Gardening for Wildlife

Rushden U3A Garden Club booked a talk from me with the title 'Gardening for Wildlife' and, though it meant writing a new talk especially for the event, I really enjoyed preparing for it and delivering the lecture yesterday. I keep part of my garden for Meadow flowers - the front area is grassland, which is mowed in late August only  (Scabious, Cowslip, Buttercup, Clover, Knapweed). Two areas in the back  are sown with cornfield annuals one in full sunlight and very dry (Corn Marigold, Corn Cockle, Corn flower etc), the other a shadier, moister area with Red campion and Salad Burnet. Hard to believe these will be dense with flowers and, hopefully, insects in a few months time.

Southend's Iconic Buildings

I made a brief visit to Southend this morning after talking at Benfleet club last night, hoping to have a bracing walk along the Pier and back but it was closed along with almost all the rest of the resort. So visited two of my favourite buildings and did composite images in really dull light. 

Originally named the Metropole, the Palace Hotel was built in 1901. It was one of the last great Edwardian Hotels. It had 200 bedrooms, a billiard room and a magnificent ballroom. During the First World War it was temporarily converted into Queen Mary's Royal Naval Hospital and treated over 4,000 soldiers.

In the 1950s & 1960s the Hotel got into financial difficulties and was then bought by Polish refugee Motel Burstin who turned the building into an old people’s home. 

In the early 1970s the Palace provided cut price bed and breakfast but fell into disrepair. In 2007 is was purchased by the Radisson group and the Park Inn Palace Hotel remains one of Southend's most prized hotels.

The Kursaal is a Grade II listed building, which opened in 1901 as one of the world's first purpose-built amusement parks.The word Kursaal means a "Cure Hall" or spa, but was adapted to mean a place of healthy amusement. Southend's Kursaal became the largest fairground in the south of England. 

Southend United F.C. played at the Kursaal until 1933, when they moved to Southend Stadium.The Kursaal declined in the early 1970s, with the outdoor amusements closed in 1973, and the main building finally closed in 1986. Although the outdoor amusements were redeveloped for housing, the main Kursaal building reopened in 1998, after a multimillion pound redevelopment, containing a bowling alley, a casino and other amusements. Now Tescos have put a shop there

Still No Hoverflies

Despite lots of sunshine today, still no sign of  hoverflies (or other flying insects) on a visit to Waresley (the wood is closed because of the wet conditions).

 

Double Exposure at the Fitztwilliam Cambridge

A bit of creative time at the Fitzwilliam Museum using multiple exposure and changing the white balance between exposures. And just for fun, last one done in the computer as you can't change blending modes on the Fuji double exposures 

Cambridge Botanic Gardens - Glasshouse Windows

The second topic that I tackled on Sunday was the condensation and algae etc on the windows in the hothouses plus glimspes of what is beyond. Such a variety of colours and shapes it was difficult to know where to stop but here are a few.

High Contrast at Cambridge Botanic Gardens

We set a few topics for our CCC trip to Cambridge Botanic Gardens - one was High Contrast Monochrome so I spent some time seeking out flowers and leaves in very contrasty lighting. However, I have decided I like them best in colour.

 

  

Architectural Styles in Tallin Old Town

The Old Town in Tallinn is a feast for anyone like myself interested in architectural styles. Here is a summary of some of the styles and examples.

Gothic: Although occupied from 11th Century, the battlement that remains today dates back to the 14th century. There are many fine gothic buildings in Tallinn including the Town Hall and the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit. Tallinn Old Town has been entered in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a well-preserved medieval town.

Renaissance: Renaissance-style architecture manifested itself most frequently in the ornaments of houses, especially in carved details and decorative paintings. The House of the Blackheads (1597) located at 26 Pikk street is a fine example

Baroque: In the beginning of the 17th century, Baroque reached Tallinn. One of the best examples is  Kadriorg Palace (1718)


Classicism: In the era of classicism (from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century), many buildings were erected in the upper town, whereas buildings were being rebuilt in the lower town. In the course of rebuilding, many of the medieval facades were given a modern classicist exterior eg. the von Rosen Palace (1670s, 28 Pikk street),

Historicism: In the middle of 19th century historicism and eclecticism came into vogue.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1900, 10 Lossi plats) is an example of the Pseudo-Russian style.

The Reichmann house (1909, 21/23 Pikk street) is the most interesting example of Neo-Mannerism.


Art Nouveau: In the 20th century, Tallinn welcomed an architectural style that was widespread in Europe – Art Nouveau, including a sub-style known as Riga Art Nouveau. It is very flamboyant with a great number of masks and ornaments. An excellent example of this sub-style is  J. Rosenbaum’s Draakoni Gallery (1910, 18 Pikk street).


1930s - 1960s
The architecture of 1930s Tallinn is a mixture of traditionalism, functionalism, Art Déco and Scandinavian classicism. It is clearly recognisable and respectable, primarily due to its rectangular shapes and the popular brown or greyish colour anthracite grout popular at the time. Example: Tallinn Art Hall (1934), 6 Vabaduse square.