Proto-carnivorous!

This is the teasel behind which the hens are laying their eggs! I googled why they collect water in the axis of their leaves and discovered the thin soup resulting from the dead insects is used by the plant to enable it to make more seeds! As the plant lacks the ability  to break down the insects itself  it is called a proto-carnivore! The romans used to call it the Venus Cup! I also found out that the main flower head is known as the king, the medium  ones Queens and the smaller ones buttons! Even more interesting their name derives from their use in making  cloth - their heads being used to -

 "draw out the ends of the wool from the manufactured cloth, so as to bring a regular pile or nap upon the surface free from twistings and knottings, and to comb off the course and loose parts of the wool."

Fascinating eh?! I found all this out on a Legendary Dartmoor  site! 

Today I started on one of the beds for my other brassicas. Oh it was hard work! It was very hot and humid on the plot - we have not had rain for ages despite daily forecasts of rain! The ground was just solid even though it had been covered in card and carpet. The grass had grown up waist height in one section so it was a complete nightmare! I managed to clear the bed but not dig it over to get out all the roots. I'm hoping we do get rain in the next day or so which will make that an easier job! 
After picking some strawberries I called it a day and headed home for lunch. I then spent the afternoon potting up chrysanthemums and watering my back garden! Then it was back to the allotment to do the watering up there! I'm in a gardening frenzy at the moment!