Modern Nature: February 26

Feb 28, 2023

Sunday 26

950 millibars, the lowest pressure recorded in the last 120 years. A long walk round the Ness to the power station; then up to the coastguard cottages, which I’ve never explored before. They are set in the middle of a moated mound which encloses a large area - once kitchen gardens.

It’s difficult to find a good vegetable garden; even in the marshes I came across only one last autumn, as I travelled round with my camera filming the countryside for War Requiem - the supermarkets have siped them out. Once all these little cottages grew their own, before the road was constructed during the war. Now no-one does.

There was a brisk breeze all day, but it was warm enough.

Marked, set and dug the circular bed in front of the house. Before packing in took three small cuttings from the flowering rosemary; forgot that - unlike lavender - they can’t be taken at this time of year. Stumbled across this in William Lawson’s Country Housewife Garden of 1617:

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Rosemary, the grace of herbs here in England, in other countries common. To set slyp, immediately after Lammas is the surest way...brought from hot countries to us in the cold north. The use is much in meants, more in physick, most for bees. Rosemary and sweet eglantine are seemly ornaments about a door or window.

If you are new here, or just simply wish to re-read previous entries, you can find older dates in this newsletter by clicking here.