BBC-Country Tracks

[ideasguy]

Another fascinating program. Today it was South Lincolnshire.
You can catch it here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0144tjd
Sat down for morning coffee and ended up watching all of this episode.
Not mentioned in the text on that page (above) but there was a visit to farm growing acres upon acres of Tulips for the UK Market. At that stage I started to record. There were some really interesting tips!!

[NightHawk]

Again, George, that's not a series we have been watching.

We have come across the Country Tracks program but never really got into it.

Gardeners World is the main gardening program that Kathy watches regularly.

A very worthwhile link nevertheless, so I'm sure there'll be other members who may get hooked on it 

Laurie.

[Eric Hardy]

We seem to have two rules in this house which we try to adhere to. No telly before 6 pm and rather more seriously, no alcohol before 6 pm as well  . The second rule gets broken more often than I care to admit - mainly by a lunch time pint in a pub   

[ideasguy]

No telly before 6 pm

Gosh
My wife likes the Telly in the background, so its pretty much on all day. I wouldn't be brave enough to suggest that rule

[Eric Hardy]

If there is something particularly good on we get round it by setting the recorder and looking at it later 

[ideasguy]

Record this weeks transmission (Sunday) Eric. I think you would enjoy it

[ideasguy]

Today's Country Track was from Cornwall.
Marys sister and her husband have a holiday home there (Newquay) and we've been there a few times .
I noticed a fantastic plant growing there, very bright and beautiful flowers, and it was featured in today's show.
Did a quick surf and came up with this web page:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2423945
From that site:

Lizard Peninsula - Hottentot Fig's yellow flower
Close-up of the Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis), a plant which is native to South Africa and can be seen in abundance all around the Lizard Peninsula. They appear in patches. They are considered a bit of a menace by some as botanically they are a bit of a bully and can overrun local plants.
However, in early summer they come out into flower, making a carpet of colour with flowers, either in bright yellow as in this case, or pink.

On the show, they featured how they were attempting to control the plant, to protect the Cornish native plant life.

A beautiful plant when in flower, but you sure wouldn't want that boy in your garden - its SO invasive in that region.

More images from the same site:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2423948
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2423937

[NightHawk]

Well worth the warning about the invasiveness of that plant George.

You've given a great link to that geograph.org.uk web site too.

I use that one a lot for locating specific areas of interest in the New Forest.  Quoting the web sites' opening paragraph of "The Geograph® Britain and Ireland project aims to collect geographically representative photographs and information for every square kilometre of Great Britain and Ireland, and you can be part of it.", you have already noticed that the photographers put Grid References alongside their photos.  You can then visit those locations to see the actual site they took the photo, if you feel so inclined.

This is something Kathy and I enjoy doing.  We're walking around the New Forest almost every day now, so we'll go to one of the specific areas photographed on this web site and take our own photos.  Then there's no copyright infringement when we post them elsewhere.  It's just a bit of extra fun whilst we take in the country air 

Laurie.
 

[ideasguy]

Isn't that a coincidence about that geograph.org.uk website Laurie!

I don't think that particular plant would be hardy in other parts of the UK.
When I seen it, it reminded me of Mesembryanthemum (the Livingstone Daisy).
Ive grown them, but they only open in full sun, and huff in cloudy Ireland. Over here, some folk wryly say Summer fell on a xxxday this year. OK last year we had a bit longer - a couple of weeks or so when Livingstone Daisies would have been a pleasure to behold.

[Palustris]

it reminded me of Mesembryanthemum

That is because they are both in the same family, the  Aizoaceae .

[ideasguy]

I hadn't checked that out Eric. Good work!
Mind you, some times plants in the same family can look quite different.

[roiphil]

Hello  doing a bit of catching up here and i clicked on the geograph link above and thought to myself i bet theres nothing entered around by me and what do you know 2 entries http://www.geograph.org.uk/mapbrowse.php?t=tolJ5oOXXJ0oOJFoOXXJfobXJqoNuuJL5405otlZZwV4ht8Vhl4tN&i=1&j=0&zoomin=1?95,55 line 33 34 newcastle west our nearest town 5 miiles away 

Phil

[ideasguy]

Welcome back Phil!
Just shows you - theres more than big brother watching over you nowdays

[roiphil]

   spies in the skies and all that