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A couple of new acquaintances, and an old enemy

Tilly and I did a bit of a reccy this morning, researching the next walk I am leading for the walking group.  I wanted to see whether we would be permitted to walk up the drive and past the mansion house at Tyninghame.  The answer was no, but never mind.  

 As we walked along the immaculately kept driveway we passed happy sheep, grazing in the parkland either side of the drive.  This is a Zwartbles sheep, from Holland,
and if my research is right, this is a Dorset Down.  Please let me know if I've got that one wrong.
We walked back along a short stretch of the River Tyne.  I was a bit fed up to see a large number of giant hogweed plants growing along the riverbank.  Heracleum mantegazzianum, is an invasive species, which originates from Southern Georgia and Russia.  Although it is a statuesque and impressive plant, those I saw today stood a good 15' - 18' in height, we don't want them here.   Skin reacts violently to the sap and it is best to keep well away from them.

Comments

  1. Rambler14 July 2016 at 22:58

    I suspect that invasive species will become more and more invasive as Council budgets get ever smaller and no-one takes responsibility to clear them. Ragwort is rampant these days where once it was religiously cleared because of the danger to livestock; streams spread the seeds and runners of Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed; there is so much misleading information (or complete lack of information)that gardeners are cutting these species down - then recycling it to spread even further via the council garden waste bins.

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    Replies
    1. the running wave15 July 2016 at 07:31

      Perhaps Monty Don and GQT could have a word in our shell-likes. I couldn't get over the height of the plants I saw yesterday. They could easily have reached about 20' - they were colossal, all mixed in with the trees along the riverbank. Quite a daunting task to clear our landscape of all these invaders. Hope the sun is shining on Cornwall. My family are heading your way next week! A

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