What's it All About?

Well, it's about as much of My Family, My Friends, My Life and its Events, as I can recall and cram in . . . .
On this website I introduce myself, 'The Toynes', my family and their lives, as well as my life and our photographs from more than 70 years - 40 of them hiding in the shrubbery . . .

 

FIRST: A Whole Life

The Toynes, My Life, My Family and Our Travels - That's a 'Me & Mine' click.

 

THEN: A Life in Horticulture

Gardens, Plants, Techniques, Styles, Features, Wildlife - Good & Bad -  and Ideas . . . this is where you'll find my latest photos to look at and use. Yes, USE!


I look forward to reading your comments in the 'About You' (that's 'you' NOT me!) and 'Get In Touch' Sections!

Visitors to this Toyne Website

Thanks for Visiting Folks! How's about telling us something about your life in the 'About You' Section or leaving a message in 'Get In Touch'?

Have a Look at the Toyne Family Tree:

Click on this logo for our Branch of 'The Toyne Family Tree'

For several years I have been putting together a Family Tree for our Branch of the Toynes in Lincolnshire and elsewhere in the world (I have two children and further offspring in Australia and Glenna has umpteen cousins in America) - However, I must admit to being neither very good nor very consistent in my efforts and have resolved to look elsewhere for information and history than just the Web! Time permitting, I'll put this into practice soon . . . 

 

Recommend this page on:

Legless - No Legs, No Backbone

Legless invertebrates include slugs and snails (i.e. Molluscs - which also includes all shellfish, as well as octopusses and squid), earthworms and other worms, eelworms (nematodes), leeches, and lots of sea creatures like, jellyfish, sea cucumbers, sea hares, sea anemones, coral and sponge polyps - and masses more - not that any of those need worry us in the garden or great UK outdoors!

 

The picture above is of two Arion rufus slugs in the middle of mating - the process can last 10 hours! They are hermaphrodite so both fertilise and lay eggs. two earlier stages of mating are included in the Gallery pictures below.

Arion rufus is the redish cousin of the giant black, Arion ater, slug we all know and love - but I have to say that neither of these species are the ones to worry about. They do cause some damage to plants but mainly live on dead material including insects and small animals - it's the little devils like the Milax (keeled) species and their offspring that live in the soil that cause all the trouble.

More info later . . . .

Molluscs - Slugs & Snails

The Molluscs include the familiar slugs and snails - both on land and in the sea - but also included are creatures which 'appear' to have legs, the Octopusses, Cuttlefish and Squids (I say 'appear' to have legs because the primary use of their arms and tentacles is to catch prey, not to get about)

But we generally ony have a problem, in gardens or on the land, with Slugs & Snails - some octopusses are poisonous, even deadly (e.g. the Blue-Ringed Octopus of Australia), but your are not likely to come across them digging spuds in the veg garden . . . 

Just a few pictures and words will give you all the information and advice you need.