After the morning service on 1st August, Malcolm Haigh posed a question – what is this plant growing near the water tap next to the church tower? Nobody could remember seeing before so we assume it doesn’t flower every year. Click the image for a larger version.
Anybody know what it is? Post a comment below . . .
Dear Parishioners,
Sorry to say I can’t help with the churchyard botany. The link though is an opportunity draw your attention my own web-page which impinges on the history of St. Mary’s churchyard. At least I think it does 🙂
Please consider : http://www.g4fas.net/SirJohnField.html
Best wishes, Fieldmouse, S.Manchester
That is a Century Plant, otherwise known as an Agave, I am not sure what variety. It is from the American Southwest.
I live in Baltimore, Maryland & visited England once & Scotland once. I was amazed at the different plants growing in Britain. I would like to go back to England & visit your church. I picked up a Lilliput Lane miniature at the Goodwill store yesterday & looked you up on line. So very lovely!
That’s wonderful – thank you!! I’m glad you found the Lilliput Lane, I’d forgotten all about it. I’ve found somebody’s web site who specialise in them and put a link on ours. They seem to be only available second hand at the moment so you are lucky to find one.
Look us up if you come over this side of the pond!
Regards, Neal
I would love to see your church and town. England is wonderful, the people I met were charming. Not to mention the churches, pubs and sticky toffee pudding!
My husband actually picked up the miniature, he mistook it for Boxley Abbey in Kent. We went to Kent in 2006 because he was researching his Watt family.
I forgot to mention that the plant is called a Century Plant because it takes many years to bloom and people used to think it would only bloom once in a hundred years.
The plant in your churchyard is the Yucca filamentosa (also called the Spoonleaf yucca or Adam’s needle. I used to have one in my garden when we lived in Barnsley. I hope you’re taking care of it in the adverse weather we’re having at the moment!
I have been researching my family tree and find that my 4x g/grandparents were married on 19 May 1763 at St Mary’s. George Clarke and Enchora Smith were both originally from Ecclesfield parish and later moved back there where my 3x g/grandfather and his siblings were christened at St Mary’s in Ecclesfield.
Best wishes.