Scarecrows for Halloween

There's something about scarecrows and Halloween, isn't there!  There's always the feeling that one of them might come to life and start harassing the neighbourhood!  A few years ago, in the village of Shillington, near where I live, they had a scarecrow festival.  People there made scarecrows and put them in their gardens for others to come and see. I went along and I was very impressed with their efforts.  We were given a sheet with details of the exhibits and encouraged to vote for the one we thought was the best.

Walking round the village had an eerie feel to it.  Almost the first one we saw was exhibit number 31, see above, which portrayed a very creepy pumpkin head man. It must have taken ages to make this one up.  

Here are some more:

This last one really did come to life and walked down the street right past us!

After we had looked at all the wonderful exhibits, we had tea and cakes in the village hall and admired all the goods on sale. It was a lovely afternoon.

Answers to Round One of the Gardening Quiz

Well, here are the answers to the Round One Gardening Quiz  -

1)  What is the correct generic name for the hardy perennial commonly known as the Day Lily? Is it a) Helxine  b)Heliopsis or c) Hemerocallis

Answer: c) Hemerocallis

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2) Do the species Pieris, Permettya and Philesia require acid or alkaline soil conditions?

Answer: Acid

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3)  A native of southeast Europe, the hardy perennial Alchemilla produces intricately branched heads of star-shaped yellow green flowers, making it a favourite with flower arrangers.  What is it's common name?

Answer: Lady's Mantle

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4)  In a flower, what name is given to the part of the stamen on which pollen is borne?

Answer: Anther

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5)  Approximately how many species make up the Anemone genus of hardy herbaceous perennials?

a)  12  b)  60  c)  150

Answer: c) 150

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6)  Formerly known as Funkia, this hardy, herbaceous plant is grown for its foliage and trumpet like flowers and is suitable for shady borders and waterside planting.  By what generic name is it now known?

Answer:  Hosta

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7)  Which of the following terms is used to describe a plant that flowers and dies in the second season after germination, producing only its stems, roots and leaves in the first season?
a) Annual  b)  Biennial  c) Perennial

Answer: b) Biennial

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8)  What is the common name of the hardy, quick-growing annual Limmanthes douglasii, a name the plant acquired from it resemblance to a popular breakfast food?

Answer: Poached egg plant

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9)  Two of the species of Allium listed below would be found in the vegetable garden.  Which is the odd one out, grown mainly for it's ornamental flowers?

a) A. moly   b) A, porrum,  c)  A. sativum

Answer: a) moly

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10)  The hardy perennial Acanthus has deeply lobed leaves and tall spikes of mauve and white bracts.  What is its common name?

Answer: Bear's breeches

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11)  In a botanical name, what does the word vulgare mean?

Answer: Common or ordinary

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12) Dog, Marsh and Sweet are the prefixes for three of the ten species of which British hedgerow and woodland flower?

Answer: Violet

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How did you do?

Questions taken from Geoff Hamilton's 'Gardeners Challenge' book

It's Quiz Time!

Let's be a little different today. Let's have a quiz. Together we will test what we know and add to our knowledge.

1)  What is the correct generic name for the hardy perennial commonly known as the Day Lily? Is it a) Helxine  b)Heliopsis or c) Hemerocallis

2) Do the species Pieris, Permettya and Philesia require acid or alkaline soil conditions?

3)  A native of southeast Europe, the hardy perennial Alchemilla produces intricately branched heads of star-shaped yellow green flowers, making it a favourite with flower arrangers.  What is it's common name?

4)  In a flower, what name is given to the part of the stamen on which pollen is borne?

5)  Approximately how many species make up the Anemone genus of hardy herbaceous perennials?

a)  12  b)  60  c)  150

6)  Formerly known as Funkia, this hardy, herbaceous plant is grown for its foliage and trumpet like flowers and is suitable for shady borders and waterside planting.  By what generic name is it now known?

7)  Which of the following terms is used to describe a plant that flowers and dies in the second season after germination, producing only its stems, roots and leaves in the first season?
a) Annual  b)  Biennial  c) Perennial

8)  What is the common name of the hardy, quick-growing annual Limmanthes douglasii, a name the plant acquired from it resemblance to a popular breakfast food?

9)  Two of the species of Allium listed below would be found in the vegetable garden.  Whis is the odd one out, grown mainly for it's ornamental flowers?

a) A. moly   b) A, porrum,  c)  A. sativum

10)  The hardy perennial Acanthus has deeply lobed leaves and tall spikes of mauve and white bracts.  What is its common name?

11)  In a botanical name, what does the word vulgare mean?

12) Dog, Marsh and Sweet are the prefixes for three of the ten species of which British hedgerow and woodland flower?

Answers at the end of the week!

Questions taken from Geoff Hamilton's 'Gardeners Challenge' book