I beleive most of us do that Cherie. I do it also. That's what they call "Burn & Learn"

I simply cannot believe what I am hearing, shocked! "Burn & Learn," is that a policy of well it only killed one person or animal so I won't plant it again as I have learnt?
Or is this the mentality of seeing a bottle of something with POISON on it, so you think it will not harm to learn if it is by trying it on someone or something!
Charleen in our New Forest, called because it was recorded in 1086AD which makes it new there are thousands of wild Ponies. In the past they were safe from eating Acorns as they kill any Horse, Pony and indeed mules, because the farmers put their pigs in the forest to eat the Acorns in the Autumn\Fall.
Unfortunately as it happens to be a beautiful place to live, the farmers have been forced out by rich city people who do not want pigs. No pigs to eat the Acorns in this vast space means one thing, 1700 dead wild Ponies in one year alone! So the public complain about seeing Ponies die, the cause of which is obvious to those of us that know. But the rich city people don't 'Burn & Learn," for it does not concern them at all, it is only a second home to go to in the summer.
Have you ever seen anything die by yew poisoning for I have, and it is not nice. Yes a simple yew tree (Taxus baccatta), wil kill a Human stone dead very easily, in a horrible and slow way!
Then I suppose when you cremate the person you could say you have "Burnt & Learnt!"
The only animal (grazing) that is not affected by yew are Deer, that is why we pollard trees so other animals cannot get to them.
You don't drink Cyanide, so why plant the plant that makes it in your garden?
Here is a picture of a Golden Yew, even the wood dust is Poisonous!
Regards.
Neil.

Neil, if I take a picture of my little plant growing here, could you tell me what it is and if it would be poisonous? This is all new to me. I see pretty blooms and want plants because of their beauty but had no idea of the poisonous effect. I sure wouldn't want to harm anyone with anything I have.
Thanks for all your expertise.

Dear Jan, if I can ID it I can normally tell you.
I will always strive to help anyone out!
Kindest regards.
Neil.
p.s a willow a nice tree and also can be used to make Asprin!

I am sorry Neil, I really didn't mean any harm. I will edit it out if you wish. But a lot of folks will buy things and pay a big price for it and it turns out not to be the dream they wanted. That is what I meant.
How Horrible!!!! for the wild ponies. I have read that Red Maples and Wild Cherry can poison equine too. when I got my fences up, I mad DH so aggitated, I wanted everything cut out that would injure my dear longears. He says they know what's bad for them but they don't. I learned to just get rid of problem myself.
Let me know if you want me to edit that....
Best regards,
Charleen

I have weeping willows and a corkscrew willow and the natural branch willows. Love em. You can also make plant food with them, called willow tea. Very good for plants. Just boil the pieces of twigs and cool it down, and use it.
Thanks and here is a picture.
I think it has already bloomed.

Dear Charleen, no don't edit it! I am most sorry for standing up and saying what I did, but after our great Hurricane in 1987 it blew a lot of pollard trees down. So the cattle and Equine species ate the blown down foliage, of course the results were catastrophic. Not only whole ancient forests lost, but whole herds of important 'Rare Breeds' were lost too.
My whole point is really simple; a lot of plants are TOXIC and we know that, so simply plant them in the right place, for you should not plant Solanum sp. or Deadly Nightshade, or Solanum nigra etc around a children's play area. But that is what happened until an innocent child was fatally taken from us by such stupidity.
Yet the same Solanum genus holds potatos and tomatos, yet you would not eat green potatos, or tomato leaves as they are highly TOXIC and it does not need me to tell you that!
Charleen if we went by all the rules we would not plant many things, all I am asking for is a bit of common sense when and where you put a plant if it is TOXIC. Surely that is not too much to ask?
The simple rules apply if it is Toxic take care, wear gloves. It is better the Devil you know than you don't know in this case!
I get upset as I lost a friend to yew poisoning, the Doctors in Hospitals don't check for that or anything like it, and by the time they may think about it, it is far too late.
There is only one cure for advanced yew poisoning it is called O.C.D.
Pleas forgive me for my friends on here I adore, so by a simple please TAKE CARE it might save someone injury or worse!
Kindest Regards.
Neil.

That's why we love it here Neil. You keep us informed and that helps everyone. You care, that is not very common in this day and age. I really appreciate your wisedom. So, You do what you have to do to help us out. I would rather be told than to learn by accident. I Got a question?? What is a Pollard tree? A windbreak of somekind???
Thank you again, our friend.
Charleen

Charleen, the picture I posted above, is that like the ones you have of the spurge? Mine blooms yellow and grows low to the ground. Like ground cover, kinda sorta.

My Dearest Charleen, I will get a picture of one for you! A pollared tree is where all the lower branches are cut off above grazing height of any Animal. So therefore they cannot eat the leaves or anything else. It is done in spring, so the new growth is cut off, and therefore your cattle-equine species cannot get the new growth which is always more toxic than the old growth, this is because it contains fresh sap!
It has been done here since time can remember and many of our street trees also get it done.
If you know that is not good for your Animals, as in leaves you do this.
I hope you understand it, as until I get a picture it is hard to explain.
Regards.
Neil.

Dear Jan, without a postive ID I cannot tell. But if it is a Euphorbia which is wood spurge and it does look like it, simply do not get the sap on you with that one! Wear gloves and it is safe, simple!
Regards.
Neil.
p.s one of yours at Chelsea!

I understand. Like the trees where I mow. I tryto keep them at a certain height
so I don't get knocked off the lawnmower. That is a great idea. thanks Neil.

Neil, that is some type of ground orchid, but what is the name? Now you are talking my language! I love that plant. I love it. I just bought a Duck orchid- ground orchid- pecteilis sagarikii
Those are my kind of plants.

Dear Jan, it is a rare American orchid. The Kentucky Lady's Slipper Orchid or Cypripedium kentuckiensis, a terrestrial orchid. I took quite a few pictures of it as it is very rare in the USA in the wild.
We have a native Lady's Slipper Orchid as well; it was thought to be extinct as it had been stolen by the Victorians for their table decorations. One was found after the second world war in the wild, our biggest supermarket chain pays to have it guarded day and night and introduce new seedlings back into the wild. It is called Cypripedium calceolus.
Sorry to be such a useless mine of information.
Regards.
Neil.
P.s i am lucky to have seen our one in the wild.
Here is a picture of it (not mine).

It's cute. The pic is great I see the little slipper and the petals look like little ribbons. Very pretty.

Here is a better one of one of your American Lady's Slipper orchids!
Regards.
Neil.
p.s I took these for Sharon as she lives in Kentucky and loves plants!

That is just beautiful. I thought it was a lady slipper but not sure which one. I bought seeds of just a off breed lady slipper but couldn't get it to germinate. I think they are so pretty. We use to find them in our woods when I was a child but haven't seen any in a long time. Of coarse ours are not as special as yours but looked pretty just the same. Those just kinda take my breath. I love to see them. I see hybrids(probably mispelled) in our plant catalogs with beautiful colors but none can compare to that one.
Great find!

I have put Part 2 about Dulwich Park on it is at http://cubits.org/Neil/article...
Please have a look.
Thank you.
Neil.

Here is the first Ceanothus and a Philadelphus this morning!
Regards.
Neil.

Here is the second Ceanothus this morning.
Regards.
Neil.