Seasonal Diary
Happy lambs
(May 30, 2009)Some of our neighbour's sheep and lambs are grazing the field in front of the cottage - although we are now an arable farm, we still retain some areas of permanent grassland which provide diversity for wildlife as well as grazing for sheep or cattle.
Also the Sweet Rocket or Damask Flower (Hesperis Matronalis) is flowering as usual. This vigourous cottage garden plant has seeded itself near to the owner's house for at least 4 generations of Johnson occupation. Its sweet smell, when in the sun or damp of the evening is magical. In moonlight it seems to have a fluorescent glow. Careful weeding in early summer is necessary, as it is easy to pull up a potential new plant.
Looking in the latin dictionary - Hesperis means Evening Star, and other connected words seem to be related to 'keepers of a garden in the far West. '