Blog: Learning

Back on the 23rd of January I posted that the Crocus flowers could be on the way, then the weather turned cold and we are still waiting.

If the weather stays reasonably warm they really should be flowering next week. Normally, by now we would have some crocus flower sightings from schools, but our strange winter weather seems to have slowed down the growth.

In the museum grounds however, some of my crocus have already opened! Whilst in my garden, I'm still waiting for flowers, although one daffodil that I planted in Autumn 2010 has tilted it's head. This is a sure sign that it's ready to flower.

Fulwood and Cadley Primary School sent in a picture of their tallest bulb - measuring 9.5cm - see the picture attached.

Be patient and the crocus flowers should open soon.

Your Comments:

Stanford in the Vale. Another strange week...Looking at the rainfall for Monday, I think this maybe because of the snow and rain we had over the weekend? We also observed 3mm of snow fall today. We really haven't had any rain for what seem's like in a long time?The bulbs we planted in the ground are slowly coming through, We wonded if this is because we may have planted them to deep? As the pot bulbs look as they are growing much faster? Ans: This is probably the case, if they are planted a too deep they can takke a little longer. They will come though - were they planted in more or less the same spot?

Glyncollen Primary School. Our thermometer broke this week. Can you send us a new one please? Our plants are growing well and we can't wait to take them home. Yr.4 Glyncollen. Ans: Glad your plants are growing well and I've put a thermometer in the post for you.

Woodplumpton Primary School. We have been listening to the weather warnings on the news. It feels really cold outside and yet the temperature has not dropped below freezing. We are surprised! We are learning a lot about temperature and getting really good at guessing what it is. Ans: This is great news glad you are getting really involved in the project. I know what you mean about it feeling really cold some days.

Ysgol Porth Y Felin. The plants have almost sprouted and has been a lot of rain. All of the plants have sprouted some leaves by now and we have seen a mystery bulb. Ans: How exciting not long now!

Earlston Primary School. Snow Monday & Tuesday. Ans: Well done for recording in the snow!

www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/Professor_Plant

Follow Professor Plant Facebook

The snow didn't last very long in Cardiff but I did manage to get a quick pic of my bulbs. Across the country there has been much more snow. Please send me any pictures you have.

Your questions:

Stanford in the Vale Primary School. What a cold spell we have had, the ground has been rock hard all week! I hope it will not stunt our growth for the bulbs we planted into the ground? Do you think the bulbs we planted into pots should be moved into the greenhouse? Kind Regards. Gardening Club Members.

Ans: Hi Stanford. Great question. Normally, a gardener may put plants into a green house to protect the shoots from the frost, but in this experiment we are recording how the bulbs react to the weather, so please don't put them in the green house as it will affect the final result. Also, these bulbs have evolved to withstand cold winters - so don't worry they should be fine. Prof. P

Woodplumpton Primary School. We have noticed a lot of daffodils flowering but none in our school grounds. Our bulbs are a long way behind other daffodil bulbs we have in our school garden. We wonder if this is because they are older and have flowered many times before. Our mystery bulbs are growing really fast now.

Ans: Hi Woodplumpton. Great observation, I too have noticed that bulbs I planted in previous years have grown a lot more - see my pictures. I agree with what you say, I think the bulbs that were already planted from previous years are taller because they have had more time in the ground to grow. With the mild Autumn and winter they would have began to grow under the ground before we planted this years bulbs on the 20th of October. Hope that makes sence! Prof. P

Fulwood and Cadley. It has been extremely cold this week and the ground is frozen. All our bulbs have shoots now and are growing taller, the tallest being 7cm. Prof. P: Excellent news! my tallest is about that height too!

Ysgol Porth Y Felin. It has been a cold and frosty week.Sorry this is late. It has reached negative numbers in the evening. Prof. P:  Very cold, well done for keeping at the recording in the cold!

Woodplumpton Primary School. We think the mystery bulbs are tulips! Prof.P: Only time will tell...

www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/Professor_Plant

Follow Professor Plant Facebook

The weather has been really cold for the last two weeks with parts of theUKbeing as cold as minus 11 degrees Celsius! As a result, my bulbs haven't grown any taller since my last pictures. My Crocus flowers may not arrive until mid Feb now.

Despite the cold weather, we haven't had too much ice or snow in the UK. This is because the air is very dry at the moment - as the wind is blowing across from Siberia. Less ice means less damage to our bulbs - so don't worry too much if yours have stopped growing. They are tough little things and they are just waiting for a warm patch in order to flower.

Things may change this weekend according to the latest weather report that predicts snow! See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16866903

Our coldest weather report comes from Ysgol Deganwy where the temperatures were always below zero. It may be cold here at the moment but compared to other areas ofEurope we are very lucky. In the Ukraine they have suffered very badly as temperatures have fallen to as low as -32C in the north and west.

Ysgol Porth y Felinreport that their bulbs are growing well and even their mystery Bulbs have began to grow. Let me know if your mystery bulbs have begun to grow?

Don't forget to send in your weather records weekly if you can. All weather records need to be sent in to stand a chance to win a nature activity trip!

Keep wrapped up warm. Professor Plant

www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/Professor_Plant

Follow Professor Plant Facebook

Sun 4th March, Sun 1^st April & 17^th-19^th April

Babies may be small but they can use a lot of resources. Come and share ideas over a cuppa or find out how to give your baby a greener start.

Free coffee at 11am or drop-in any time between 11-1 & 2-4pm at the Ty Gwyrdd at St Fagans: National History Museum.

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/whatson/?site=stfagans

Twitter.com/TyGwyrdd

We have been running a quilt club for just over a year and we've got quite a group of regulars who turn up on the first Saturday every two months for some patchworking and a chat. There must be something quilty in the air for 2012, as last time we met the group had doubled in size with lots of lovely new patchworkers turning up.

Samantha Jenkins leads the patchworking and quilting and you can see some of her work hereshe is full of great ideas and can solve all your patchwork problems!

I thought it might be time to try out some different craft sessions aimed at adults, so much in the same way that quilting club is run (relaxed and informal but with someone there to help if you get stuck) we are going to be trying out some similar sessions providing you with the chance to knit, make rag rugs, do some simple printing by hand and embroidery. Please visit the 'what's on' part of our website for more information, and please remember to book as spaces are limited.

Just to give you a bit of an idea of what is happening... I will be running the printing session, and we'll be looking at some lovely 1950s designs to come up with printing ideas, making simple printing blocks out of softblock (like lino but better) and printing on paper and fabric. I have turned one of my prints into a fabric brooch, and they would also be lovely as part of a patchwork quilt.

Amy Wheel will be taking our knitting session and will be basing the workshop on some of the socks we have in the collection. Amy is a regular at our quilt club and is also a fabulous knitter and super lovely too, so this should be a fun session! If you know how to knit you could have a go at making a sock, and if you don't you can learn and make something based on the sock designs.

Jane Dorsett will be leading the rag rug making session, and she asks that you bring along a bag of clean unwanted clothes, apparently old T-shirts are great for the job.

Jane has run numerous rag rug sessions in schools, community groups and galleries and there is a lot of interest in this session already so book right away!

The embroidery sessions will be run by Becky Adams and she will be basing some of the designs on the needlecases that we have in our collections here at St Fagans: National History Museum.

Becky has previously worked in St Fagans: National History Museum on our Keepsakes project and has run numerous art and craft sessions for all ages as well as being a wonderful artist in her own right.

I've added some photos showing some patchwork made in quilt club. If you have a photo of your work in progress, please email me with it as it's great to see what everyone is making! My email address is sian.lile@museumwales.ac.uk

Here are the crafty dates for your diary. Booking is essential as spaces are limited, so please phone 029 2057 3414 to keep a space.

3 March 11am-12.30pm - Quilt Club

17 March 11am-12.30pm - Knitting

31 March 11am-12.30pm - Embroidery

14 April 11am-12.30pm - Printing

28 April 11am-12.30pm - Embroidery

12 May 10.30am-12.30pm - Rag Rugs

19 May 11am-12.30pm - Knitting

26 May 10.30am-12.30pm - Rag Rugs

7 July 11am-12.30pm - Quilt Club

1 Sept 11am-12.30pm - Quilt Club

3 Nov 11am-12.30pm - Quilt Club

All sessions are free and some materials are provided to get you started. If you are taking part in the rag rug sessions please bring along some old clothes or fabric.