Flowering now August 2007

[Brian Ellis]

In between the showers I managed to get these.
Eucomis Cabernet Candles was the plant with the green foliage Paddy
Calceolaria integrifolia now flowering from a cutting taken from Ann Borrill earlier this year
Crocosmia Okavango
Crocosmia Solfaterre which has bronze foliage
Kniphofia Prince Igor standing at only 6 feet this year

[Maggi Young]

Prince Igor standing at only 6 feet this year

I thought 6 foot was pretty good.... the result of National Health orange juice, I expect. Does he normally get even taller, then? You should get the Eremurus varieties 'Joanna' and 'Jean-Claire'.... they are very tall girls who could keep the Prince company

[Brian Ellis]

Yes Maggie he has reached the top of the Gazebo before now!  'Brutus' is another Eremurus who would be happy to keep 'Joanna' and 'Jean-Claire' company

[mark smyth]

I got home from work to find this monster in the middle of my new raised bed. Well where my new raised bed and bulb frames were to be. From memory the base is 5x12 feet. The house was assessed last week and we were selected to have new loft insulation and a new heating boiler and radiators all for free. The existing oild tank was "too close to next doors tank and too close to the house and had to me moved. Single skin tanks are no longer allowed to be sold. This one has a double skin in case of attack". I have no need for this monster tank. I said once you are gone I'll reinstate the old tank and sell the new one. "no you wont because we are taking the old one away and you will be breaking the law" I wasnt consulted on where this should be sited. The height of the tank is 5feet 1.5m

[Carlo]

How thoughtful of them...then it is a right proper looking foundation!

[mark smyth]

They said the foundation had to be that big in case of an oil spill and to be able to walk around it. I was ready to tell them where to go this afternoon. I did ask for it to be moved tight against the greenhouse but they said no

[Maggi Young]

Poor Mark, it's hideous. It'll be a tricky task to disguise the damn thing, that's for sure.

[mark smyth]

I havent thought about that yet. It would make me go back to coal except they took out the back boiler. The reason being someone in the future might reinstate a fire. Huh!!?

[annew]

Re the double skin - didn't the Titanic have one of those?

[John Forrest]

You know what they say about there being no such thing as a free lunch!!!

How about hiding it by building a tufa wall around it. They can be fantastic for growing some of the more tricky alpines and being so light could be removed fairly easily if needs be.

[Martin Baxendale]

Mark, so many regulations these days seem ridiculously safety-conscious. It's the legal-blame culture. Everyone, especially councils, are scared stiff of being sued if something goes wrong. Yet somehow it's an acceptable risk for government to plan to slap a new generation of nuclear power stations across the country rather than seriously exploit our vast potential for safe renewable wind, wave and tidal energy (I think they want to use up all that reprocessed and reprocessable nuclear fuel we have sitting around). And it's an acceptable risk to continue having a nuclear-armed submarine fleet based in Scotland. But God forbid you should have your oil tank anywhere but smack bang in the middle of the garden in case someone decides to "attack" it! (they'd have to be some pretty unambitious terrorists  ).

I can't advise you to break "regulations". But if it were me, I'd let the jobs-worths install the new tank then look at ways to relocate or replace it myself and make use of that nice concrete base for frames or a raised bed.

[Carlo]

Just be glad you're not doing it here in the states. I think we could teach you a thing or two about over-regulation.

[David Nicholson]

Mark, so many regulations these days seem ridiculously safety-conscious. It's the legal-blame culture. Everyone, especially councils, are scared stiff of being sued if something goes wrong. Yet somehow it's an acceptable risk for government to plan to slap a new generation of nuclear power stations across the country rather than seriously exploit our vast potential for safe renewable wind, wave and tidal energy (I think they want to use up all that reprocessed and reprocessable nuclear fuel we have sitting around). And it's an acceptable risk to continue having a nuclear-armed submarine fleet based in Scotland. But God forbid you should have your oil tank anywhere but smack bang in the middle of the garden in case someone decides to "attack" it! (they'd have to be some pretty unambitious terrorists  ).

I can't advise you to break "regulations". But if it were me, I'd let the jobs-worths install the new tank then look at ways to relocate or replace it myself and make use of that nice concrete base for frames or a raised bed.

Mark, having looked at the height of that base it looks eminently 'trippable' to me. A well judged fall, without causing you too much damage, and the threat of an insurance claim as a result of it, might just make them think twice!

[mark smyth]

John it has already crossed my mind to do something on the south side of the tank. I think I will relocate it once all boxes have been ticked by the bosses

[Lesley Cox]

Their regulations and rules are ridiculous and their attitude disgraceful. I hope you are able to move it Mark. After all, where would they have put it if you hadn't had the concrete pad there already? On the solid concrete front door step?

Even when you get it moved (you'll have to do it before the oil goes in, too heavy otherwise) I still like John's tufa wall idea. Or large pots around the base with climbing, clinging plants in them. Let the damn thing be useful.