Ornithogalum saundersiae, or Giant Chincherinchee

Ornithogalum saundersiae (syn. Galtonia saundersiae) or Giant Chincherinchee is a species of Ornithogalum (Star of Bethlehem) in the Asparagaceae family.

I bought some bulbs cheaply earlier this year as part of two lots, each of which had two different bulbous flowering plants. They have all been wonderful flowers and have flowered at different times. This Giant Chincherinchee is only just coming into flower and I had thought it wouldn't make it considering the lateness in the season. Since taking this picture and looking closely at the detail of the flowers I have decided to bring them indoors to try to prolong their display.

I was up far too early as I had promised to Camilla that I would join her at the Farmers' Market where we were having a stall to tell the local populace about the Neighbourhood Development Plan for Stroud Town Centre. I had to ope up the council offices to collect the display boards and the photos of the town which have proved very popular because they show the town centre from very unusual standpoints. I am also pleased as it gave me the chance to produce high quality A2 colour prints which turned out really well and proved throw worth of investing in a good lens and camera.

We started at 9-30am and finished at 2-30 and managed to speak to more than one hundred people and get them toy fill in response forms which will be used a part of the evidence trail which is so essential to the legitimacy of the Plan. It was so interesting to meet people from all walks of life and different areas and no one queried the reasoning for producing a Plan. When you explain the sense of trying to ensure a future for the town that its community actually wants everyone swings behind you.

When I got home I felt very tired and found that Helena had gone to attend the Flok Festival that is happening in the town centre, so I won't see her till much later this evening. I shall settle in with a good glass or two of wine, and some food and watch the final episode of Wallander that I missed when it was show a few months ago. I gather it will be rather sad, but I am a big fan of both the author Henning Mankell and Krister Henriksson, the actor who plays Wallander, so it will mark the end of a quite long journey for me.