The development of the private garden as an important element of the sophisticated home reaches its apex in the "Charleston Garden", praise for which is expressed poetically in our previous post. The current collection features elements of the downside of investment of time, effort, hope and dollars in the private gardening enterprise.
CURRENT CONTENTS:
Glossy privet
Lantana spp.
Papyrus
Common moles
Deer (agricultural fencing)
Squirrels in the garden
Leaf-blowers
Garden gnomes
Stinkhorn (red-basket) fungus (3 stanzas: a 'brief saga')
Authors' Note:
Lantana camara, native to a few regions in the tropical Americas and Africa, is tolerant of varied growing conditions other than harsh winters. After extensive blooming of multi-colored flowers (yellow, orangy-pink and purple), each plant produces hundreds of berries that are loved by and distributed by birds. Introduced commercially as an ornamental, it spread invasively in 50 other countries, and with foliage toxic to grazing mammals, became an agricultural detriment, particularly in Australia.
In the US, although hybridized with less-obtrusive species native to south Florida, Lantana spp. continues to be an environmental threat, but a favorite in plant nurseries.
Authors' Note:
specs: frequently used jargon for specifications
The specs for deer fencing, also known as deer fence, agricultural fencing or deer exclusion fencing, include a height of eight feet (250 cm), with no sharp protuberances that might injure the deer.
Authors' Note: The authors bemoan the ongoing arbitrary depredations of the human garden by these untutored rodents. Although they have not personally participated in violence against squirrels, they reluctantly admit that they sympathize with other human victims who are drawn in that direction. Where are the hawks when we need them?
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urban-dwelling squirrel in a Canadian tree |
Authors' Note: Clathrus ruber is a startlingly shaped species of saprophytic fungus that resembles an orange plastic toy ball. Its interior surfaces are coated with a foul-smelling slime that attracts flies, which then disperse the fungal spores. The characteristic fetid odor of the fungus resembles that of rotting meat. Other common names include latticed stinkhorn, red cage fungus, and basket stinkhorn.
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