiian Ti plants in big plastic, white urns in the living room. Looking back they were actually very scrawny plants, growing in a very dark location, but my Grandma was proud of those plants. Certainly her enthusiasm helped develop my love of plants. 

The Ti is a small palm-like tree with irregularly striped leaves. With the right cultivar grown in the right light conditions, the leaves are quite colorful. The ‘Kiwi’ cultivar has bright creamy-green striped foliage with red edges. ‘Red Sister’ has rich plum and deep burgundy leaves. 

As a houseplant, it can grow 3 to 6 feet tall, but usually is much smaller. This is a very tolerant plant, withstanding many household abuses such as low light, improper water, and fluctuating temperatures. For optimum growth, this plant prefers moderate light of partial shade or diffused light; warm temperatures of 70-80 degrees; and partially dry soil. It can tolerate 50 degrees for short periods. 

If you’d like a plant with bright leaf color, try a Hawaiian Ti. Maybe you could even use a few leaves on a float at a parade this summer!

Originally Published in Canton Ledger Column on 1-11-2003

Test Seed Viability

I recently found some old seed in my office and wondered if they were still viable. If you save leftover seed to use the following year, here are some ways to find out if they are still good. 

Seed viability is a measure of the number of seeds that are still alive to produce plants. Some seeds stay viable for many years, while others might only last a short time. For example, parsley and onion seed only last a year or two, while watermelon and cabbage should last four years or more. Most seed packets are dated so you know how old they are. 

The best way to see if your seed is still viable is to do a germination test following these steps. 

1. Place 10 seeds on a slightly damp paper towel. If the towel is too wet, the seeds will rot. 
2. Roll up or fold the paper towel and place it in a closed plastic bag to keep it from drying out. Use a permanent market to record the date and type of seed on the outside of the bag. Also, note the average germination times listed on the seed packet.  
3. Leave it in a warm place (above 70 degrees) for a few days. Although light isn’t a major factor for most seeds, a warm windowsill often works well. The top of the refrigerator is another good location. 
4. Based on the average germination time listed on the seed packet, check the seeds in a few days to see how many seeds have started to grow. If you don’t know the average germination rate, check them in 7-10 days. You might be able to see them through the paper towel. Often the roots begin growing first. 
5. Once they’ve begun to germinate, carefully remove the paper towel wrapped seeds from the bag. Then, unroll the paper to see how many seeds have sprouted. 

The germination test will show you the percentage of those seeds that are still alive. If only half of the seeds germinated in the paper towel, it is likely that only half will grow in your garden. If the germination rate is 70-90 percent, you should sow them a little thicker than normal in the garden. If less than 70 percent germinate, it might be better to buy new seed. 

You can plant the sprouted seeds in the garden or in a container. Since the root often grows into the paper towel, cut or tear around the seeds then plant the seeds, towel, and all. 

Larger seeds can also be tested using a water method. Place peas, beans, and corn in a bowl of water. If they sink, they're fine. If they float, toss them.

Seeds last longer when they are stored in a cool, dry place. In the winter, a cool basement or garage that doesn’t freeze works well. In the summer, a cool room or refrigerator will keep them at the right temperature and humidity level. 

Click on this factsheet link from Colorado State University Extension for more information on Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds.

Originally Published in Canton Ledger Column on 2-4-17

Air Plants Are Easy to Grow

On a recent trip to Ft. Myers, Florida (March 2016) I visited the Edison & Ford Winter Estates where I toured their homes, gardens, laboratories, and museum. The plant collections there are fascinating, especially all the rubber trees they tested as possible sources for tire materials. 

Obviously, Edison is most famous for inventing the light bulb, so I took advantage of that by purchasing a small terrarium-type hanging planter shaped like a light bulb. Inside is an air plant sitting in sphagnum moss. It hangs above my kitchen window, and I love looking at it every day. 

Air plants, also known as Tillandsia, are interesting plants in the Bromeliad family. All bromeliads are epiphytes, which mean that they use something else for support. Therefore, in nature the plants use their root systems to grow harmlessly on trees and rocks. Instead of using their roots to get water and nutrients from soil, they acquire them from the air and rain through their leaves. 

To keep air plants healthy and happy, simply provide them with three ingredients - sun, water, and air circulation. 

First, light is needed in the form of filtered, not direct, sunlight through a south, east, or west window. During the summer you can hang them outside in a tree or other protected location. 

Second, the key to growing Tillandsia is proper watering. I like to mist mine every few days to keep the sphagnum moss substrate moist, yet let the plant dry out slightly between watering. If the leaves curl or roll, they are too dry. To revive them, submerge the plant in water overnight and shake away any excess water before returning it to its display location. 

Third, good air circulation helps the plant dry out some between watering and prevents diseases. Air plants grow well displayed in terrariums, which are clear glass or plastic containers filled with small plants. 

Often terrariums are tightly closed, but my light-bulb shaped container has one side completely open to help with air circulation. Air plants are simple to grow and can be displayed in many ways. 

Originally Published in Canton Ledger Column on 3-5-16