light nettle horse-chestnut

Sun, cloud and water at Groombridge Place.

In a parsley pot which has flourished throughout the winter thanks to its position under the hedge opposite the front door, is a young nettle. I have always liked nettles. As weeds they are less intrusive than many others and,  having shallow roots they are easy to eradicate should you want to. But their stings aside, they have many uses. They make a good soup; they attract butterflies; and stuffed into a watering can or bucket, covered in water and allowed to rot down, they make a good liquid fertiliser. A few survive in a corner of the vegetable garden and I try to keep them going.

 A bank of purple rain clouds stacks over The Grove this morning opposite the sun which beams out of a blue sky. In front of the cloud the infant leaves of a horse chestnut hang like green gloves in the sunlight.