Fruit harvesting made easy

Every autumn, I have the same problem with my apple tree. By the time I get out into the garden in the morning, a dozen or more of the crop have fallen to the ground, got bruised, and the birds, squirrels and slugs have been nibbling away. So when, a couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have a preview of some new garden products for 2020, this handy fruit catcher caught my eye. It’s a Finnish invention, suitable for all fruit trees and is designed to collect the windfalls safely and make harvesting easier.

The tarpaulin encircles the tree, catching fruit as it comes down, and because this is raised off the ground, bruising is avoided and hopefully the wildlife is kept away.  A plus point is that the polyester fabric lets the wind and rain through, so the grass or plants beneath should be safe if you leave it for any length of time. It can be used year after year - the metal parts are rust proof and the fabric is machine washable.  I’m looking forward to trying it out, and will be reporting back.

Right now the apple tree is budding and the plum tree is in full blossom.  So good to have something to look forward to in these difficult times.

The Original Fruit Collector is available by mail order in various sizes, from 38.90 euros.

 Details at https://fruitcollector.net/?lang=en#osa-2

info@fruitcollector.net

London's Sky Garden, five years on

London's highest public space, the Sky Garden, at the top of the Walkie Talkie (aka 20 Fenchurch St). is five years old - and it's flourishing! When it first opened, there were complaints that the space didn't have the lush growth and mature trees of computer visualisations used to sell the project. But the planting, with specimens from as far away as Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand and the Mediterranean, has matured. Some of the tree ferns are now so tall they almost graze the glass roof (above).

Thanks to a lot of TLC, dense greenery carpets the terraces that run down either side of the 3-storey venue - a major contrast with how it was in 2015 (below).

Plants such as the Red Hot Poker  (Kniphofia) and Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) are also doing well. There have been some readjustments - water percolating down the terraces made the lower areas too boggy for the plants initially chosen, but the Peace Lilies now growing there seem happy with damp roots.

The Sky Garden is on the 35th to 37th floors, so has spectacular 360° views across the capital. From the open viewing platform you can see Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral and the Shard.......

.....while new to the skyline are the angular Scalpel (52 Lime St), which overshadows the Gherkin...

....and One Blackfriars, a 52-storey residential tower whose curved shape, right by the Thames, has led to it being dubbed the Vase (or sometimes the Boomerang).

The Sky Garden has two restaurants along with two bars for coffee, snacks and other refreshments. Access to the venue remains free, though you must book in advance and need to go through airport-style security in the foyer.
https://skygarden.london/plan-your-visit