Joanne's Cottage Garden: FROM HYDRANGEA TO EUCRYPHIA

Monday, 27 July 2009

FROM HYDRANGEA TO EUCRYPHIA

This Hydrangea grown from a cutting it is doing very well.

Evening Primrose is encouraged to self sow in these beds. It is worth growing a few just to be able to smell their lovely perfume. On the left is an artichoke which we leave for ornamental purposes. I can't be bothered with how fiddly they are to eat but they do have a lovely sort of asparagus flavour.

The hanging baskets on the door step are getting very long and the perfume is lovely in the evenings.

Yes there is a water butt under this hanging basket.

Last but not least a beautiful Eucryphia. This is a very columnar tree and so can be made room for in a sunny protected position. Ultimately it can reach about 60' but it is very slow growing. Leylandii can also reach that height and look how many people grow them. I know which I prefer.

9 comments:

MissyM4 August 2009 at 13:39
That hydrangea is beautiful!! And I love your hanging baskets. I have artichoke on my list of plants to try. I dont know that I will eat it, but I need to see how it grows and looks.
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Ellie Mae's Cottage4 August 2009 at 13:48
Your hydrangea does look beautiful! I've got a one myself that hasn't bloomed since I bought it 2 years ago - and I'm so careful not to cut the old wood and it's in a good spot as far as sun is concerned... I just can't figure out why it isn't blooming because it has all the right conditions. Well I guess I'll just have to enjoys yours. -Jackie
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Catherine@AGardenerinProgress4 August 2009 at 17:54
How long ago did that hydrangea come from a cutting? It's so full of flowers! I always love how petunias smell in the evening too. It's looking beautiful there!
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Alison4 August 2009 at 20:08
It has been soooo boring with no news about your garden
I hope your Dad is doing better and you will soon be up to speed with your garden and helping Lyme victims
hugs from
Ali n' the cats
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Dirt Princess4 August 2009 at 20:25
What a gorgeous hydrangea!
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Northern Shade6 August 2009 at 00:36
I love how exuberantly Hydrangeas flower. You have got a good return on the blossoms from your cutting. There are lots of interesting views around your garden, so pretty and full of flowers.
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Rob (ourfrenchgarden)11 August 2009 at 19:25
Looks Beautiful Joanne

Evening Primrose seems to grow wild all over the place over here and your post reminds me that I'm going to forage some seed to sow .
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Anonymous14 August 2009 at 21:35
Love the hanging basket! So full and beautiful!
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tina24 August 2009 at 12:36
To say that hydrangea is doing well is a total understatement. It is awesome!
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LYME LIFE written 2009

I started suffering with arthritis in mainly my large joints especially my knees 6 years ago. The symptoms varied and I remember saying that every joint was affected except my elbows to one doctor. I was told it would be hormonal and to take the usual supplements cod liver oil or glucosamine ( I would certainly recommend buying shares in the companies producing these supplements) They had no noticeable affect.

All my symptoms deteriorated significantly over a few weeks, 4 years ago. Hips shoulders and knees being the worst and I started with muscle weakness in upper arms and upper legs. I had difficulty standing and walking across a room. I was unable to walk upstairs and my husband was making plans to convert to a downstairs bedroom. I had seen 5 doctors and 3 Rheumatologists and put on steroids for Poly Myalgia Rheumatica diagnosis. I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.

I have X rays and scans showing signs of osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. I have been retired early from the Civil Service having lost my job not to mention my earning potential.

My illness seemed to progress through my body not affecting the same joints left to right at the same time. I had bursitis in left hip, right hip, left elbow. I had synovial thickening in both wrists. At that time I could not lift and hold a magazine so lifting a kettle I could only do if a third full and with two hands. Each joint in my hands fingers feet and toes were affected. I had swallowing difficulties and many other symptoms. None of this describes the endless and awful pain whenever I moved or the tiredness but inability to get quality sleep.

Two years ago my GP gave me Amoxicilin for a sinus/throat/chest infection. All my arthritis symptoms improved. The course ended the symptoms deteriorated I started a second course the symptoms improved. The improvement was more significant than when I had started taking steroids. This led my GP to suspect Lyme Disease. I laughed because we do not travel abroad but she said they had had other cases in the surgery in the early stages of tick bite and Erythma Migrans rash. She said, but you have not had a bite. I said oh yes I have I had two on my ankles with rashes, March 05 this was confirmed on her computer at the time I had seen a locum doctor. My worst symptoms were waking up feeling rigid and having to painfully flex every joint in my body before struggling to get up. The only other time I had experienced this was in May 2003 during a flu like illness like no other I had ever experienced. At that time I had a bite and similar rash on my right foot which lasted like the other rashes about four weeks. I had also consulted the surgery and it was dismissed as a virus. I walked our dog daily in the woods adjacent to our house where the deer roam, prime tick area.

Thus started my very lengthy search about Lyme Disease leading me through http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ to a doctor who specialises in this illness. He confirmed my GP's suspicions. I never had a positive blood test but then they are antigen tests and there is much research that shows they are unreliable. In my case the year of steroids and many weeks antibiotics could have affected the results. So with a clinical diagnosis and following ILADS International Lyme and Associated Disease Society guidelines I continued on antibiotics for two years. Both my doctors continued to treat me despite the Health Protection Agency advising against long term antibiotics. I am now nearly 100% recovered I have no pain or muscle weakness. I can walk upstairs something I could not do for three and a half years. I can garden do house work and live a normal life. I still need to pace myself and with only a few months to 60 will not be looking to return to work.

Life is such a joy.

Sadly there is much controversy about Lyme Disease and doctors in UK are taught that it is so rare. Well where I live in Guildford I have been in contact with a dozen other people with it so perhaps not so rare as HPA would like us to believe. I am in touch with nearly 2000 other patients through a chat line Eurolyme most had been misdiagnosed with several other illnesses.

Look at UK charity http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ if you want to read more about this illness. There are many MP's taking an interest in the problems surrounding diagnosis and treatment see above charity links into a recent meeting at the House of Commons.

Thank goodness there are some thinking doctors around who have courageously treated me against opposition and I have made such a miraculous recovery albeit rather a lengthy one.

One day there will be many more people who are helped with their chronic illnesses when IDSA starts taking note of what our courageous LLMD’s are doing following ILADS Guidelines.

ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Poly Myalgia Rheumatica, Arthritis, Bell’s Palsy, MS,MN, ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Heart Block, Stroke, Psychiatric, gastric problems the list is endless. Not all suffering from Lyme Borrelia but how many are even properly assessed for it.

UPDATE

Joanne's Cottage Garden

Monday, 27 July 2009

FROM HYDRANGEA TO EUCRYPHIA

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