Archived Topic
Topic ID 3088
18/09/2007 by dennismoore
Lupins at Hertford North
One of my first impressions of Hertford (about 1993) were the abundant blooms of lupins just behind the fence along platform 1 at Hertford North. A few years later they were completely mown down, to be replaced with.. well, nothing at all. The area is now mostly covered with thorns, weeds and a couple of noble young trees.
In April this year I made a handful of sticky little compost bombs filled with lupin and other seeds which I tossed over the fence in the hope that at least some of platform 1 may once again become a place of colour and beauty. Unfortunately nothing seems to have germinated.
I'm no gardening expert. Could anyone tell me where I went wrong? Is it worth repeating the exercise?
Dennis Moore. Decorative borders guerrilla.
0 replies
Archived Replies
Reply ID 44439
18/09/2007 by Andrew
I imagine that all the work on the new fence might not have helped. Might be worth doing it on the disturbed ground left after the fencework.
Reply ID 44442
18/09/2007 by jez_p
Yes that nice aesthetically pleasing fence - what a waste of money
Reply ID 44445
18/09/2007 by shunt
There are many interesting things to be seen from a train......if you can ignore the foreground. There was a time when stationmasters would compete for best kept station with hanging baskets and gallons of white gloss. Now it's like being trundled through a scrap yard. Bernard Cribbins is what we need and Jenny Agutta ripping off her underwear.
Reply ID 44449
18/09/2007 by warren_peace
"Dennis Moore. Decorative borders guerrilla."
Just quite very , very likely the funniest tag I have ever seen.
Reply ID 44459
18/09/2007 by Kate
I'm sorry it didn't work, but I love the fact you tried Dennis!
Perhaps next spring all of us Hertford North users could give it a go, and increase the odds of something growing.
Reply ID 44462
18/09/2007 by shaun
Give them out free at the front of the station [:)]
Reply ID 44473
19/09/2007 by lemonjelly
Dennis Moore? Now there's a name to strike fear into the heart of many a traveller.
Tell me, Mr Moore, at the risk of straying wildly off topic,are you still robbing the gentry of their lupins, and do you bear a passing resemblance to John Cleese?
http://www.jumpstation.ca/recroom/comedy/python/dennis.html
I agree that Hertford's railway stations could be more visually appealing... although it might eventually be a waste of time for me if I can't stop thinking about Jenny Agutter's underwear (more of a 'Walkabout' man myself)... Thanks Shunt!!!
Reply ID 44474
19/09/2007 by carlos fandango
Not forgetting of course the immortal Logans Run.
Reply ID 44475
19/09/2007 by Ewoowar
This is going wildly off topic.
However, wasn't Jenny Agutter a child when she appeared in both The Railway Children and Walkabout?
Reply ID 44477
19/09/2007 by Leo Densian
quote:
Originally posted by Ewoowar
This is going wildly off topic.
However, wasn't Jenny Agutter a child when she appeared in both The Railway Children and Walkabout?
Aged 15 or 16 for Railway Children and about 19 in Walkabout.
Anyway, well done Dennis - totally missed the obscure Monty Python reference. [:)]
[url]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAs2m7Hr3Bc[/url] Reply ID 44478
19/09/2007 by Mr P
quote:
Originally posted by Kate
I'm sorry it didn't work, but I love the fact you tried Dennis!
Perhaps next spring all of us Hertford North users could give it a go, and increase the odds of something growing.
poppy seeds (not the edible variety!) and granny bonnets (aquelegia) scatter well and usually have a good germination rate, as do forget-me-nots who can take over the garden. I've never managed to harvest their seeds yet!
Reply ID 44479
19/09/2007 by Ewoowar
Take a bike ride or walk up to Hertford Heath armed with some bags and scissors and harvest the heads of the late summer poppies before the rain gets them. There were loads of poppies in the hedgerow so you should be able to get a decnt amount.
Mr P is right, poppies do have a reasonable germination rate.
Reply ID 44491
20/09/2007 by Arty
quote:
Originally posted by dennismoore
One of my first impressions of Hertford (about 1993) were the abundant blooms of lupins just behind the fence along platform 1 at Hertford North. A few years later they were completely mown down, to be replaced with.. well, nothing at all. The area is now mostly covered with thorns, weeds and a couple of noble young trees.
In April this year I made a handful of sticky little compost bombs filled with lupin and other seeds which I tossed over the fence in the hope that at least some of platform 1 may once again become a place of colour and beauty. Unfortunately nothing seems to have germinated.
I'm no gardening expert. Could anyone tell me where I went wrong? Is it worth repeating the exercise?
Dennis Moore. Decorative borders guerrilla.
Welcome, Dennis!
Perhaps your mistake was to try to spell the words 'Hertford North welcomes happy commuters' - 35 seed bombs can't be easy to aim. And in any case, you should of followed it up with 35 John Innes no.2 bombs the next day, and 35 water bombs over the next month. That would have produced results (and an appearance in court, probably) [:)]
Reply ID 44532
21/09/2007 by dennismoore
Thank you everyone. Looks like I should add plenty of poppy seeds next time. I wonder if Spring is the best time, or would Autumn suit better (I'd enjoy cover of darkness as well). If anyone else would care to join this great adventure then please do; I expect the more seeds, the greater the chances.
Doesn't anyone else remember the lupins? Maybe I just dreamt them up. It was back in the days of non-stop trains to Kings Cross. (Or did I just dream those up too?)
Reply ID 44533
21/09/2007 by dennismoore
Welcome, Dennis!
Perhaps your mistake was to try to spell the words 'Hertford North welcomes happy commuters' - 35 seed bombs can't be easy to aim. And in any case, you should of followed it up with 35 John Innes no.2 bombs the next day, and 35 water bombs over the next month. That would have produced results (and an appearance in court, probably) [:)]
Now that gives me an idea Arty. I could get a local shop or business to sponsor me. They pay for the seeds, and I spell out their name or logo!
Reply ID 44585
24/09/2007 by Arty
quote:
Originally posted by dennismoore
Welcome, Dennis!
Perhaps your mistake was to try to spell the words 'Hertford North welcomes happy commuters' - 35 seed bombs can't be easy to aim. And in any case, you should of followed it up with 35 John Innes no.2 bombs the next day, and 35 water bombs over the next month. That would have produced results (and an appearance in court, probably) [:)]
Now that gives me an idea Arty. I could get a local shop or business to sponsor me. They pay for the seeds, and I spell out their name or logo!
Great idea - although I'm not sure whether you could get our greyscale in the subtle graduation it needs. Mind you, God manages it quite well at this time of year with Orange shades on various trees...
16 replies