Archive for category: Autumn

by Mark Evans

The genus Salvia is the largest in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and among the biggest in the entire plant kingdom – currently ranked twenty-fifth – with 1,024 recognised species and many more cultivars and hybrids.

The type species, Salvia officinalis (common sage), serves as the genus’s botanical anchor, defining the key traits shared by all other salvia species. Common sage has a rich history in traditional medicine. The Egyptians valued its healing properties, and … Read more »

by Mark Evans

Succulents are unique plants known for their thick, fleshy tissues that store water, helping them survive in dry or arid environments. Many of these plants have special features, such as waxy coatings, spines or rosette formations that minimise water loss. This diverse group includes familiar species like cacti, aloe and jade plants, each with its own characteristics.

Found all over the world, succulents are especially … Read more »

by Mark Evans
‘Omne trium perfectum’ is a Latin phrase that translates to ‘everything is perfect in threes’. It is a pervasive concept throughout human culture, be it literature (three little pigs), rhetoric (I came, I saw, I conquered), advertising (slip, slop, slap), the colours of a country’s flag, (red white and blue), comedy (three people walk into a bar) or music (the third note of every scale provides the most basic harmony). The rule … Read more »