Tag: amazing

  • AI: Coming to a garden near you.

    AI: Coming to a garden near you.

    Before
    Cottage, flowers
    After. It even improved the quality of the original photo!

    I’m a gardener, and I’m often asked to help people envision what their gardens could become. We’ll talk about plants, soil, and sunlight, but sometimes a customer wants to see the whole picture. They want to know what a finished project will look like, and I have to admit, that can be a real challenge. I can describe it, draw a sketch, or even show them pictures of similar gardens, but it’s never quite the same as seeing their own space transformed.
    Recently, one of my clients asked me to help them imagine their cottage with a low stone wall and climbing roses around the front door. They had a great vision, but they were hesitant to commit without a clearer idea of the final look. I knew I couldn’t just snap my fingers and make it happen, but then I remembered a new tool that could help me: generative AI.

    From a Picture to a Possibility.
    I took a photo of their house as it was then.  The house was a lovely old cottage, with a slightly unfinished look and some bare ground in the front. There was so much potential there! I uploaded the photo to an AI image generator and gave it a simple request: “Add a low stone wall with roses around the door.”

    I was amazed by the result. The AI took the original image and, in a matter of seconds, created a new one that showed exactly what my client had in mind. It added a beautiful, rustic stone wall, with lush roses climbing up the side of the house and around the red door.  The AI even “finished” painting the house and the red paint on the third windowsill, a detail I hadn’t even thought to request!

    This experience was a revelation. It wasn’t just about a one-time trick; it was about how AI can help us visualize and plan our projects more effectively. For me, as a gardener, this technology is a fantastic new tool. It helps me communicate ideas more clearly to my customers. I can show them what their garden will look like in the spring, summer, and fall, with different plants and features. It’s a way to remove the guesswork and help people feel more confident in their decisions.

    AI isn’t going to replace a good gardener. It can’t feel the soil, choose the right plant for a specific spot, or get its hands dirty. But it can be an incredibly useful partner, helping us to imagine and plan our projects in a way that wasn’t possible before. It’s a powerful tool that helps bridge the gap between imagination and reality, and for me, that’s incredibly exciting.


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    Tap here for a list of 100 endangered animals and plants.

    100 endangered plant and animal species

    * Abies beshanzuensis (Baishan fir) – Plant (Tree) – Baishanzu Mountain, Zhejiang, China – Three mature individuals

    * Actinote zikani – Insect (butterfly) – Near São Paulo, Atlantic forest, Brazil – Unknown numbers

    * Aipysurus foliosquama (Leaf scaled sea-snake) – Reptile – Ashmore Reef and Hibernia Reef, Timor Sea – Unknown numbers * Amanipodagrion gilliesi (Amani flatwing) – Insect (damselfly) – Amani-Sigi Forest, Usamabara Mountains, Tanzania – < 500 individuals * Antisolabis seychellensis – Insect – Morne Blanc, Mahé island, Seychelles – Unknown numbers * Antilophia bokermanni (Araripe manakin) – Bird – Chapado do Araripe, South Ceará, Brazil – 779 individuals * Aphanius transgrediens (Aci Göl toothcarp) – Fish – south-eastern shore of former Lake Aci, Turkey – Few hundred pairs * Aproteles bulmerae (Bulmer’s fruit bat) – Mammal – Luplupwintern Cave, Western Province, Papua New Guinea – 150 * Ardea insignis (White bellied heron) – Bird – Bhutan, North East India and Myanmar – 70–400 individuals * Ardeotis nigriceps (Great Indian bustard) – Bird – Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya, India – 50–249 mature individuals * Astrochelys yniphora (Ploughshare tortoise) – Reptile – Baly Bay region, northwestern Madagascar – 440–770 * Atelopus balios (Rio Pescado stubfoot toad) – Amphibian – Azuay, Cañar and Guyas provinces, south-western Ecuador – Unknown numbers * Aythya innotata (Madagascar pochard) – Bird – volcanic lakes north of Bealanana, Madagascar – 80 mature individuals * Azurina eupalama (Galapagos damsel fish) – Fish – Unknown numbers – Unknown numbers * Bahaba taipingensis (Giant yellow croaker) – Fish – Chinese coast from Yangtze River, China to Hong Kong – Unknown numbers * Batagur baska (Common batagur) – Reptile (turtle) – Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Malaysia – Unknown numbers * Bazzania bhutanica – Plant – Budini and Lafeti Khola, Bhutan – 2 sub-populations * Beatragus hunteri (Hirola) – Mammal (antelope) – South-east Kenya and possibly south-west Somalia – < 1,000 individuals * Bombus franklini (Franklin’s bumblebee) – Insect (bee) – Oregon and California – Unknown numbers * Brachyteles hypoxanthus (Northern muriqui / Woolly spider monkey) – Mammal (primate) – Atlantic forest, south-eastern Brazil – < 1,000 * Bradypus pygmaeus (Pygmy three-toed sloth) – Mammal – Isla Escudo de Veraguas, Panama – < 500 * Callitriche pulchra – Plant (freshwater) – pool on Gavdos, Greece – Unknown numbers * Calumma tarzan (Tarzan’s chameleon) – Reptile – Anosibe An’Ala region, eastern Madagascar – < 100 * Cavia intermedia (Santa Catarina’s guinea pig) – Mammal (rodent) – Moleques do Sul Island, Santa Catarina, Brazil – 40–60 * Cercopithecus roloway (Roloway guenon) – Mammal (primate) – Côte d’Ivoire – Unknown numbers * Coleura seychellensis (Seychelles sheath-tailed bat) – Mammal (bat) – Two small caves on Silhouette and Mahé, Seychelles – < 100 * Cryptomyces maximus (Willow blister) – Fungi – Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom – Unknown numbers * Cryptotis nelsoni (Nelson’s small-eared shrew) – Mammal (shrew) – Volcán San Martín Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico – Unknown numbers * Cyclura collei (Jamaican iguana / Jamaican rock iguana) – Reptile – Hellshire Hills, Jamaica – Unknown numbers * Daubentonia madagascariensis (Aye-aye) – Mammal (primate) – Deciduous forest, East Madagascar – Unknown numbers * Dendrophylax fawcettii (Cayman Islands ghost orchid) – Plant (orchid) – Ironwood Forest, George Town, Grand Cayman – Unknown numbers * Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Sumatran rhino) – Mammal (rhino) – Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Kalimantan and Sumatra, Indonesia – < 100 (more recent estimates suggest 34-47) * Diomedea amsterdamensis (Amsterdam albatross) – Bird – Breeds on Plateuau des Tourbières, Amsterdam Island, Indian Ocean. – 100 mature individuals * Dioscorea strydomiana (Wild yam) – Plant – Oshoek area, Mpumalanga, South Africa – 200 * Diospyros katendei – Plant (tree) – Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve, Uganda – 20 individuals in a single population * Dipterocarpus lamellatus – Plant (tree) – Siangau Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia – 12 individuals * Discoglossus nigriventer (Hula painted frog) – Amphibian – Hula Valley, Israel – Unknown numbers * Dombeya mauritiana – Plant – Mauritius – Unknown numbers * Elaeocarpus bojeri (Bois Dentelle) – Plant (tree) – Grand Bassin, Mauritius – < 10 individuals * Eleutherodactylus glandulifer (La Hotte glanded frog) – Amphibian – Massif de la Hotte, Haiti – Unknown numbers * Eleutherodactylus thorectes (Macaya breast-spot frog) – Amphibian – Formon and Macaya peaks, Masif de la Hotte, Haiti – Unknown numbers * Eriosyce chilensis (Chilenito (cactus)) – Plant – Pta Molles and Pichidungui, Chile – < 500 individuals * Erythrina schliebenii (Coral tree) – Plant – Namatimbili-Ngarama Forest, Tanzania – < 50 individuals * Euphorbia tanaensis – Plant (tree) – Witu Forest Reserve, Kenya – 4 mature individuals * Eurynorhyncus pygmeus (Spoon-billed sandpiper) – Bird – Breeds in Russia, migrates along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to wintering grounds in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar – 100 breeding pairs * Ficus katendei – Plant – Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve, Ishasha River, Uganda – < 50 mature individuals * Geronticus eremita (Northern bald ibis) – Bird – Breeds in Morocco, Turkey and Syria. Syrian population winters in central Ethiopia. – About 3000 individuals * Gigasiphon macrosiphon – Plant (flower) – Kaya Muhaka, Gongoni and Mrima Forest Reserves, Kenya, Amani Nature Reserve, West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve, and Kihansi Gorge, Tanzania – 33 * Gocea ohridana – Mollusc – Lake Ohrid, Macedonia – Unknown numbers * Heleophryne rosei (Table mountain ghost frog) – Amphibian – Table Mountain, Western Cape Province, South Africa – Unknown numbers * Hemicycla paeteliana – Mollusc (land snail) – Jandia peninsula, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands – Unknown numbers * Heteromirafa sidamoensis (Liben lark) – Bird – Liben Plains, southern Ethiopia – 90–256 * Hibiscadelphus woodii – Plant (tree) – Kalalau Valley, Hawaii – Unknown numbers * Hucho perryi (Sakhalin taimen) – Fish – Russian and Japanese rivers, Pacific Ocean between Russia and Japan – Unknown numbers * Johora singaporensis (Singapore freshwater crab) – Crustacean – Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and streamlet near Bukit Batok, Singapore – Unknown numbers * Lathyrus belinensis (Belin vetchling) – Plant – Outskirts of Belin village, Antalya, Turkey – < 1,000 * Leiopelma archeyi (Archey’s frog) – Amphibian – Coromandel peninsula and Whareorino Forest, New Zealand – Unknown numbers * Lithobates sevosus (Dusky gopher frog) – Amphibian – Harrison County, Mississippi, USA – 60–100 * Lophura edwardsi (Edwards’s pheasant) – Bird – Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue, Viet Nam – Unknown numbers * Magnolia wolfii – Plant (tree) – Risaralda, Colombia – 3 * Margaritifera marocana – Mollusc – Oued Denna, Oued Abid and Oued Beth, Morocco – < 250 * Moominia willii – Mollusc (snail) – Silhouette Island, Seychelles – < 500 * Natalus primus (Cuban greater funnel eared bat) – Mammal (bat) – Cueva La Barca, Isle of Pines, Cuba – < 100 * Nepenthes attenboroughii (Attenborough’s pitcher plant) – Plant – Mount Victoria, Palawan, Philippines – Unknown numbers * Nomascus hainanus (Hainan black crested gibbon) – Mammal (primate) – Hainan Island, China – 20 * Neurergus kaiseri (Luristan newt) – Amphibian – Zagros Mountains, Lorestan, Iran – < 1,000 * Oreocnemis phoenix (Mulanje red damsel) – Insect (damselfly) – Mulanje Plateau, Malawi – Unknown numbers * Pangasius sanitwongsei (Pangasid catfish) – Fish – Chao Phraya and Mekong basins in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam – Unknown numbers * Parides burchellanus – Insect (butterfly) – Cerrado, Brazil – < 100 * Phocoena sinus (Vaquita) – Mammal (porpoise) – Northern Gulf of California, Mexico – 12 * Picea neoveitchii (Type of spruce tree) – Plant (tree) – Qinling Range, China – Unknown numbers * Pinus squamata (Qiaojia pine) – Plant (tree) – Qiaojia, Yunnan, China – < 25 * Poecilotheria metallica (Gooty tarantula / Metallic tarantula / Peacock tarantula / Salepurgu) – Spider – Nandyal and Giddalur, Andhra Pradesh, India – Unknown numbers * Pomarea whitneyi (Fatuhiva monarch) – Bird – Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia – 50 * Pristis pristis (Common sawfish) – Fish – Coastal tropical and subtropical waters of Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Currently largely restricted to northern Australia – Unknown numbers * Hapalemur simus (Greater bamboo lemur) – Mammal (primate) – Southeastern and southcentral rainforests of Madagascar – 500 * Propithecus candidus (Silky sifaka) – Mammal (primate) – Maroantsetra to Andapa basin, and Marojeju Massif, Madagascar – 100–1,000 * Psammobates geometricus (Geometric tortoise) – Reptile – Western Cape Province, South Africa – Unknown numbers * Pseudoryx nghetinhensis (Saola) – Mammal – Annamite mountains, on the Viet Nam – PDR Laos border – Unknown numbers * Psiadia cataractae – Plant – Mauritius – Unknown numbers * Psorodonotus ebneri (Beydaglari bush-cricket) – Insect – Beydaglari range, Antalaya, Turkey – Unknown numbers * Rafetus swinhoei (Red River giant softshell turtle) – Reptile – Hoan Kiem Lake and Dong Mo Lake, Viet Nam, and Suzhou Zoo, China – 3 * Rhinoceros sondaicus (Javan rhino) – Mammal (rhino) – Ujung Kulon National Park, Java, Indonesia – < 100 * Rhinopithecus avunculus (Tonkin snub-nosed monkey) – Mammal (primate) – Northeastern Vietnam – < 200 * Rhizanthella gardneri (West Australian underground orchid) – Plant (orchid) – Western Australia, Australia – < 100 * Rhynchocyon spp. (Boni giant sengi) – Mammal – Boni-Dodori Forest, Lamu area, Kenya – Unknown numbers * Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi (Cebu frill-wing) – Insect (damselfly) – Rivulet beside the Kawasan River, Cebu, Philippines – Unknown numbers * Rosa arabica – Plant – St Katherine Mountains, Egypt – Unknown numbers, 10 sub-populations * Salanoia durrelli (Durrell’s vontsira) – Mammal (mongoose) – Marshes of Lake Alaotra, Madagascar – Unknown numbers * Santamartamys rufodorsalis (Red crested tree rat) – Mammal (rodent) – Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia – Unknown numbers * Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis (Red-finned blue-eye) – Fish – Edgbaston Station, central western Queensland, Australia – 2,000–4,000 * Squatina squatina (Angel shark) – Fish – Canary Islands – Unknown numbers * Sterna bernsteini (Chinese crested tern) – Bird – Breeding in Zhejiang and Fujian, China. Outside breeding season in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand. – < 50 * Syngnathus watermeyeri (Estuarine pipefish) – Fish – Kariega Estuary to East Kleinemonde Estuary, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa – Unknown numbers * Tahina spectabilis (Suicide palm / Dimaka) – Plant – Analalava district, north-western Madagascar – 90 * Telmatobufo bullocki (Bullock’s false toad) – Amphibian (frog) – Nahuelbuta, Arauco Province, Chile – Unknown numbers * Tokudaia muenninki (Okinawa spiny rat) – Mammal (rodent) – Okinawa Island, Japan – Unknown numbers * Trigonostigma somphongsi (Somphongs’s rasbora) – Fish – Mae Khlong basin, Thailand – Unknown numbers * Valencia letourneuxi – Fish – Southern Albania and Western Greece – Unknown numbers * Voanioala gerardii (Forest coconut) – Plant – Masoala peninsula, Madagascar – < 10 * Zaglossus attenboroughi (Attenborough’s echidna) – Mammal – Cyclops Mountains, Papua Province, Indonesia – Unknown numbers

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  • Cats at the zoo

    Cats at the zoo

    I recently visited Chester Zoo and had the honour of photographing five incredible animals up close: lions, tigers, cheetahs, jaguars, and snow leopards. Inspired by these majestic creatures, I decided to delve into the zoo’s conservation efforts for these species. Accompanied by my photos, here’s the lowdown on Chester Zoo’s work to protect and preserve these amazing big cats!

    Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica)

    Asiatic lion at Chester Zoo
    Male lion
    Female lion at Chester Zoo
    Female lion

    Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN) 
    Wild Population: ~670 individuals 
    Habitat: Gir Forest, India 
    Threats: Habitat loss, poaching, human-wildlife conflict 
    Breeding Programs: European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) 
    Key Partners: Forest Department of Gujarat, Lion Conservation Trust

    Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)

    Sumatran Tiger at Chester Zoo
    Tiger

    Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN) 
    Wild Population: ~400 individuals 
    Habitat: Rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia 
    Threats: Deforestation, poaching, illegal wildlife trade 
    Breeding Programs: EEP for Sumatran tigers   
    Key Partners: WWF, Indonesian Ministry of Forestry 

    Northwest African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki)

    Northwest African Cheetah at Chester Zoo
    Cheetah

    Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN) 
    Wild Population: ~250 individuals 
    Habitat: Sahara Desert and Sahel regions 
    Threats: Habitat fragmentation, hunting, prey depletion 
    Breeding Programs: EEP for cheetahs 
    Key Partners: Cheetah Conservation Fund, Sahara Conservation Fund 

    Jaguar (Panthera onca)

    Jaguar at Chester Zoo
    Jaguar

    Conservation Status: Near Threatened (IUCN) 
    Wild Population: ~15,000 individuals 
    Habitat: Rainforests, savannas, and wetlands of Central and South America 
    Threats: Deforestation, illegal hunting, human-wildlife conflict
    Breeding Programs: Involvement in EEP and awareness initiatives 
    Key Partners: Panthera, WWF, South American conservation NGOs 

    Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)

    Snow leopard at Chester Zoo
    Snow leopard

    Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IUCN) 
    Wild Population: 4,000-6,500 individuals 
    Habitat: Mountain ranges of Central Asia (Himalayas, Altai, etc.) 
    Threats:Poaching, livestock retaliations, habitat degradation  
    Breeding Programs: EEP participation for snow leopards   
    Key Partners: Snow Leopard Trust, Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP)


    I highly recommend a visit to Chester Zoo: its amazing! Even though these animals are in captivity, it’s clear that they are well cared for, and seeing them up close is truly special. Beyond just the experience, visiting the zoo is a great way to support their important conservation efforts, helping protect endangered species like these big cats. So, if you love animals and want to learn more about how to help save them, Chester Zoo is well worth the trip!


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  • Oreo: a tale of two eyes

    Oreo: a tale of two eyes

    In the quiet hamlet nestled ‘neath the shroud of time, there dwelt a colossal Great Dane, christened Oreo in the tongue of the townsfolk. His fur, a patchwork quilt of ebony and alabaster, concealed a secret known to those who dared peer into the windows of his soul.

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    Oreo, a creature of the night and the day, bore witness to the celestial dance in his very gaze. One eye, an obsidian pool, cradled the secrets whispered by the moon in the stillness of midnight. Its velvety depths held the mysteries of nocturnal realms, casting an otherworldly allure upon all who chanced upon its depths.

    Contrasted against this cosmic canvas, his second eye, a sapphire jewel, mirrored the tender caress of the sun’s golden fingers. Bathed in daylight’s warmth, it spoke of sunlit meadows and endless azure skies, a portal to the day’s vibrancy.

    In the shadowy corners of the town, rumours brewed like the evening mist – tales of a canine blessed by the lunar and solar embrace. The storytellers, their voices trembling with the weight of folklore, spun yarns of Oreo’s eyes as conduits to realms unseen. Whispers echoed through cobblestone streets and shadowed alleys, engraving a narrative of ethereal enchantment into the town’s history.

    Clara, the matronly keeper of Oreo’s heart, cradled these murmurs with a knowing smile. Her weathered hands, etched with the passage of countless sunrises and moonlit vigils, stroked Oreo’s majestic frame. She understood that his gaze transcended the mundane, a communion with celestial forces sown into the very fabric of his existence.

    And so, under the watchful eyes of moon and sun, Oreo and Clara sauntered through the chronicles of their days. Their tale, a lyrical dance in the moonlight and a serenade beneath the golden dawn, etched itself into the annals of the hamlet’s collective memory. Oreo, the spectral guardian of celestial secrets, and Clara, the earthly custodian of a bond forged in the crucible of night and day.

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