Early morning, arriving in the remote island archipelago of Cape Verde - a couple of days sailing from La Palma (Canary Islands) and the last land we were to see for nigh on six days before reaching South America. It is increasingly difficult to believe I was there - late November - the rain and…
Iles des Salut
Îles des Salut, off the coast of French Guiana: former penal colony and one-time home to Dreyfus Land! After nearly six days at sea, a very welcome opportunity to set foot on dry land - Tenerife is some 3500 miles back east. A tropical island - a group of three in fact including Devil's Island -…
Continue reading ➞ Iles des Salut
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Barbados
The last leg of my recent trip, a whistle-stop tour of the island of Barbados I might have a banana plant in the garden but here the similarity ends - if I am ever to think of creating a garden with a more tropical feel, this is what I am up against! I've much to…
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Mount Teide Volcano, Tenerife
Or rather 'right plant, right place' - even in these extreme environments, many plants are thriving I had the good fortune of visiting Mount Teide on Tenerife recently - the cone of the volcano rising to become Spain's highest point, set within the high walls of a collapsed caldera. And the sun shone. Not the…
Continue reading ➞ Mount Teide Volcano, Tenerife
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Hummingbirds
I've tried to capture a decent photograph of these beautiful little creatures, and have once or twice, but I thought using a little video might produce better results. Like moths (they do the same job, for the same rewards, though at different times of the day) they are fast moving and camera shy. I don't…
Continue reading ➞ Hummingbirds
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All at Sea
I've spent a lot of time on the water these past three weeks - who knew the Atlantic was quite so wide - so I thought it only right to give you a glimpse of a glittering sea, this particular view looking east from Barbados, my final destination. Tenerife is about 3500 miles ahead! The…
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West to the Orinoco
But first, a holiday... I'm taking a little time off for a trip, calling in at the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and on to French Guiana and finishing after a few days on the Orinoco River, Venezuela. Internet access is going to be patchy - and definitely not a reliable broadband service - so there…
Continue reading ➞ West to the Orinoco
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The Savill Garden Autumn Gallery
Virginia Water in Autumn
A walk around the whole of Virginia Water, from The Savill Garden, past ruins and totem poles, cascades and beneath glorious autumn colour. Low, slanting sun, blue skies, golden foliage... Rejuvenating! http://www.theroyallandscape.co.uk/gardens-and-landscape/virginia-water/
The Teddington Gardener 