Waterperry Gardens open day

10:46am Thursday 8th January 2009

Staff at Waterperry Gardens hope to build on the huge success of last January’s Open Day by offering visitors even more to see and do at the 2009 event.

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Fears over end of set aside

10:42am Thursday 8th January 2009

Skylarks and lapwings are two bird species that have benefitted thanks to farmers and landowners co-operating in conservation projects linked to setting aside of land from agricultural production.

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Garish Amaryllis is hugely popular

10:20am Thursday 8th January 2009

If you ever had a vision of a triffid, the sci-fi plant John Wyndham wrote about in his 1951 novel The Day of the Triffids, the Amaryllis might fit the bill.

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Euphorbias worth the risk

10:25am Wednesday 31st December 2008

Euphorbias, which are the largest genus in the world, should come with a Government health warning because their stems contain a milky sap which is extremely irritating to the skin. I can vouch for the unpleasant qualities of this sap personally – having once managed to squirt some into my eyes while pruning one back.

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Enjoy a New Year wildlife encounter

10:29am Wednesday 31st December 2008

Every fortnight your local Wildlife Trust gives you an expert insight into the wildlife around you and shares some tips on how to enjoy it. To celebrate the arrival of New Year, why not head into the countryside to enjoy a wildlife encounter? On a crisp winter’s day, wrap up, pack a flask of something warming and take a trip to a nature reserve. BBOWT writer, Rachel Tomkins, reveals a few of Oxfordshire’s best-kept secret spots.

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New approach to Chiltern commons

10:26am Wednesday 31st December 2008

When members of the Chilterns Commons Network visited Nettlebed during a Commons Day they were able to see a good example of how local history is reflected in these much appreciated areas of land and to hear how plans are being prepared to look after those in this part of Oxfordshire.

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Sedge takes root again in Oxfordshire

10:02am Wednesday 24th December 2008

One of the most rare plants in the country is being rescued from the brink of extinction in the region thanks to a project by wildlife conservationists in Oxfordshire and neighbouring Buckinghamshire.

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Weedy plot saves the spuds

10:05am Wednesday 24th December 2008

I know that the only potatoes you really want to think about just at the moment are roast potatoes — probably with turkey, stuffing and gravy.

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Robin keeps on singing

10:04am Wednesday 24th December 2008

Robins are probably the best-known birds in Britain, and at this time of year they reach the peak of their popularity when they are portrayed on countless Christmas cards.

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Pot up some Christmas Roses

8:58am Thursday 18th December 2008

I’ve just had a Christmas card from my predecessor — Elizabeth Seager. It was a wonderful surprise and the picture on the front featured the waxy, white flowers of the Christmas rose — Helleborus niger. This looks lovely on the card. But in reality, it’s a challenge to grow, because the white flowers tend to have very short stems. The end result is usually a muddy mess for most of us.

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