Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica)

cityjungle

The emblem of Plaid Cymru can be found all over the place in Heavitree brightening the streets with it sunny yellow flowers. A fan of rocky places – so perhaps the cracks and crevices of the urban environment suit it just fine. It’s found throughout much of the UK, but it much less common in the lowlands of the South East and East Midlands.

The interesting thing about Welsh poppy is that it is widely considered to be the only European variety of Meconopsis which is otherwise only found in the Himalayan region. However this paper from 2011 suggests that it may be better to reclassify it as Papaver cambricum , which is the name Linnaeus originally gave it in 1753 (it was moved to Meconopsis in 1814). This would not be the first plant I’ve discovered that 18th Century scientists incorrectly changed from Linneaus’ original classification.

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Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea)

cityjungle

An introduction from north America, this low growing aromatic herb is very well suited to city life.

Co-author Amber, 7:

If you smell pineapple weed it does smell like pineapple. It is very good for drinks like for example people use it for pineapple tea and so on. It’s flowers mostly look like pineapples with no top leaves.

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Sculpture Trail marks the start of the Summer Holidays

Recycled Crochet carrier bag sculpture

Every year I take part in TRAIL this is a sculpture trail along the sea front in Teignmouth, Devon with sculptures made entirely from recycled materials. Professional artists, community groups and local schools all take part and it is a fun and colourful display with a strong underlying environmental message.

I love taking part in this exhibition, I have exhibited yearly since 2009 and it really heralds the start of the summer holidays for me!

This year I have crocheted a giant squid out of recycled carrier bags (from supermarket recycling bins and friends cupboards), it stands 3m or so in the air suspended on the end of 2 old, broken fishing rods and has a couple of charity shop Barbie victims dangling from its tentacles, about to be eaten.

The trail is totally free and runs from 22nd July 2013 to 1st September 2013 along the beautiful Teignmouth seafront, please come and have a look if you are in the area, I am in the flower bed outside the Beachcomber cafe.

recycled sculpture

Contemporary Stained Glass Panel to transform an internal space

I have just installed a window into a family home in a village just outside Exeter which is currently being renovated. The panel is over 1 metre wide and serves several practical and aesthetic uses to the home. The window is an internal one and lies between the light, bright porch and the darker dining area in the kitchen and so I used lots of clear glass to allow the light through. Although the glass is clear it is waterglass as it has a great ripple which casts shadows like water ripples and it is also irridised to give it more impact. The commission brief was to create a simple, striking centre piece to compliment the entrance porch and the kitchen diner.

The panel has 3 main elements; 2 of the panels are photographs fired onto the glass, these are of the clients children and the other a significant landscape to them. The central panel is made from small pieces of recycled glass fused together into a panel in my kiln and then fired again once I had painted on the intricate fern design.

The colour scheme is simple, grey, yellow, turquoise blue and mauve glass surrounded with a clear irridised glass. This colour scheme mixed with the strong images gives the panel a really striking effect and makes an excellent wow factor as you enter the house through the front door.