 | Visit of Cyrene & Slonta (Libya) Cyrene, the ancient Greek city (in present-day Libya) was the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities in the region and gave eastern Libya the classical name 'Cyrenaica' that it has retained to modern times. It lies in a lush valley in the Jebel Akhdar uplands. It was named after a spring, Kyre, which the Greeks consecrated to Apollo. Cyrene was founded as a colony of the Greeks of Thera, traditionally led by Aristotle (later called Battus) of Thera, about 630 BC, ten miles from its port, Apollonia (Marsa Sousa). Details concerning the founding of the city are contained in Book IV of the Histories of Herodotus. It promptly became the chief town of the ancient Libyan region between Egypt and Carthage (Cyrenaica), kept up commercial relations with all the Greek cities, and reached the height of its prosperity under its own kings in the 5th century BC. Soon after 460 BC it became a republic; after the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) it passed to the Ptolemies and fell into decay. Cyrenaica became part of the empire controlled by the Ptolemaic dynasty from Alexandria in Egypt and later passed to the Roman empire. Cyrene was the birthplace of Eratosthenes and there are a number of philosophers associated with the city including Callimachus, Carneades, Aristippus and Arete, and Synesius, bishop of Ptolemais in the 4th century CE. The inhabitants of Cyrene at the time of Sulla (c. 85 BC) were divided into four classes: citizens, farmers, resident aliens, and Jews, who formed a restless minority. Lucullus was sent to Cyrene by Sulla to quell disturbances in which the Jews were taking a prominent part. The ruler of the town, Apion bequeathed it to the Romans, but it kept its self-government. In 74 BC Cyrene was created a Roman province; but, whereas under the Ptolemies the Jewish inhabitants had enjoyed equal rights, they now considered themselves oppressed by the autonomous Greek population. Cultural conflicts were exacerbated by the resurgence of Jewish nationalism and resentment of Hellenistic culture with which many Jews had accommodated. Tensions came to a head in the insurrection of the Jews of Cyrene under Vespasian (AD 73) and especially Trajan (AD 117). This revolt was quelled by Marcius Turbo, but not before about 200,000 Romans and Greeks had been killed (Dio Cassius, lxviii. 32). By this outbreak Libya was depopulated to such an extent that a few years later new colonies had to be established there, according to Eusebius. Cyrene's chief local export through much of its early history -- the medicinal herb silphium -- was pictured on most Cyrenian coins, until it was harvested to extinction. Though commercial competition from Carthage and Alexandria reduced its trade, Cyrene, with its port of Apollonia (Marsa Susa), remained an important urban center until the earthquake of 365. Ammianus Marcellinus described it in the 4th century as a deserted city, and Synesius, a native of Cyrene, described it in the following century as a vast ruin at the mercy of the nomads. The names of six christian bishops are known: according to Byzantine legend the first was St. Lucius (Acts 13:1); St. Theodorus suffered martyrdom under Diocletian; about 370 Philo dared to consecrate by himself a bishop for Hydra, and was succeeded by his own nephew, Philo; Rufus sided with Dioscorus at the so-called Robber Synod (Latrocinium) of Ephesus in 449; Leontius lived about 600. Cyrene is now an archeological site near the village of Shahat. One of its more significant features is the Temple of Apollo which was originally constructed as early as 7th century BC. Other ancient structures include a Temple to Demeter and a partially unexcavated Temple to Zeus (the latter was intentionally damaged under orders of Moammar Al Qadhafi in the summer of 1978). There is a large necropolis approximately 10 km between Cyrene and its ancient port of Apollonia. Cyrene is also mentioned in the New Testament: One Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Christ (Mark 15:21 and parallels). See also Acts 2:10, 6:9; 11:20; 13:1. (wikipedia) Slonta : The little temple near the village of Slotna is beautiful, but little has been done to meet an audience. What kind of cult was practiced here in the temple, is unknown today. VALPARD FILMS http://valpardfilms.free.fr |
 | How to Start a Perennial Garden : How to Add Plants to a Perennial Garden Learn how to add plants to a garden of perennial plants and flowers in this greenthumb gardening video from our year-around garden expert. |
 | Easy Pool Landscaping Ideas : How to Trim Garden Plants and Shrubs Around Pool Learn how to trim garden plants and shrubs around the pool area in this free video. |
 | How to Water Garden Plants : How to Use a Mini Sprinkler to Water Garden Plants Learn how to use a mini sprinkler to water your garden, in this free garden irrigation video. |
 | A Ten Foot Tall Hollyhock A ten foot tall hollyhock graces our back garden this Summer. It's massive. Wyllie O Hagan picked the seeds in Copenhagen where we exhibited our art at a conference there. In the garden are two ten feet tall dogs and two ten foot tall great pals - well - that's how they measure up with me. The rose at the beginning of the short vid is called "Jude the Obscure". Isn't that just a splendid name for a splendid rose? Jude sits beside roses - William Morris and John Keats. |
 | Creating Outdoor Rooms From http://www.GrowingWisdom.com Using Plants To Create Outdoor Rooms One landscape idea that's getting a lot of attention these days is outdoor rooms. More and more people are starting to enjoy the practical benefits of dividing their yards into discrete spaces. There are many reasons to create outdoor rooms. You might want to entertain in one area and sit and contemplate in another. One area might be for the kids or even pets, while the other is for cooking. You might have a water feature in one spot and a fire pit in another. Sometimes you want to see from room to room; other times, you want to build walls and completely separate the rooms. You can use almost any plant material to create your walls, or you can use more conventional fencing materials such as stone or wood. You can even use containers or sculptures. I like the idea of using very vertical plants such as Hicks Yew or Buxus Graham Blandy -- a type of boxwood -- for wall material. Sky Pencil Holly (Ilex crenata) work well, too, but can get winter damage in cold dry winters north and west of Boston. The following chart, created by the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, shows you some plants well suited for use as room dividers. Always check to make sure that a plant you're interested in can be used in your zone, and make sure you have the right light and soil conditions for the plant. Also think about what plants might differentiate your yard from everyone else's. Look for unique specimens that will not only be the walls of your outdoor room, but a wonderful conversation piece as well. Deciduous trees Common name Latin name Cultivars and Comments Hedge maple Acer campestre Small tree Japanese maple Acer palmatum Many cultivars; small tree Norway maple Acer platanoides 'Columnar' -- tall and narrow Red maple Acer rubrum 'Bowhall' -- narrow; fast growing Freeman maple Acer x freemanii 'Armstrong' -- tall and narrow; fast growing Alder Alnus glutinosa Tolerates wet soil Japanese white birch Betula platyphylla 'Whitespire'; tolerates wet soil, pest resistant European hornbeam Carpinus betulus 'Columnaris', 'Fastigiata' -- narrow Flowering dogwood Cornus florida Many cultivars; understory, small tree Kousa dogwood Cornus kousa Small tree, heat tolerant Washington hawthorn Crataegus phaenopyrum 'Fastigiata' -- small, narrow Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba 'Fastigiata', 'Princeton Sentry' -- narrow Deciduous hollies Ilex decidua, Ilex verticillata Many cultivars; tolerates wet soil; fast growing Goldenraintree Koelreuteria paniculata Summer flowers Crape myrtle Lagerstroemia fauriei, L x indica. Many cultivars; single and multitrunked; fast growing Galaxy magnolia Magnolia x 'Galaxy' Pyramidal, deep pink flowers Crabapple Malus spp. Many broad and narrow cultivars, diverse flower colors Hardy orange Poncirus trifoliata Small tree with thorns Cherry plum Prunus cerasifera Many cultivars; dense, purple leaves Weeping cherry Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula' -- medium tree; weeping branches; flowers Callery pear Pyrus calleryana 'Capital', 'Chanticleer' - upright, very urban tolerant English oak Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' -- narrow Weeping willow Salix babylonica Large tree; weeping branches Tree lilac Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk'; small tree, white flowers Bald cypress Taxodium ascendens, T. distichum Tall, pyramidal, tolerates wet soil Evergreen trees Common name Latin name Cultivars and Comments False cypress Chamaecyparis spp. Several narrow or pyramidal species and cultivar Japanese cryptomeria Cryptomeria japonica Pyramidal; fast growing Leyland cypress x Cupressocyparis leylandii Many cultivars -- tall and narrow; fast growing Foster holly Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Narrow, drought tolerant Nellie Stevens holly Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens' Dense, narrow American holly Ilex opaca Many cultivars -- tall and pyramidal; tolerates wet soil Chinese juniper Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa' -- arrow; twisted branches Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum 'Mountbatten', 'Skyrocket' -- narrow Red cedar Juniperus virginiana 'Glauca' -- narrow; silver-blue Hasse magnolia Magnolia grandiflora 'Hasse' -- upright Dwarf southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' -- smallest; slow growing Sweet bay magnolia Magnolia virginiana Tolerates wet soil Japanese red pine Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera' -- dwarf, umbrella-shaped Eastern white pine Pinus strobus 'Fastigiata' -- upright Virginia pine Pinus virginiana Dense Arborvitae Thuja spp. Dense, broad and species and cultivars Hemlock Tsuga canadensis Pyramidal; not heat tolerant |
 | How to Design a Perennial Garden : How to Tell If Plants are Happy Learn how to determine if your plants are happy in a garden of perennial plants and flowers in this greenthumb gardening video from our year-around garden expert. |
 | Deadheading Part II From www.GrowingWisdom.com Learning About Deadheading Perennials and Other Flowering Plants Sometimes we have so much to show you that we need a second video to cover all the information. Deadheading is a topic like that, because of the great variety in the way plants bud and grow. Plants flower to produce seeds and more plants. When you deadhead a plant -- that is, when you remove the spent flowers and stalks on a plant -- you encourage it to put its energy elsewhere. The energy can then go into strengthening the plant and its roots and leaves. In some cases, removing the spent flowers can also cause the plant to bloom for a second, third, and even fourth time in one season. Sometimes the blooms can continue straight through from the first bloom until frost, as is the case with some coreopsis. You can't really kill a plant by deadheading unless you remove the entire plant, so don't worry about doing it "wrong". There are, however, a few easy rules you can follow to maximize the health and shapeliness of the plant. As a rule of thumb, cut the plant back to where the flower meets the plant. In some cases -- for example, with daylilies -- this includes the stalk that the flower sits upon. When you're working with roses, cut back the flower and stem until you find a set of five leaflets. If you can't find five leaflets, look for a small node along the branch. This is where a new bud will form. Cut just above that node at an angle. When you're working with a butterfly bush, cut the flowers off as they die back and cut them to where you see new growth. The other benefit of deadheading plants is that it prevents the plants from going to seed. The seeds can often germinate and sprout plants in areas where you don't want them. |
 | How to Design a Perennial Garden : Color Schemes in a Perennial Garden Learn how to create color schemes for a garden of perennial plants and flowers in this greenthumb gardening video from our year-around garden expert. |
 | Wildlife Garden : Watering Plants Properly Watering plants properly depends on the species, but consistently keeping the soil damp is an efficient way to keep plants thriving without wasting water. Keep plants moist, trying not to flood them with too much wasted water, with tips from a professional horticulturist in this free video on gardening for wildlife. |
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